Publication productivity (H‐Index) among pediatric dermatologists in the United States

Abstract Background/Objective The h‐index is a measure of research achievement. Individuals with similar h‐indices should be equivalent in terms of scientific impact. However, this value is inherently biased toward fields with higher visibility and readership. To utilize the power of h‐indices in predicting future research success and as a benchmark for academic advancement, niche fields like pediatric dermatology must be examined independently. Methods Publicly available data were examined. A list of current pediatric dermatologists were obtained from the Society for Pediatric Dermatology's member directory. The following demographic information was obtained: fellowship certification year, PhD status, prior pediatric residency training, state/region, practice setting, academic appointment, number of publications, and h‐index. Descriptive and analytic statistics were calculated. Results A total of 317 pediatric dermatologists were included. Practice setting distribution was as follows: 54.3% academic, 32.5% non‐academic, and 13.3% combined. H‐index differed significantly based on pediatric dermatology certification year ( P < .001), increasing as time from certification increased. Those in academics had higher h‐indices than those in both non‐academic and combined practice settings ( P < .001 and .007, respectively). Professors (25.0) had higher h‐indices than associate professors (11.0), who had higher h‐indices than assistant professors (4.4) ( P < .001). Conclusions H‐index increased with increasing academic rank and was highest among those working in academics. For pediatric dermatologists considering application for promotion, the h‐index for each level can serve as a useful benchmark to guide decision‐making.