120 - Updating Our ROADMAP: Understanding Current Impacts of Mentorship on Academic Productivity in Radiation Oncology
Presenter(s)
A. Gayne1, N. A. West2,3, S. Mirbahaeddin3, Z. Belal4, C. J. McNamara1, A. C. Moreno3,5, L. D. Wilson6, J. R. Gunther3, E. Holliday3, J. Graham7, J. M. Pollard5,8, C. R. Thomas Jr9, and C. D. Fuller3,5; 1Department of Radiation Oncology and Applied Sciences, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, Geisel School of Medicine, Dartmouth College, Lebanon, NH, 2The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Houston Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Houston, TX, 3Department of Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 4Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 5The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 6Department of Therapeutic Radiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, 7H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Department of Radiation Oncology, Tampa, FL, 8Department of Radiation Physics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 9Department of Radiation Oncology and Applied Sciences, Dartmouth Cancer Center, Geisel School of Medicine, Lebanon, NH
Purpose/Objective(s):
Developing a successful career in the field of radiation oncology (RO) often involves mentorship from an experienced and trusted advisor to support one’s career trajectory. Previously, Holliday et al.’s Radiation Oncology Academic Development and Mentorship Assessment Project (ROADMAP) survey explored the influence of mentorship on academic productivity. This study strove to reflect current and updated trends of the role of mentorship and personal/educational factors on academic output, as measured by both h-index and normalized for career duration via m-index. We hypothesize that mentorship again correlates to increased academic productivity, as measured by h- and m-index.Materials/Methods:
An IRB-approved survey was administered via the data collection web application system to members of ACGME or CAMPEP accredited RO and medical physics programs. Data was collected regarding mentorship participation, clinical and research time allocation, and career pathway. Measures of productivity were identified from Scopus (including number of citations, publications, and h-index). Career duration and m-index were calculated. Descriptive statistics, two-tailed Mann-Whitney, and Kruskal-Wallis tests were performed in a scientific 2-D graphing and statistics software.Results:
469 of 4,514 individuals who received the survey responded (response rate of 10.4%); 224 of 469 respondents were in the RO field. Career duration and m-index were calculated for 154 participants for whom these values and h-index could be identified. 126 participants reported having a mentor while 28 did not. The data initially demonstrated individuals without mentors had significantly more publications (p=0.02), citations (p=0.002), and a higher h-index (p=0.002). However, interpretation of this is confounded by the significantly longer career duration of those without versus with mentors (median=21.5 years vs. 8 years, p<0.0001). When career duration is accounted for via the m-index, individuals with a mentor had a significantly higher m-index (p=0.001), representing increased relative productivity. Further, m-index was significantly higher for those who reported having reasonably well or very well protected research time (median m-index=2.60 and 2.57, respectively) compared to those who did not have protected time or who reported their time was not protected well at all (median m-index=0.73 and 1.14, respectively; p<0.0001). M-index also differed by institutional rank (p=0.04), which remained true when further stratified by mentorship status (p=0.03).Conclusion:
A 12-year update to the ROADMAP exploration of RO mentorship demonstrated the importance of using representative productivity metrics to draw accurate conclusions. Improved academic productivity was promoted by both mentorship, as indicated by a higher m-index for mentored individuals, and well-protected research time. Ongoing evaluation will explore multivariable analysis of these survey responses.