The Elephant in the Room: Reckoning With Collegiality and Authorship in Academic Pharmacy

Collaborative projects help faculty produce scholarship while balancing teaching, research, and service responsibilities. However, faculty's assumptions about contributions and authorship definitions can lead to confusion and disappointment in collaborative scholarship. Lapses in communication can cause delays, uneven workloads, and perceptions of unfairness. Inconsistent application of authorship criteria and a lack of transparency in authorship order may further create frustration and disengagement for future projects, particularly, when their contributions affect promotion and tenure. To promote transparent authorship attribution, project leads must clearly communicate contribution expectations and plan for accountability early in the project. Proactive, structured approaches, such as establishing authorship guidance, sharing Contributor Roles Taxonomy and formalized agreements such as collaboration charters, and outlining communication plans, can alleviate common authorship conflicts and promote equity in collaborative projects. Moreover, senior contributors hold key roles in mentoring junior faculty and modeling ethical and inclusive authorship practices. These thoughtful practices may not only alleviate pressures tied to scholarship but also leverage teamwork to strengthen collegiality and trust among collaborators, ultimately producing meaningful, high-quality scholarly work. By fostering collaborative scholarship grounded in transparency, shared accountability, and respectful communication, opportunities for meaningful collaborations can flourish and contribute to the academy.