Male medical students have higher publication rate – Study

Early publications in academic journals are associated with greater professional success, researchers from Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU) found. A study conducted by the team found that medical students who published their final papers within two years of graduation went on to achieve higher academic and medical success. They also reached management positions. The researchers also found that male graduates had a higher publication rate than female graduates, write Hadas Labrisch and Eve Young for The Jerusalem Post.

The study, published in March in BMC Medical Education, collected data on 556 physicians who graduated from BGU’s medical school some 15 to 20 years after their graduation to analyse publication rates for graduates based on various gender and professional characteristics.

As part of the seven-year medical qualification programme in Israel, students must conduct a research study, clinical or lab-based, in order to earn their degree. Some students attempt to then publish their thesis in an academic journal. The study found that male students published significantly more articles than female students. Additionally, male doctors made up over 58% of early publishers and held more managerial positions.
Full report on The Jerusalem Post site