Performing research and publishing in the peer-reviewed medical literature should be a requirement for completion of post-graduate residency and fellowship training.

Abstract

Graduate medical education (GME) in the USA is an increasingly organized and formalized process overseen by regulatory bodies, notably the American Council of Graduate Medical Education (ACGME), and associated specialty-specific Residency Review Committees (RRCs) to ensure that trainees, including residents and fellows, receive comprehensive, high-quality didactic education, clinical training, and research experience. Among the required elements of GME, performance of independent research is emphasized less than clinical and didactic education. In general, there are no ACGME requirements that trainees successfully publish papers in the peer reviewed. Indeed, unlike as is the case with procedure case logs, there are no minimum thresholds for specific numbers of abstracts presented, posters accepted, or manuscripts published. As such, while residencies and fellowships in certain disciplines or institutions may require considerable, documented research activity, others may not. Since future attending physicians are expected to be experts in their fields, able to digest relevant medical knowledge, critically evaluate emerging findings in the literature, and lead multi-professional healthcare teams, they must have a level of facility with the medical literature than can only be acquired by having performed research and having published papers themselves. Publishing one paper during training is easily attainable for all trainees. Having this be an ACGME requirement will necessitate protected time, research methods education, and mentorship for trainees. This can be accomplished without disrupting the other elements of resident and fellow training. From an ACGME perspective, required scholarly activity will support the competencies of practice-based learning and improvement as well as professionalism. In lay terms, benefits will be a higher level of education and attainment for trainees, and a potentially higher standard of health care for our patients.