Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 9, 2026
12:18
Subcutaneous Infection of Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA)
Published on: February 9, 2011
Misrepresentation of authorship by applicants to pediatrics training programs
A Bilge1, R P Shugerman, W O Robertson
1Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, USA.
Summary
Many medical residency applicants misrepresent publication authorship. A study found nearly 20% of pediatrics residency and fellowship applications contained unverifiable publications, highlighting a need for better verification processes.
Area of Science:
- Medical Education
- Publication Ethics
Background:
- Ensuring the integrity of academic credentials is vital in medical education.
- Applicant self-reported data requires rigorous verification.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the extent of publication authorship misrepresentation in pediatrics residency and fellowship applications.
- To identify the prevalence of unverifiable publications claimed by applicants.
Main Methods:
- A sample of 1995 applications to pediatrics residency and fellowship programs at the University of Washington School of Medicine was analyzed.
- Extensive efforts were undertaken to authenticate the existence and authorship of all claimed publications.
Main Results:
- Among 147 pediatrics residency applications claiming publications, 29 (19.7%) had at least one unverifiable publication.
- 41 out of 401 (10.2%) claimed publications were unconfirmed in residency applications.
- All 14 fellowship applications claiming publications contained at least one unverifiable citation, with 31 of 77 (40%) total claimed publications unconfirmed.
Conclusions:
- Publication misrepresentation is a documented issue in graduate medical education applications.
- The findings underscore the necessity for developing and implementing robust solutions to prevent and detect such misrepresentations.
Related Concept Videos
01:35Pedigree Analysis
Overview
01:33Pleiotropy
Pleiotropy is the phenomenon in which a single gene impacts multiple, seemingly unrelated phenotypic traits. For example, defects in the SOX10 gene cause Waardenburg Syndrome Type 4, or WS4, which can cause defects in pigmentation, hearing impairments, and an absence of intestinal contractions necessary for elimination. This diversity of phenotypes results from the expression pattern of SOX10 in early embryonic and fetal development. SOX10 is found in neural crest cells that form melanocytes,...
01:10Nature and Nurture
Many human characteristics, like height, are shaped by both nature—in other words, by our genes—and by nurture, or our environment. For example, chronic stress during childhood inhibits the production of growth hormones and consequently reduces bone growth and height. Scientists estimate that 70-90% of variation in height is due to genetic differences among individuals, and 10-30% of variation in height is due to differences in the environments that individuals experience, such as differences...
01:51Vaccinations
Overview
01:43Sex-linked Disorders
Like autosomes, sex chromosomes contain a variety of genes necessary for normal body function. When a mutation in one of these genes results in biological deficits, the disorder is considered sex-linked.
01:29Nondisjunction
During meiosis, chromosomes occasionally separate improperly. This occurs due to failure of homologous chromosome separation during meiosis I or failed sister chromatid separation during meiosis II. In some species, notably plants, nondisjunction can result in an organism with an entire additional set of chromosomes, which is called polyploidy. In humans, nondisjunction can occur during male or female gametogenesis and the resulting gametes possess one too many or one too few chromosomes.