Assessment of the Academic Productivity of Plastic Surgeons in Saudi Arabia Using the h-index

Area of Science:

• Bibliometrics
• Medical Research Evaluation
• Plastic Surgery

Background:

• The Hirsch-index (h-index) is a key bibliometric indicator of research output and impact.
• Evaluating the h-index of specialists provides insights into academic productivity within specific medical fields.
• Plastic surgery is a competitive field where academic contributions are increasingly recognized.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the h-index of board-certified plastic surgeons in Saudi Arabia.
• To identify factors influencing the h-index among this cohort.
• To assess the utility of the h-index in academic and professional contexts within plastic surgery.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study involving 156 board-certified plastic surgeons in Saudi Arabia.
• An electronic questionnaire distributed to participants.
• Online database searches (Scopus, Semantic Scholar, Google Scholar) to calculate h-index.
• Bivariate and multiple regression analyses to identify predictors of the h-index.

Main Results:

• Eighty-four surgeons participated; 83.3% were male, with a mean h-index of 1.7 and mean publication count of 5.
• Higher publication numbers (β = 0.79, P < 0.001) and academic rank (β = 0.14, P = 0.017) significantly predicted a higher h-index.
• Residency training country, completion year, fellowship status, research interest, academic hospital affiliation, and higher degrees were not significant predictors.

Conclusions:

• Increased publication count and higher academic rank are significant predictors of academic productivity among Saudi plastic surgeons.
• The h-index, despite limitations, is a valuable metric for assessing plastic surgeons' academic contributions.
• The h-index can be considered alongside other factors in promotions and applications for prestigious positions.