Predictors of Academic Productivity Among Spine Surgeons.

INTRODUCTION: The relationship between research productivity in training and future productivity as an attending spine surgeon is not well-established in the literature nor has the effect of geographic location of training institutions on future academic success been investigated. The aim of our study was to (1) summarize characteristics of academically productive spine surgeons, (2) assess predictors of long-term academic productivity, and (3) establish the effect of geographic location on long-term academic productivity.

METHODS: A query was conducted of the 2021 to 2022 North American Spine Society Spine Fellowship Directory of all orthopaedic and neurosurgical spine fellowship selection committee members for each institution participating in the spine fellowship match. The attending publication rate and h-index were determined. A multivariate linear regression model was developed. P value was set to <0.05.

RESULTS: We identified 310 orthopaedic and neurosurgical spine surgeons, representing 76 fellowship programs. Multivariate linear regression analysis identified that the publications during residency (P < 0.001) and during fellowship (P < 0.001) were significant predictors of an increased publication rate as an attending surgeon. By contrast, the preresidency publication rate (P = 0.729) was not significantly predictive of the attending publication rate. Multivariate analysis of h-index found that residency publication rate had a positive correlation (P = 0.031) compared with preresidency (P = 0.579) or fellowship (P = 0.257) rates. Attendings who had attended residency in the Northeast and currently practicing in the Northeast had a higher publication rate (P < 0.001 and P = 0.004, respectively).

DISCUSSION: A higher number of publications in residency and fellowship were markedly predictive of an increased publication rate as an attending spine surgeon. By contrast, preresidency publications may not be indicative of future academic productivity as an attending. Location may also contribute to attending publication rate and favor those who undergo residency training and ultimately practice in the Northeast.