Publication Volume and Fellowship Characteristics Are Associated With Future Academic Faculty Appointments in Pediatric Orthopaedic Surgery.

BACKGROUND: Factors associated with future academic faculty appointments after pediatric orthopaedic surgery fellowship training remain unknown. This study determines fellow and training program factors associated with future academic faculty appointments in pediatric orthopaedic surgery.

METHODS: This was a case-control study of pediatric orthopaedic surgery fellows from 2017 to 2023. Cases consisted of academic faculty, and controls were in a nonacademic practice setting. Demographic, bibliometric, and training variables of pediatric orthopaedic surgery fellows were obtained. Bivariate analyses were conducted to determine factors associated with future academic faculty appointments.

RESULTS: There were 473 pediatric orthopaedic surgery fellows, and 284 had a future academic faculty appointment (60%). The study cohort was comprised mostly of males (63%) and allopathic medical school graduates (89%). The top pediatric orthopaedic surgery fellowships by volume of future academic faculty appointments were Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (29, 10%), Rady Children's Hospital (27, 10%), and Texas Scottish Rite Hospital (26, 9%). Future faculty appointments were concentrated in the top 3 fellowship programs (82, 29%) relative to the top 3 medical schools (32, 8%) and orthopaedic residency programs (18, 6%) (P<0.001). Fellows with future academic faculty appointments had higher prefellowship publication volume than their counterparts in nonacademic practice (3±5 vs. 2±3, P<0.001). Allopathic medical school graduates (P<0.001), fellows with additional graduate-level degrees (P=0.006), and graduates from fellowships with a greater number of training positions (P=0.004) were more likely to obtain future academic faculty appointments.

CONCLUSIONS: Several modifiable factors, including training pedigree and publication volume, were associated with future academic faculty appointments in pediatric orthopaedic surgery. Understanding which factors are associated with future academic faculty appointments can assist faculty and fellows in recognizing contemporary components of pediatric orthopaedic surgeons who attain academic faculty positions.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Faculty in pediatric orthopaedic surgery perform important functions for the specialty through their involvement in research, teaching, and complex clinical care. Understanding which factors are predictive of future academic practice can be useful to fellowship programs invested in training the next generation of academic leaders in pediatric orthopaedic surgery.