Medical Degree Disparity Among Authors in Obstetrics and Gynecology Journals

Abstract

Context With the transition to a single accreditation system for graduate medical education, the scholarly activity among core faculty in osteopathic and allopathic residency programs has come under scrutiny. Currently, major differences in scholarly activity requirements exist between core faculty in obstetrics and gynecology residencies accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education and those accredited by the American Osteopathic Association. Objective To determine whether there is a disparity between osteopathic and allopathic physicians among authors with original research published in 4 high-impact obstetrics and gynecology journals during 4 select years. Methods The authors reviewed Obstetrics & Gynecology (Obstet Gynecol), the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology (Am J Obstet Gynecol), Fertility and Sterility (Fertil Steril), and Menopause for the degree designation of the first and senior (last) author of each original manuscript for the years of 2000, 2005, 2010, and 2015. Data were analyzed using simple descriptive statistics and linear regression. Results In total, 3311 articles and 5909 authors were reviewed. Of these authors, 0.80% (47) had a DO degree. Of 1692 authors with dual advanced degrees, only 0.53% (9) had a DO degree. On subgroup analysis of each journal, 0.87% (13 of 1494) of identified authors in Obstet Gynecol, 1.03% (21 of 2038) in Am J Obstet Gynecol, 0.44% (9 of 2030) in Fertil Steril, and 2.20% (4 of 347) in Menopause were osteopathic physicians. During the years studied, no statistically significant trend could be established for first or senior author publication by osteopathic physicians over time, for all 4 journals or for any individual journal. Conclusion Very few osteopathic physicians have served as either the first or the senior author in articles published in Obstet Gynecol, Am J Obstet Gynecol, Fertil Steril, or Menopause during the years studied, and no trend was seen for increased publication by osteopathic physicians in these journals over time.

Medical Degree Disparity Among Authors of Original Research in Pediatric Journals

“…Based upon the data, very few of those DOs who published research manuscripts held a dual degree. Similar data has also been seen by those DOs who have published manuscripts in emergency medicine and obstetrics and gynecology [4-5]. Current literature shows that those pediatric hospitalists who hold a dual degree are more likely to publish original research and present research abstracts at scientific conferences [7].…”

“…Much like in emergency medicine and obstetrics and gynecology, osteopathic physicians rarely published original research manuscripts in the studied three high-impact pediatric journals over the time period studied [4-5]. Data has shown that of the 57,542 active physicians in pediatrics in 2015, 71.06% held an MD degree [6].…”

“…As the transition into a single graduate medical accreditation system occurs, research has shown that the publication of manuscripts by Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) is lacking in certain specialties as compared to their allopathic Doctor of Medicine (MD) counterparts despite ACGME recommendations [4-5]. However, no data has currently been published in the specialty of pediatrics.…”

A Time of Reflection and New Beginnings

“…This included poor research infrastructure, representation on vital Federal committee's, low rate of Federal grants awarded and inclusion as editors in medical journals. [2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18] A credit to our training and the make-up as a medical community; physicians tend to believe in others, favor trust and compliance. This same trait can lead to anergy at times when speaking up and taking action is more prudent.…”

National Institutes of Health Funding in Internal Medicine: Analysis of Physicians Receiving an R01 Grant Between 2008 and 2017

“…Over the last several years, a disparity in the amount of scholarly activity produced by allopathic and osteopathic physicians has emerged. Recent data have shown that very few osteopathic physicians serve as either the first or senior author in published original research manuscripts in emergency medicine, obstetrics and gynecology, pediatrics, and neurosurgery [1][2][3][4]. Additionally, no osteopathic physicians have been awarded a National Institutes of Health (NIH) R01 grant in emergency medicine, family medicine, general surgery, or obstetrics and gynecology in the previous decade [5][6][7][8].…”