first author when you don't really want to?

[deleted736562]

I figured this would be the best place to post this.

There's a small case report I worked on with an attending. I was hesitant to publish it as I didn't think it's really all that worthy of publication. It has been refused in a couple of places and the attending wants to submit it to a really low IF journal (<1). I have tried to voice my hesitance in publishing this in multiple ways, including telling said attending that I'm OK if someone wants to take over the project and that I don't mind not being a first author. He seems intent on publishing it with my name; left with option to say straight out that I don't want my name in there. I'm just wondering if I'm missing something/is it unprofessional/unethical to say "I don't really want my name in there and would gladly offer first authorship to someone else"?

Thanks for any advice.

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[tr]

Good luck. I'm middle author on at least one or two embarrassingly bad papers because I couldn't figure out a polite way to tell the first author I didn't want my name associated with the work.

First author is different though. You should have way more control over the quality. Can you not fix whatever is wrong with it? Or just quietly let it drop to the bottom of your to-do list so it never gets submitted?

 

[deleted736562]

Good luck. I'm middle author on at least one or two embarrassingly bad papers because I couldn't figure out a polite way to tell the first author I didn't want my name associated with the work.

First author is different though. You should have way more control over the quality. Can you not fix whatever is wrong with it? Or just quietly let it drop to the bottom of your to-do list so it never gets submitted?

Not really. It's just a very lame case.

I tried to drop it off on my to do list, but I keep getting badgered (emailed repeatedly, texted, sent pple to ask for me to talk to him...).

I don't work with that attending anymore/never will; I'm just wondering if it's a professional faux-pas to politely say that I'd like to step out and perhaps have someone else take over. It also feels a little personal with that attending...(really intent on putting my name...)

Thanks for the input.

 

[Neuronix]

Is it really that much work to re-submit ? I mean, it's just CV padding. There's plenty of that in academics.

 

[deleted736562]

Is it really that much work to re-submit ? I mean, it's just CV padding. There's plenty of that in academics.

You're right, it isn't. I guess I'm thinking poor pubs might end up reflecting badly?

I could suck it up and just publish it.

 

[Neuronix]

They don't reflect badly unless they're the only things on your CV.

Frankly, people are often very bad at assessing publication quality. Everyone can count.

 

[MSTP18]

If it's a case report, it frankly doesn't matter that much. Whether or not NEJM accepts it vs some BS journal is more about the uniqueness of the case (which the authors have no control over) than about the quality of publication. I think you are overthinking it OP, get that extra pub on your list and show you can write stuff with a much more clinical slant as well as your basic science work.

 

[SurfingDoctor]

No one if ever going to reject your NIH proposal because you published a case report. Let the dude submit it and move on.