Minimal Prevalence of Authorship Misrepresentation among Internal Medicine Residency Applicants: Do Previous Estimates of “Misrepresentation” Represent Insufficient Case Finding?

  1. Randy S. Hebert, MD, MPH;
  2. Cheri G. Smith, MLS; and
  3. Scott M. Wright, MD
  1. From Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center and Harrison Medical Library, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland.

    Abstract

    Background: High rates of authorship misrepresentation have been documented among medical trainees.

    Objective: To assess misrepresentation among internal medicine residency applicants while comparing searches used by previous authors (searches 1 and 2) to a more comprehensive strategy (search 3).

    Design: Review of 497 residency applications.

    Setting: Two university-based internal medicine residency programs.

    Measurements: Search 1 was limited to MEDLINE. Search 2 added Current Contents, Science Citation Index, and BIOSIS and included searching journals by hand. Search 3 added seven other databases and contacts to librarians, editors, and coauthors.

    Results: 224 applicants reported 634 articles; 630 (99%) were verified. The number of applicants with misrepresented citations varied depending on the search used (56 applicants [25%] in search 1 vs. 34 applicants [15%] in search 2 vs. 4 applicants [1.8%] in search 3).

    Conclusions: Using a comprehensive search, we found substantially less misrepresentation than had been reported. Previous studies probably overestimated the magnitude of the problem.

    Article and Author Information

    • Grant Support: Dr. Wright is an Arnold P. Gold Foundation Assistant Professor of Medicine.

    • Requests for Single Reprints: Randy S. Hebert, MD, MPH, Division of General Internal Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, 933W, MUH, 200 Lothrop Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15213; e-mail, hebertrs{at}msx.upmc.edu.

    • Current Author Addresses: Dr. Hebert: Division of General Internal Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, 933W, MUH, 200 Lothrop Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15213.

    • Ms. Smith: Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center, Harrison Medical Library, 4940 Eastern Avenue, Baltimore, MD 21224.

    • Dr. Wright: Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center, A6W, 4940 Eastern Avenue, Baltimore, MD 21224.

    • Author Contributions: Conception and design: R.S. Hebert and S.M. Wright.

    • Analysis and interpretation of the data: R.S. Hebert and S.M. Wright.

    • Drafting of the article: R.S. Hebert, C.G. Smith, and S.M. Wright.

    • Critical revision of the article for important intellectual content: R.S. Hebert, C.G. Smith, and S.M. Wright.

    • Final approval of the article: R.S. Hebert, C.G. Smith, and S.M. Wright.

    • Provision of study materials or patients: R.S. Hebert.

    • Statistical expertise: R.S. Hebert.

    • Administrative, technical, or logistic support: R.S. Hebert, C.G. Smith, and S.M. Wright.

    • Collection and assembly of data: R.S. Hebert, C.G. Smith, and S.M. Wright.

    Summary for Patients

    • Summaries for Patients:Do Applicants to Internal Medicine Residency Programs Misrepresent Publications? Ann Intern Med March 4, 2003 138:I-60
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    1. Ann Intern Med March 4, 2003 vol. 138 no. 5 390-392
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