Factors predictive of an academic otolaryngologist’s scholarly impact

OBJECTIVES: Describe the h index as a bibliometric that can be utilized to objectively evaluate scholarly impact. Identify which otolaryngology subspecialties are the most scholarly. Describe if NIH funding to one’s choice of medical school, residency, or fellowship has any impact on one’s scholarly output. Determine other factors predictive of an academic otolaryngologist’s productivity. STUDY DESIGN: Analysis of bibliometric data of academic otolaryngologists. METHODS: Active grants from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to otolaryngology departments were ascertained via the NIH Research Portfolio Online Reporting Tools Expenditures and Reports database. Faculty listings from these departments were gleaned from departmental websites. H index was calculated using the Scopus database. RESULTS: Forty-seven otolaryngology programs were actively receiving NIH funding. There were 838 faculty members from those departments who had a mean h index of 9.61. Otology (h index 12.50) and head and neck (h index 11.96) were significantly (P < 0.0001) more scholarly than the rest of subspecialists. H index was significantly correlative (P < 0.0001) with degree of NIH funding at a given institution. H index was not significantly higher for those that attended medical school (P < 0.18), residency (P < 0.16), and fellowship (P < 0.16) at institutions with NIH funding to otolaryngology departments. CONCLUSIONS: H index is a bibliometric that can be used to assess scholarly impact. Otology and head and neck are the most scholarly subspecialists within otolaryngology. NIH funding to an individual’s medical school, residency, or fellowship of origin is not correlative with one’s scholarly impact, but current institutional affiliation and choice of subspecialty are.