title: The Effect of Self-Citations on the Hirsch Index Among Full-Time Academic Hand Surgeons.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the magnitude of self-citation among a cohort of academic hand surgeons and estimate the effect of self-citation on the Hirsch index (h-index).
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Johns Hopkins Hospital, Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Division of Hand Surgery.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The study sample comprised 364 full-time academic hand surgeons. Study subjects had an average of 45 ± 73 publications. The mean total number of citations was 800 ± 1738, the median number of self-citations was 2.5 (interquartile range [IQR]: 0-14.8), and the average frequency of self-citation was 2.2% ± 3.7%. Older surgeons were slightly less likely to self-cite (coefficient = 0.07; p = 0.001). Furthermore, as the total number of publications increased, the frequency of self-citation increased (coefficient = 0.03; p < 0.001). The h-index increased because of self-citation in 57 surgeons (15.7%). After adjusting for American Society for Surgery of the Hand status and academic rank, increasing rates of self-citation were associated with an increase in the h-index. Surgeons with 7 or more self-citations were more likely to have their h-index influenced by self-citation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The rate of self-citation among full-time academic hand surgeons affiliated with fellowship programs is fairly low. For most of the surgeons, self-citation did not affect the h-index.
authors: Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, Maryland.
authors: Joseph
authors: J
authors: Lopez
authors: Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, Maryland.
authors: Srinivas M
authors: SM
authors: Susarla
authors: Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, Maryland.
authors: Edward W
authors: EW
authors: Swanson
authors: Department of Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery, Johns Hopkins University, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland.
authors: J D
authors: JD
authors: Luck
authors: Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, Maryland.
authors: Sami
authors: S
authors: Tuffaha
authors: Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, Maryland. Electronic address: SLIFCHE1@JHMI.EDU.
authors: Scott D
authors: SD
authors: Lifchez
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015706:Bibliometrics; D035843:Biomedical Research; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006225:Hand / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011643:Publishing / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D066231:Surgeons
keywords: Practice-Based Learning and Improvement; Professionalism; Systems-Based Practice; academic productivity; bibliometrics; h-index; hand surgery; self-citation