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| Dr. Andrew Berry, a second-year internal medicine resident at USA, served as project designer and lead author on a poster of distinction presented at the 2017 Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons meeting. |
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| Dr. Kandace Kichler |
The project, titled “From Abstract to Publication: Factors Predictive of Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgery Publication Success,” was one of 18 abstracts chosen from more than 1,400 abstracts submitted to the 2017 SAGES annual meeting.
The goal of the study was to determine abstract characteristics associated with successful peer-reviewed publications after presenting at SAGES, and to build a publication prediction model for abstract-to-publication success.
According to Dr. Berry, this topic addresses a major issue faced among medical students, residents, fellows and faculty – the failure of taking a project from the idea phase into publication in a peer-reviewed journal. “Although everyone may have their own definition of scholarly activity, what remains clear is that projects are failing to reach publication in a timely fashion,” he said. “As a result, this hinders clinical guideline committees and affects patient care.”
Through his research, Dr. Berry concluded that only 25 percent of abstracts presented at the SAGES meeting were published in three years. “Numerous analyzed factors are positively or negatively associated with publication rates, acceptance time and journal ranking,” Dr. Berry said. “One must determine whether sheer number of publications, time to publication or journal impact is top priority and design studies predictive of such success.”
His research project included involvement from USA College of Medicine faculty members Dr. Brooks Cash, chief of gastroenterology, and Dr. William Richards, professor and chair of surgery. Dr. Kandace Kichler, USA College of Medicine alum, also participated in the project and presented the poster at the meeting.
“This project helped me realize how many factors can help or hurt your pathway to publication, and which avenues I should explore during future projects,” Dr. Kichler said. “As a former medical student at USA, this was a great demonstration of a lifelong connection and an opportunity to continue my strong relationship with USA.”
Last year, Dr. Berry presented multiple research posters at the national GI American College of Gastroenterology Annual Scientific Meeting and Postgraduate Course in Las Vegas, Nev. “This is part of a series of projects that I have completed that address this topic,” Dr. Berry said. “We are honored to be selected among many impactful studies from large academic institutions across the world.”
For more information on Dr. Berry’s project, click here to watch a video of his presentation and here to read the abstract.
