Affecting factors on the publication rate of surgical theses from different departments in Turkey

Abstract

The aim of the study is to investigate and compare the factors affecting publication rates of otorhinolaryngology (ORL) theses and plastic and reconstructive surgery (PRS) theses. In order to examine ORL and PRS specialization theses published between 2013 and 2017, the author scanned the Council of Higher Education Thesis Center’s browsing system that contains a list of all published theses for the terms “ear, nose, and throat” and “plastic and reconstructive surgery”. All accessible theses (in total, 689), including 454 ORL and 235 PRS theses were included in the study. Most ORL and PRS theses authors were male (72.5% and 84.3%, respectively). Most of the ORL theses were conducted in state universities (76.9%), whereas most of the PRS theses were conducted in public universities (87.2%). More than half (50.9%) of the ORL advisors were professor doctors, compared to 46.3% of the PRS advisors. Most of the ORL studies were clinical studies (81.7%), while 74.9% of the PRS studies were experimental animal studies. In total, 24.5% of the ORL theses were published, and 29.7% of them were accepted in SCI- indexed journals. In comparison, a total of 19.6% of the PRS theses were published. The publication rates of experimental PRS and ORL studies were significantly higher than clinical studies. In order to increase the quality of medical theses and to publish them in scientific journals, the frequency of thesis production should be increased and that the factors affecting publication rates should be carefully examined, monitored, and improved.