Rising Stars in Dermatology: Analysis of Lead Authorship Roles in the Published Literature

Introduction: The quality and progression of dermatologic research is significantly impacted by the contribution of first authors at different stages of their careers. Our study examines the association between first-author academic degree, financial sponsorship, and evidence quality published in three highly read journals from October 2013 to October 2023. Methods: Data collection was conducted using REDCap, and statistical analyses were performed with Welch’s t-tests and chi-squared tests. Results: A significant shift in first-author education levels was observed pre- and post-2018, with an increase in pre-doctoral (bachelor’s or master’s degree) compared to post-doctoral (MD or PhD) first authors (9.6% vs. 15.5%, p=0.04), indicating a trend of early-career researchers assuming lead roles in original investigations. Additionally, citation frequency did not differ between pre- and post-doctoral first authors (p=0.26), suggesting comparable research impact. However, post-doctoral first authors had a higher proportion of financial sponsorships (48% vs. 41%, p=0.014) and a higher quality of evidence based on study design (31.4% vs. 13.7%, p<0.001). Discussion:The disparity in financial sponsorship and evidence quality highlights an opportunity for enhanced support of pre-doctoral early career researchers through mentorship programs and financial grants to potentially improve meaningful research productivity in dermatology.