title: Do Plastic Surgery Programs with Integrated Residencies or Subspecialty Fellowships Have Increased Academic Productivity?
abstract: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of different surgical training pathways on the academic performance of plastic surgical divisions.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eighty-two academic parameters for 338 plastic surgeons (PS), 1737 general surgeons (GS), and 1689 specialist surgeons (SS) from the top 55 National Institutes of Health (NIH)-funded academic departments of surgery were examined using data gathered from websites, SCOPUS, and NIH Research Portfolio Online Reporting Tools.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The median size of a PS division was 7 faculty members. PS faculty had lower median publications (P)/citations (C) (ie, P/C) than GS and SS (PS: 25/328, GS: 35/607, and SS: 40/713, P < 0.05). Publication and citation differences were observed at all ranks: assistant professor (PS: 11/101, GS: 13/169, and SS: 19/249), associate professor (PS: 33/342, GS: 40/691, and SS: 44/780), and professor (PS: 57/968, GS: 97/2451, and SS: 101/2376). PS had a lower percentage of faculty with current/former NIH funding (PS: 13.5%, GS: 22.8%, and SS: 25.1%, P < 0.05). Academic productivity for PS faculty was improved in integrated programs. P/C for PS faculty from divisions with traditional 3-year fellowships was 19/153, integrated 6-year residency was 25/329, and both traditional and 6-year programs were 27/344, P < 0.05. Craniofacial and hand fellowships increased productivity within the integrated residency programs. P/C for programs with a craniofacial fellowship were 32/364 and for those that additionally had a hand fellowship were 45/536. PS faculty at divisions with integrated training programs also had a higher frequency of NIH funding.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  PS divisions vary in degree of academic productivity. Dramatically improved scholarly output is observed with integrated residency training programs and advanced specialty fellowships.
authors.affiliation: Division of Plastic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Ind.; and Department of Surgery, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Ind.
authors.forename: Stephen P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Duquette
authors.affiliation: Division of Plastic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Ind.; and Department of Surgery, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Ind.
authors.forename: Nakul P
authors.initials: NP
authors.lastname: Valsangkar
authors.affiliation: Division of Plastic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Ind.; and Department of Surgery, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Ind.
authors.forename: Rajiv
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sood
authors.affiliation: Division of Plastic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Ind.; and Department of Surgery, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Ind.
authors.forename: Juan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Socas
authors.affiliation: Division of Plastic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Ind.; and Department of Surgery, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Ind.
authors.forename: Teresa A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Zimmers
authors.affiliation: Division of Plastic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Ind.; and Department of Surgery, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Ind.
authors.forename: Leonidas G
authors.initials: LG
authors.lastname: Koniaris