Rationale: The Hirsch index (h-index) has been validated as a measure of academic productivity and may be an appropriate tool to assess the scholarly activity of interventional pulmonology (IP).
Objectives: This study aimed to elucidate the factors associated with increasing h-index scores among IP training programs.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted of IP training programs across the United States and Canada. Data, including their respective h-index, number of publications, academic rank, geographic location, and possession of an advanced degree, were collected on IP faculty and fellows from 23 teaching institutions.
Measurements and main results: Ninety-three IP physicians (48 faculty, 45 fellows) in all were included in the study from 23 institutions with a total of 101 data points. The faculty h-index mean was 3.88. The proportion of faculty with an h-index greater than the mean value was increased significantly with higher academic rank (P < 0.0001). In addition, physicians holding an advanced degree beyond an M.D./D.O. had a significantly higher h-index than did those without (P = 0.0062).
Conclusions: For academic interventional pulmonologists, the h-index rises with increasing academic rank and possession of an advanced degree. The h-index for IP is roughly comparable to that for other surgical and procedural-based specialties.
Keywords: academic training; h-index; interventional pulmonology.