Research Productivity of Radiation Therapy Physics Faculty in the United States

Overview

Journal J Appl Clin Med Phys

Specialties Biophysics
General Medicine

Date 2021 Oct 26

PMID 34697869

Citations 2

Authors

Sanford L Meeks

Michael H Shang

Twyla R Willoughby

Patrick Kelly

Amish P Shah

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Purpose: Research productivity metrics are important for decisions regarding hiring, retention, and promotion in academic medicine, and these metrics can vary widely among different disciplines. This article examines productivity metrics for radiation therapy physicists (RTP) in the United States.

Methods And Materials: Database searches were performed for RTP faculty at US institutions that have RTP residencies accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Medical Physics Education Programs (CAMPEP). Demographics, academic rank, number of publications, academic career length, Hirsch index (h-index), m-quotient, and history of National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding as a principal investigator (PI) were collected for each RTP. Logistic regression was performed to determine the probability of academic rank as a function of h-index and m-quotient. Statistical tests used included the Wilcoxon ranked sum test and the Pearson χ test.

Results: A total of 1038 faculty and staff were identified at 78 institutions with CAMPEP-accredited residencies. The average RTP academic career duration is 13.5 years, with 46.7 total publications, h-index of 10.7, and m-quotient of 0.66. Additionally, 10.5% of RTP have a history of NIH funding as a PI. Large disparities were found in academic productivity of doctoral-prepared physicists compared to those with a terminal master's degree. For differences in junior and senior faculty, statistical tests yielded significance in career duration, number of publications, h-index, and m-quotient. Gender disparities were identified in the overall distribution of RTP consistent with the membership of the American Association of Physicists in Medicine. Further gender disparities were found in the number of doctoral-prepared RTP and physicists in senior faculty roles.

Conclusions: This manuscript provides objective benchmark data regarding research productivity of academic RTP. These data may be of interest to faculty preparing for promotion, and also to institutional leadership.

Citing Articles

Diversity and Professional Advancement in Medical Physics.

Rankin J, Whelan B, Pollard-Larkin J, Paradis K, Scarpelli M, Sun C Adv Radiat Oncol. 2022; 8(1):101057.

PMID: 36213550 PMC: 9539787. DOI: 10.1016/j.adro.2022.101057.

Research productivity of radiation therapy physics faculty in the United States.

Meeks S, Shang M, Willoughby T, Kelly P, Shah A J Appl Clin Med Phys. 2021; 22(11):185-195.

PMID: 34697869 PMC: 8598152. DOI: 10.1002/acm2.13456.

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