# Characterization of Unpublished Manuscripts by Applicants to an Orthopedic Hand Surgery Fellowship

## TL;DR

This study finds that 27% of applicants to hand surgery fellowships misrepresent submitted manuscripts as published works, highlighting a common form of application misrepresentation.

## Contribution

The study identifies a new form of misrepresentation in fellowship applications by examining the misclassification of submitted manuscripts as publications.

## Key findings

- 27% of applicants listed submitted manuscripts as publications.
- Misclassification rates were not linked to factors like exam scores or total publications.
- The misrepresentation may be driven by increased competition for fellowships.

## Abstract

Obtaining a hand surgery fellowship is becoming increasingly competitive, and research is an important factor when assessing applications. Given the competitive nature of the fellowship application process, applicants may feel the need to bolster their application by misrepresenting their research experience. One form of misrepresentation rarely discussed in prior studies is the listing of submitted works under a “Publications” heading in curricula vitae. This study examines the prevalence of misclassification of manuscripts by applicants to a hand surgery fellowship and identifies factors that might be associated with incorrect classification.

A retrospective review of 122 applicants to the 2020–2021 cycle for hand surgery fellowship was performed. Names and identifiable information were redacted prior to review. Demographic data collected included sex, United States Medical Licensing Examination Step 1 score, medical school rank, residency specialty, total publications, presence of submitted manuscripts in the “Publications” section, total number of submitted manuscripts, and total published abstracts and poster presentations.

A total of 1,098 listed publications across the 122 applicants were reviewed with a median of five publications per applicant. Submitted manuscripts were listed as publications by 33 applicants (27%). No observable differences by age, United States Medical Licensing Examination Step 1 score, or total number of publications were seen. Misclassification rates were not associated with publication totals.

More than one-quarter of applicants incorrectly listed submitted or unaccepted manuscripts as publications. It is our hope that making fellowship applicants aware of this issue will decrease the rates of misrepresentation in future application cycles.

The competition for hand surgery fellowships has become more intense, and this may explain our finding that 27% of applicants misrepresent the status of research on hand surgery fellowship applications.