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Scientific Oral Presentations

Care Equity, Quality, and Safety

Session: Scientific Oral Presentation 1 - Care Equity, Quality and Safety

The Utility of a Novel Arms Race Control Score in Research Evaluation of Residency Applications

Sunday, October 12, 2025
1:30 PM - 1:36 PM EDT
Location: 138
Introduction: The publication “arms race” describes the surge in research output among residency applicants, where publication quantity increasingly predicts Match success, often surpassing traditional metrics. This study introduces a novel, objective metric, the Arms Race Control Score (ARCS), to evaluate the quality and effort of residency applicant publications and mitigate the emphasis on minimal-effort publications (MEPs).

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 3966 publications from 543 applicants for the 2020-2024 residency Match cycle. 10 residency programs were each selected from top, middle, and lower tier ENT residency institutions and all residents selected. A 4-point Publication Effort Score (PES) was assigned to each publication based on its type, ranging from 1 (editorial/commentary) to 4 (clinical/basic science research). The PES was divided by authorship position to calculate a Publication Value Unit (PVU), with cumulative PVU (cPVU) summing all applicant PVUs. ARCS excluded MEPs (PVU ≤ 1) from cPVU, thereby focusing on high-effort activities.

Results: The mean number of publications increased significantly over the 5 years (5 in 2020 to 8 in 2024, p=0.002), while ARCS scores did not. MEPs constituted 22.3% (N=817) of an applicant’s overall publications, while only 42.9% (N=243) achieved a PVU < 5 (Emerging Researcher). ARCS implementation resulted in significant rank changes for 43.2% (N=234) of applicants, with individual shifts ranging from an increase of 200 positions to a decrease of 370 positions in the overall pool. Notably, ARCS adjustments altered the ranking of top 10 applicants across all 5 years.

Conclusions: ARCS offers a standardized method to assess residency applicant publications by prioritizing quality and effort, addressing the flaws of publication quantity-driven evaluations. Its implementation may incentivize applicants to produce higher-effort research, potentially transforming the dynamics of the residency Match. Automated ARCS scoring can be integrated into future Match cycles using an applicant’s last name and PubMed IDs: https://arcscalculator.com.

    Presenting Author(s)

  • Akshay K. Warrier, BA

    Medical Student
    Rutgers New Jersey Medical School
    Newark, NJ, United States

    Disclosure(s):

    faculty for this accredited education activity has no relationship(s) with ineligible companies to disclose.

  • AC

    Angelica Castillo, BA

    Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, United States

    Disclosure information not submitted.

  • Brad K. Amoateng, BA

    2nd year Medical student
    Rutgers New Jersey Medical School
    Edison, NJ, United States

    Disclosure(s):

    faculty for this accredited education activity has no relationship(s) with ineligible companies to disclose.

  • Darian A. Napoleon, BA

    Medical Student
    Rutgers New Jersey Medical School
    Englewood, NJ, United States

    Disclosure(s):

    faculty for this accredited education activity has no relationship(s) with ineligible companies to disclose.

  • RR

    Rishi Raman, BA

    Medical Student
    Rutgers New Jersey Medical School
    Dayton, NJ, United States

    Disclosure(s):

    faculty for this accredited education activity has no relationship(s) with ineligible companies to disclose.

  • AL

    Andrew S. Lee, BA

    Student
    Rutgers New Jersey Medical School
    Norwood, NJ, United States

    Disclosure(s):

    faculty for this accredited education activity has no relationship(s) with ineligible companies to disclose.

  • CB

    Christian Bowers, MD

    Hurley Medical Center, United States

    Disclosure information not submitted.

  • HM

    Hilary C. McCrary, MD, MPH

    Assistant Professor of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery
    University of Utah - Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery
    Salt Lake City, Utah, United States

    Disclosure(s):

    faculty for this accredited education activity has no relationship(s) with ineligible companies to disclose.

  • RG

    Richard K. Gurgel, MD MSCI

    Professor
    University of Utah
    Salt Lake City, UT, United States

    Disclosure(s):

    faculty for this accredited education activity has no relationship(s) with ineligible companies to disclose.

    • Senior Author(s)

  • Jean Anderson Eloy, MD, FACS, FARS

    Distinguished Professor and Vice Chairman of Otolaryngology - HNS
    Rutgers New Jersey Medical School
    West Orange, New Jersey, United States

    Disclosure(s):

    faculty for this accredited education activity has no relationship(s) with ineligible companies to disclose.