Pre-residency research productivity and its impact on admission to top-tier U.S. residency programs: a meta-analysis across specialties in surgical education.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Pre-residency research productivity is widely regarded as a critical factor for medical students aspiring to competitive residency programs. However, its specific impact on admission to top-tier programs remains uncertain.

Methods

A meta-analysis was conducted to evaluate the association between pre-residency research productivity-including total publications, first-author publications, H-index, and specialty-specific output-and admission into high-reputation or high-research ranking residency programs. A comprehensive literature search of PubMed, Embase, and CENTRAL databases (up to May 2025) identified eight studies involving 3,477 U.S. medical students across seven specialties.

Results

Total publication volume (OR = 1.82, 95% CI: 1.21-2.74, p < 0.01) and

SUBMITTER: Lyu X 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12764101 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature