Doximity Orthopaedic Surgery Program Rankings Are Associated with Academic Productivity

Area of Science:

• Orthopaedic Surgery
• Medical Education
• Academic Medicine

Background:

• Doximity residency rankings rely on physician reputation surveys for program comparison.
• Outcomes-based measures offer objective data for evaluating residency programs.
• The association between Doximity rankings and objective academic productivity in orthopaedic surgery is not well-established.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare Doximity orthopaedic surgery residency rankings with an outcomes-based ranking derived from academic productivity.
• To investigate the relationship between program size, type, and academic productivity in orthopaedic surgery residencies.

Main Methods:

• Data on orthopaedic residency program rankings, size, and type were obtained from Doximity.
• An academic productivity score was calculated using the mean percentage of alumni involved in clinical trials and publications.
• Analysis of variance and post hoc analyses were used to assess associations between academic productivity and program characteristics.

Main Results:

• A statistically significant association was found between program rankings, size, type, and academic productivity (p < 0.0001).
• Programs in the top quartile of Doximity reputation rankings were more likely to be in the top quartile for academic productivity (73%).
• Larger programs (>30 residents) and university-affiliated programs demonstrated significantly higher academic productivity compared to smaller or community-based programs.

Conclusions:

• Academic productivity is a significant factor associated with Doximity rankings for orthopaedic surgery residency programs.
• Program size and type are also significantly linked to academic productivity.
• This study provides objective data to complement subjective reputation-based rankings for medical students and physicians.