Research Tracks in Orthopedic Surgery: Analyzing Participation, Outcomes, and Academic Contribution

Background: Research is an important component of orthopedic surgery residency programs. Dedicated research years during residency are increasingly popular among surgical specialties, including orthopedic surgery. The purpose of this study was to characterize the prevalence, timing, and institutional characteristics of dedicated research years within orthopedic surgery residency programs and to assess career outcomes associated with completing a research year. Methodology: Two hundred and twelve orthopedic surgery residency programs were identified using the Fellowship and Residency Electronic Interactive Database (FREIDA). Program websites were reviewed to extract information regarding research tracks and participating residents. The Hirsch index (H-index) and total publications were recorded using the Scopus database (Elsevier) to measure research output. Results: Thirty-one (14.6%) orthopedic surgery residency programs offered a research year for their residents; most (23/31, 74.2%) were categorized as university-based. The most popular time to take a research year was after the second year of residency (12/23, 52.2%). Research-track alumni (RR, n = 50) demonstrated significantly higher H-indices (8.1 vs. 6.0, P = 0.008) and total publications (23.1 vs 16.1, P = 0.009) than non-research residents (NRR, n = 126). Among alumni with known current practice type (n = 95), RR graduates were more frequently in academic practice (59.3% vs. 38.2%), although this difference did not reach statistical significance (P = 0.071). Male residents demonstrated a higher RR participation rate than female residents (75/277, 27.1% vs. 18/90, 20.0%), although this difference was not statistically significant (P = 0.18). Conclusions: Dedicated research years continue to emerge within orthopedic surgery residency, appearing most commonly at university-based institutions. Participation in a structured research track may support continued scholarly productivity, though its long-term influence on career trajectory remains unclear. Transparent information about research tracks and alumni could facilitate further evaluation of the impact of a dedicated research year in orthopedic surgery training.