Affecting Factors on the Publication Rate of Surgical Theses from Different Departments in Turkey

Abstract

Objective: I aimed to investigate and compare the factors affecting publication rates of otorhinolaryngology (ORL) theses and plastic and reconstructive surgery (PRS) theses. Methods: : In order to examine ORL and PRS specialization theses published between 2013 and 2017, the author scanned the Council of Higher Education Thesis Center’s browsing system that contains a list of all published theses for the terms “ear, nose, and throat” and “plastic and reconstructive surgery”. All accessible theses (in total, 689), including 454 ORL and 235 PRS theses were included in the study. Result: Most ORL and PRS theses authors were male (72.5% and 84.3%, respectively). Most of the ORL theses were conducted in state universities (76.9%), whereas most of the PRS theses were conducted in public universities (87.2%). More than half (50.9%) of the ORL advisors were professor doctors, compared to 46.3% of the PRS advisors. Most of the ORL studies were clinical studies (81.7%), while 74.9% of the PRS studies were experimental animal studies. In total, 24.5% of the ORL theses were published, and 29.7% of them were accepted in SCI-indexed journals. In comparison, a total of 19.6% of the PRS theses were published. The publication rates of experimental PRS and ORL studies were significantly higher than clinical studies. Conclusion: In order to increase the quality of medical theses and to publish them in scientific journals, the frequency of thesis production should be increased and that the factors affecting publication rates should be carefully examined, monitored, and improved.

Keywords

• plastic surgery
• otorhinolaryngology
• theses
• publication

References

1. Arriola-Quiroz, I., Curioso, W.H., Cruz-Encarnacion, M., Gayoso, O., 2010. Characteristics and publication patterns of theses from a Peruvian Medical School. Health Information&Libraries Journal. 27:148-154.
2. Bayramlar, H., Karadag, R., Gurturk, A.Y.K., Ocal, A., Dag, Y., Sari, U.,2015. Publication patterns of ophtalmology residency dissertations in Turkey. Eur J Gen Med. 12:213-216..
3. Çakır Çetin, A., Boran, C., Erdağ, T.K., 2017. Do the otorhinolaryngology specialization theses turn into publications?. Kulak Burun Boğaz İhtis Derg. 27:185193.
4. Çelikgün, U.O.B., Derinsu, U., Çiprut, A.A., Torun, U.O.M., Kalcıoğlu, M.T., 2016. Publication rates of audiology master and doctoral theses in peer-reviewed journals. Kulak Burun Boğaz İhtis Derg. 26:276-282.
5. Çevik, E., Yilmaz, B.K., Acar ,Y.A., Dokur, M., 2015. Systematic analysis of theses in the field of emergency medicine in Turkey. Turk J Emerg Med. 15:28-32.
6. Council of Higher Education Thesis Center [Internet]. [Cited 2019 August 18]. Available from: https://tez.yok.gov.tr/UlusalTezMerkezi/tarama.jsp.
7. Erdağ, T.K., Durmuşoğlu, M., Demir, A.O., Doğan, E., İkiz, A.Ö., 2014. Analysis and publication rate of the presentations at the Turkish National Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery meetings. Kulak Burun Boğaz İhtis Derg. 24:89-96.
8. Koca, K., Ekinci S, Akpancar, S., Gemci, M.H., Erşen, Ö., Akyıldız, F., 2016. An analysis of orthopaedic theses in Turkey: Evidence levels and publication rates. Acta Orthop Traumatol Turc. 50:562–566.

9. Mengüllüoğlu, N.Ö., Ünlüoğlu, İ., 2017. Evaluation of family medicine specialty theses between the years 2005‐2015. Ankara Med J. 17:192‐203.
10. Nieminen, P., Sipila, K., Takkinen, H.M., Renko, M., Risteli, R., 2007. Medical these as part of the scientific training in basic medical and dental education: experiences from Finland. BMC Medical Education. 7:51.
11. Özgen, Ü., Eğri, M., Aktaş, M., Sandikkaya ,A., 2011. Publication pattern of Turkish medical theses: analysis of 22.625 medical theses completed in years 1980-2005. Turkiye Klinikleri J Med Sci. 31:1122-1131.
12. Regulation on Specialist Education in Medicine and Dentistry [Internet]. [Updated 2014, cited 2019 August 18]. Available from: http://www.mevzuat.gov.tr/Metin.Aspx?MevzuatKod=7.5.19629&MevzuatIliski=0&sourceXmlSearch=t;2014.
13. Salmi, L.R., Gana, S., Mouillet, E., 2001. Publication pattern of medical these, France, 1993-98. Medical Education. 2001;35:18-21.
14. Sipahi ,H., Durusoy, R., Ergin, I., Hassoy, H., Davas, A., Karababa, A.O., 2012. Publication rates of public health theses in international and national peer-review journals in Turkey. Iran J Public Health. 2012;41:31-35.
15. Sipahi, O.R., Çağlayan, S.D., Pullukçu, H., 2014. Publication rates of Turkish medical specialty and doctorate theses on medical microbiology, clinical microbiology and infectious diseases disciplines in international journals. Mikrobiyol Bul. 48: 341-345. Üçer, H., Keten, H.S., 2016. Have dissertations made in the field of family medicine published as a scientific article? KSU Medical Journal. 2016;11:22-25.
16. Yüksel, M., İpekçi ,T., Tunçkıran, A., 2018. Publication rates of dissertations written in medical faculties of Turkey in the field of urology between the years 2008, and 2011, and citation analysis: A cross-sectional study. Turk J Urol. 44:341-345.