Misrepresentation of Research Citations by Applicants to a Primary Care Sports Medicine Fellowship Program in the United States

OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of misrepresentation of publications and national presentations claimed in applications to the Maine Medical Center (MMC) Primary Care Sports Medicine Fellowship Program from 2001 through 2004. DESIGN: A retrospective chart review study. SETTING: The Maine Medical Center Primary Care Sports Medicine Fellowship Program. METHODS: Presentations were confirmed in the program of the cited meeting or by contacting the sponsoring organization. Publications were verified by performing a MEDLINE search or by cross-referencing in Ulrich's International Periodicals Directory. If the title was listed, the citation was verified by contacting the publisher. RESULTS: Fifty applicants reported research publications. Of those, 14 applications had publications that could not be verified. The overall misrepresentation rate was 11.3%; among applicants claiming publications it was 28%. There was no difference in misrepresentation rate between specialties. Eighteen applicants reported giving national presentations, and nine presentations could not be verified, corresponding to an overall misrepresentation rate of 5.6%. Of applicants claiming presentations, 38.9% had at least one misrepresentation. CONCLUSION: Applicants to the Maine Medical Center Sports Medicine Fellowship Program were found to have high rates of misrepresentation in their citations of both publications and presentations.