what is the purpose of publishing articles

[iridocyclitiss]

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same as above. does publishing a lot of research really create opportunities by getting your name out there? i know there are some programs that spit out tons of research but question if it actually matters or just an ego thing. i really don't think it matters but wanted to see what everyone's take was lol

 

[Feli]

Ego thing, get speaking engagements, get industry speaking roles or other $, make residency/fellowship look good. For residents/fellows, it's to get jobs/fellowship and pad CV maybe.

For medicine, research of Rx is obviously what leads to FDA approval, indications, all that $$$ stuff... but we don't do that real doctor stuff.

It's neat to see what techniques people are using, but in reality, it's not like a tablet med where every patient takes it the same. I don't get most research for surgery. It's for ideas at best. I can read Myerson's technique for XYZ a hundred times... results won't be same when I do it (different pts, different skill, etc). I can read all about fibula fx nails or arthroscopic ankle fusion, but it may or may not be my best approach to those issues - based on what I have at my hospitals, my skill set and exp and pref.

A few of the long term studies are ok... IMA maintain of Lapidus vs osteotomy, rates of nonunion, rates of amp for TAR, classifications for prognosis, etc.

 

[heybrother]

I've got a few pubs. Thinking about them sort of makes me laugh. One was a large study on something I love to do. I think it positively affected how I do my job. It was a fun teamwork activity with my residency though it was a lot of work. I could say a whole bunch more about experiencing the process of "research" and some of it would likely come across as very cynical (and there's enough of that here). No regrets. I occasionally humble brag that I'm "published" on said surgery when patients ask me about it. I probably should frame a few copies of it in my office... 😉

The other article I was published on was junk, but again hilarious. A faculty member asked me to help them write an article. I pulled a ton of articles and I thought put together a really interesting topic exploring it. Wrote it up. Sent it all to my PD. He hated it, used all my articles, went a direction I didn't really think was supported and I got another small pub.

Plural people actually have come to me about the small pub looking for a second opinion concerning surgery.

Have I advanced the future of the human race. No. Do I think you should just do what you want? Sure. Topics I researched/wrote about / presented on are things that I think I have stronger knowledge on because of it. I'd meet students 4th year who were just recycling their friends presentations. To each their own.

 

[Adam Smasher]

I think research carries some prestige. But you need to have a continuous output of publications if you want to be regarded as a physician-investigator and not just 3 articles in residency. Doing good research really is a team effort though, not just because of how much work is involved but because it's good to have people to bounce ideas off one another, so hopefully you stay in touch with other people who also want to research.

Also, If you have $2k, you can get whatever garbage you want published in an open-access journal.

Anyone ever get their publications mounted and framed? Because I knew of at least 2 attendings who did this...

 

[Hybrocure]

Mony