The Difference a Year Can Make: Academic Productivity of Residents in 5 vs 6-Year Urology Programs

Abstract

To evaluate the effect of a dedicated research year on academic productivity in a heterogeneous group of urology programs. We obtained information on publication output for the past 5years, from 2009 to 2013, of urology graduates from all 15 New York Section residency programs (n=148). We recorded resident sex; whether the program has a dedicated year of research; number of residents per year; total number of publications per resident noting first, second, and third or greater authorship; and whether residents pursued fellowship training. Overall, the median number of total publications was 3 for residents in 5-year programs compared with 7 in 6-year programs (P=.0007). This difference remained significant when evaluating the number of publications per year as well as the number of first and third or greater authorship. Programs with 3 residents per year had significantly more publications than those with 1 or 2, regardless of research time. Graduates of 5-year programs were less likely than their 6-year counterparts to pursue fellowship training. There was a significantly higher publication output for those residents who went on to fellowship training. On multivariate analysis, 5- or 6-year program, the number of residents per year and pursuit of fellowship training remained statistically significant predictors of total publication number. Urology residents with a dedicated year of research produce more than 2 times the number of publications than their counterparts in 5-year programs. This dedicated research time and greaterpublication output were both indicative of the pursuit of fellowship training.