The Odyssey of publications during residency–the much needed yet challenging journey

Abstract

There is no greater joy than contributing back to the field that one chooses to specialize in. This noble feat of scientific publication can, however, be a daunting task for those who are in the nascent period of their residency. They need to strike that fine balance between academic learning, patient care, and publication without burning themselves out. This exercise is best capitalized in that window period of the 2nd year of residency. They will thus be updated, forming long-term memory. The topic chosen should belong to the area of their interest, but at the same time be current and timely. They need to master electronic data base search, learning the correct use of operators and filters. An extra edge can be gained with the help of reference managers, which can summarize, retrieve, and organize all relevant literature. Writer’s block can be overcome by writing the easiest part of the paper first and using a pre-existing publication as a template. The lingo and flow ideas must be academic, scientific, and captivating, yet be simple and comprehensible. A right platform to showcase the research must be found, evading predatory journals. Effort and creativity must go hand in hand to make the article captivating. Residents must be prepared for revisions and gracefully respond. The process is simple and a lot will be learnt along the way.