Comparison of research outputs and clinical competence between orthopedic surgeons from two training pathways: A single-center study at a Chinese tertiary general hospital

Background In China, there are two primary models for medical doctorate training. This study seeks to conduct a comparative analysis of the research outputs and clinical competence for orthopedic doctoral surgeons under these two models, aiming to provide a reference for the further optimization of training programs. Methods Basic information, research output, and clinical performance data were systematically collected from orthopedic surgeons employed at the National Center for Orthopedics of a public tertiary hospital from January 2013 to December 2022. Inter-group comparisons were conducted using the Chi-square test and Mann-Whitney U test. Binary logistic regression analysis was additionally adopted to quantify the magnitude of the association between medical training background and research outputs. Results The median ages of orthopedic surgeons from the eight-year program and traditional medical education backgrounds were 31.0 years and 34.5 years, respectively (p < 0.001). After adjusting for gender and seniority, orthopedic surgeons with traditional medical education significantly outperformed their eight-year program counterparts in leading national-level research projects (OR=5.13, 95%CI:1.55–16.97) and provincial/ministerial-level research projects (OR=4.68, 95%CI: 1.38–15.92). However, the two groups demonstrated comparable performance in terms of surgical difficulty and volume. Conclusion Orthopedic surgeons from the eight-year program exhibit a more accelerated career progression compared to those from traditional medical education backgrounds. However, their research potential requires further development. Efforts should be made to enhance their research literacy and innovation capability while maintaining clinical performance.