Publication misrepresentation among otolaryngology residency applicants.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the extent of research publication misrepresentation among otolaryngology residency applicants and to determine applicant attributes associated with misrepresentation.

STUDY DESIGN: Prospective study.

SETTING: A single otolaryngology residency program.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS) applications to the incoming 2010 class of an otolaryngology residency program were reviewed for peer-reviewed journal publications reported as "provisionally accepted," "accepted," or "in print." Publications were verified by searching PubMed, Google Scholar, and electronic journals. Applicants with remaining unverified publications were e-mailed before announcing interviews. Erroneously reported or unverifiable publications were considered misrepresented.

RESULTS: There were 432 publications reported by 173 of 325 applicants (53.2%). Twenty-two publications (5.1%) were misrepresented by 17 applicants (9.8%). Contacting applicants verified 26 publications and identified 10 errors. Seven publications were inappropriately reported as provisionally accepted, three articles were not peer-reviewed, and applicants were erroneously listed as first author on two publications. Ten publications remained unverifiable. Multivariate logistic regression models showed that being an international medical graduate (P = 0.002) and male gender (P = 0.040) were predictors of misrepresentation after adjusting for potential confounders. Among international medical graduates alone, no attributes were associated with misrepresentation. All U.S. applicants with misrepresented publications were male (P = 0.033) and were from a medical school not ranked in the top 50 by U.S. News & World Report for research (P = 0.002) or primary care (P = 0.018).

CONCLUSION: Misrepresentation of research experience exists among otolaryngology residency applicants. ERAS should develop standardized definitions for publication statuses to help reduce inadvertent misrepresentation.