Publication Status of Radiation Oncology Specialization Theses in Türkiye: A Review of Two Decades

This study aimed to investigate the publication rate of radiation oncology specialization theses in Türkiye and to identify the factors influencing this rate. This retrospective study examined radiation oncology specialization theses completed between 2003 and 2023 in Türkiye. The data were obtained from the Council of Higher Education Thesis Center, an official national database that archives all postgraduate and specialty theses completed in the country. Publication status was determined by searching the student's name, surname, and thesis title in PubMed, Google Scholar, Web of Science, and ULAKBİM TR Index. Journal indexing categories were defined as follows: SCI-E (Science Citation Index Expanded, indicating international journals indexed in Web of Science Core Collection), ESCI (Emerging Sources Citation Index, representing emerging international journals), and TR Index (Türkiye's National Academic Index for peer-reviewed journals). Among the 277 theses included, 52.3% were published. The mean time to publication was 4.79 ± 3.70 years. Of the 145 published theses, 58.6% were published in SCI-E indexed journals, 24.1% in the TR Index, 12.4% in ESCI, and 4.8% in other peer-reviewed journals. Theses authored by residents who pursued academic careers had a significantly higher publication rate. To our knowledge, this is the first study to examine the publication rate of radiation oncology theses. Our findings indicate that the publication rate in this field is comparatively higher than in other specialties, underscoring the contribution of radiation oncology residents to the scientific literature. These findings highlight the need to strengthen research training and mentorship during residency to support publication productivity.