Original scientific paper
https://doi.org/10.3325/cmj.2018.59.25
H-index in medicine is driven by original research
Jan K. Nowak
orcid.org/0000-0003-0953-2188
; Department of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Metabolic Diseases, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland
Karol Lubarski
orcid.org/0000-0003-2354-4484
; Department of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Metabolic Diseases, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland
Lukasz M. Kowalik
; Department of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Metabolic Diseases, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland
Jaroslaw Walkowiak
; Department of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Metabolic Diseases, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland
Abstract
Aim To investigate the contribution of selected types of
articles to h-indices of medical researchers.
Methods We used the Web of Science to export the publication
records of various members from 26 scientific
medical societies (13 European, 13 North American) associated
with 13 medical specialties. Those included were
presidents (n = 26), heads of randomly chosen committees
(n = 52), and randomly selected members of those committees
(n = 52). Publications contributing to h-index were
categorized as research articles, reviews, guidelines, metaanalyses,
or other published work.
Results Overall, 3259 items authored by 129 scholars were
analyzed. The median h-index was 19.5. The median contribution
of research articles to h-index was 84.4%. Researchers
in the upper h-index tercile (≥28.5) had a larger share
of research articles that contributed to h-index in comparison
with those in the lower h-index tercile (≤12.5) (median
87.3% [1st-3rd quartile: 80.0%-93.1%] vs 80.0% [50.0%-
88.9%], P = 0.015). We observed an analogous difference
with regard to guidelines (1.1% [0%-3.7%] vs 0% [0%-0%],
P = 0.007).
Conclusions Original research drives h-indices in medicine.
Although guidelines contribute to h-indices in medicine,
their influence is low. The specific role of randomized
controlled trials in building h-index in medicine remains to
be assessed.
Keywords
Hrčak ID:
200240
URI
Publication date:
28.2.2018.
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