title: [Prerequisites, skills and productivity of young academic urologists in Germany].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  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.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To assess the conditions to pursue research, research skills and research output of junior scientists in urology in Germany.
  
  
  METHODS
  A 16-item online questionnaire was sent to 95 junior 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.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Out of 78 junior 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 (median 4). The groups of junior scientists who pursued research (partially) during working hours, who had good skills and whose research skills were supported by a mentor/network had significantly more peer-reviewed publications than their counterparts.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  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.
authors.affiliation: Klinik für Urologie, Universitätsklinikum Mainz, Langenbeckstr. 1, 55131, Mainz, Deutschland. borgmann.hendrik@gmail.com.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Borgmann
authors.affiliation: Klinik für Urologie, Caritas Krankenhaus St. Josef - Universität Regensburg, Regensburg, Deutschland.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bründl
authors.affiliation: Klinik für Urologie, Universitätsklinikum Carl Gustav Carus, TU Dresden, Dresden, Deutschland.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Huber
authors.affiliation: Klinik für Urologie, Bundeswehrkrankenhaus Koblenz, Koblenz, Deutschland.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ruf
authors.affiliation: Kinderurologie und Andrologie, Sektion Molekulare Andrologie, Klinik für Urologie, Gießen, Deutschland.
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Schagdarsurgengin
authors.affiliation: Klinik für Urologie, Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Erlangen, Deutschland.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Wullich
authors.affiliation: Klinik für Urologie, Universitätsklinikum Köln, Köln, Deutschland.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Salem
mesh_terms: D002983:Clinical Competence; D003479:Curriculum; D004503:Education, Medical, Graduate; D004526:Efficiency; D005858:Germany; D006801:Humans; D008611:Mentors; D011643:Publishing; D012106:Research / Q000193:education*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014572:Urology / Q000193:education*
keywords: Network; Research; Support; Trainees; Urology