A Longitudinal Evaluation of Collaboration in Plastic Surgery Clinical Research

Few dedicated, funded clinical research fellowship positions exist in plastic surgery. This study provides insights from an established clinical research fellowship, highlighting its educational impact and confirming the impact of positive institutional support and a collaborative-first approach.

All research fellows within the program from 2008 to 2020 were examined during their year of employment and subsequent 2 years. Internal and external collaboration trends were assessed using PubMed affiliations. Correlation between external collaborations and research impact were examined. Research impact was characterized by publication count, journal impact factor, and journal diversity.

Thirty-one research fellows were identified, with a 100% match rate. Four phases of development were identified, and a three-period cycle of productivity was noted to occur every 3 years. A shift toward more external collaborations occurred after 2016 (P = 0.008). A positive correlation was observed between external collaborations and academic output (r = 0.72, P = 0.004), journal diversity (r = 0.74, P = 0.004), and journal impact (r = 0.63, P < 0.05). Significant growth was observed in the collaborative networks (P = 0.002), publications (P = 0.003), journal diversity (P < 0.001), and research personnel (P = 0.002).

As a result of our strategic decision to engage collaborators across multiple disciplines, there is discernible improvement in measurable impact, contributing to the growth of our program. Dedicating resources to foster deeper collaborations can enrich the field of plastic surgery research, recognizing that this investment fuels the cycle of productivity, offering promising returns to the future.