Inaccuracies on applications for emergency medicine residency training

Studies have shown erroneous claims of authorship by medical students applying for residency. Authors have hypothesized that investigation of advanced degrees, Alpha Omega Alpha (AOA) status, and peer-reviewed publications all show important rates of inaccuracy.

A retrospective review of all applicants offered an interview for the authors' emergency medicine (EM) residency (entering class of 2002), excluding foreign medical graduates and current residents, was conducted. After verifying peer-reviewed publications by MEDLINE search and journal review, errors were tabulated as follows: reference not found, not referenced as an abstract, incorrect author list, or clerical error. AOA status was verified by the AOA organization. Advanced degrees were verified by the awarding institutions.

Of 194 applications screened (58.3% of applications), 21 (10.8%) were excluded (9 foreign medical graduates, 12 current residents). Multiple inaccuracies on a single application were counted separately. Of the 173 remaining applications, 23 (13.3%; 95% confidence interval [95% CI] = 8.8% to 19.5%) had at least one misrepresentation and seven of 173 (4.0%; 95% CI = 1.8% to 8.5%) had two or more. Authorship of at least one peer-reviewed article was claimed by 47 of 173 (27.2%), with ten of 47 (21.3%; 95% CI = 11.2% to 36.1%) having one inaccuracy and six of 47 (12.8%, 95% CI = 5.3% to 26.4%) having two or more. AOA membership was claimed by 14 applicants (8.1%), but five claims (35.7%, 95% CI = 14.0% to 64.4%) were inaccurate. Advanced degrees were claimed by 15 (8.7%); four (26.7%, 95% CI = 8.9% to 55.2%) were in error.

Applications for EM residency contain frequent inaccuracies in publications listed, AOA status, and advanced degrees. Careful review of applications is necessary to ensure appropriate credit is given for claims of these types.