Prerequisites, skills and productivity of young academic urologists in Germany

Abstract

To safeguard scientific and clinical progress, German urology requires properly trained junior scientists. Before initiating or continuing actions aiming at quality improvement an analysis of the status quo is necessary. To assess the conditions to pursue research, research skills and research output of junior scientists in urology in Germany. A16-item online questionnaire was sent to 95junior scientists in urology within the research network GeSRU Academics. Primary outcomes were the conditions to pursue research in terms of research time, research skills and sources of learning and research output as measured by peer-reviewed publications. Subpopulations were compared with respect to the number of peer-reviewed publications. Out of 78junior scientists (82% response rate) 45% pursued research exclusively in their leisure time. Self-assessment of research skills varied from good (systematic literature search) to sufficient (grant acquisition). The main source of learning for research skills was self-study, followed by mentor, own department, courses and networks. Of the junior scientists 81% had peer-reviewed publications (median4). The groups of junior scientists who pursued research (partially) during working hours, who had good skills and whose research skills were supported by amentor/network had significantly more peer-reviewed publications than their counterparts. Junior scientists in urology in Germany lack protected time to pursue research and have varying research skills, which are predominantly acquired by self-study and demonstrate their first research output as peer-reviewed publications.