Incentive to Publish in Plastic Surgery: Does It Continue After the Match?

Abstract

Purpose: Plastic surgery remains one of the most competitive specialties, with a 58.8% match rate during the 2023-2024 cycle. Research productivity is a well-established predictor of match success, yet its persistence throughout residency remains unclear. This study evaluates publication trends among residents before and during training to identify factors that promote sustained research productivity.

Methods: Data from US integrated plastic surgery residents during the 2024-2025 academic year, covering match cycles from years 2019 to 2024, were analyzed. Indexed publications were retrieved from PubMed and categorized as prematch or postmatch. Multivariate regression was used to assess how residency program characteristics and prematch publications influenced research productivity during training.

Results: A total of 1214 residents across 89 programs were identified. Average prematch publications increased from 4.7 in 2019 to 8.6 in 2024, reflecting an 83.0% rise. First-author publications grew by 53.0%. During residency, average total publications increased from 1.1 in PGY-1 to 7.1 by PGY-6, with average first-author contributions rising from 0.3 to 2.3. Training at top 25 NIH-funded or Doximity-ranked residency programs, advancing through postgraduate years, and prematch first-author publications were significant positive predictors of research productivity during residency ( P < 0.05). However, neither attending a top 25 NIH-funded medical school nor total prematch publications correlated with increased research output during residency.

Conclusions: Prematch first-author publications and training at highly ranked, well-funded residencies are key predictors of sustained academic productivity. These findings provide valuable insights for programs seeking applicants who are likely to demonstrate long-term research engagement.