Effects of a Reward System on Resident Academic Productivity

Abstract

Objective: To determine if residency applicant measures are predictive of resident performance.Method: A retrospective review of the residents graduating from 2006-2012 was performed. Residency applicant measures including board scores, medical school grades, and applicant rank were recorded. These were compared to measures of resident performance including otolaryngology training exam (OTE) scores and composite 360° evaluation scores obtained during the final year of residency.Results: Data was available on 20 residents. Residency applicant board scores were minimally predictive of resident OTE scores during the final year of residency (r 2 = 0.377). There was no significant correlation between board scores and performance on evaluations (r 2 = 0.10). Grade received during the surgical clerkship had an inverse correlation with performance on the OTE (r 2 = 0.13). The surgical clerkship grade also had no correlation with evaluation score (r 2 = 0.04). Most notably, applicant rank had minimal correlation with final resident performance as measured by composite evaluation score (r 2 = 0.06). Conclusion:Commonly used measures of applicant quality are minimally predictive of ultimate resident performance. Further studies are indicated to identify better predictors of resident performance. Business of Medicine/Practice ManagementEffects of a Reward System on Resident Academic Productivity Jonathan C. Mills, MD (presenter); C. W. David Chang, MDObjective: 1) Implement a reward system that positively promotes academic productivity amongst otolaryngology residents. 2) Evaluate outcomes of the reward system with regards to resident academic output. Method:Residents earn points for completing various steps of a research project. Points may be redeemed for academic endeavors, including books, equipment, and travel expenses. Resident publications submitted between 7/1/1997 and 6/30/2011 were reviewed. This timeframe included equal periods before and after implementation of the reward system, which occurred in 2004.Results: The reward system was well-utilized, with median annual points earned per resident of 850 (range 0-3670). Fortynine resident authors on 40 unique publications were identified. Mean resident publications per year increased from 1.67 prior to the reward system to 5.57 after implementation of the reward system, P = .01. After implementation of the reward system, a significantly higher percentage of resident publications were of the case report type (10% before and 85% after, P < .001). Conclusion:The reward system is well-utilized by otolaryngology residents at our institution. One measure of academic achievement-number of publications-increased after implementing the reward system. These data suggest that this system may be effectively encouraging resident research, but may have the unintended effect of skewing publication output toward case reports. Business of Medicine/Practice ManagementHow to Avoid Malpractice in Forensic ENT Medicine Mohamed E. Attia, MD (presenter)Objective: With so many cases of medi...