Alpha omega alpha election and medical school thesis publication: relationship to subsequent publication rate over a twenty-year period.

To determine the importance of academic and research success during medical school upon subsequent academic activity, a computerized literature search was performed using the names of the 79 surviving members of the Yale Medical School Class of 1970. Individuals elected to Alpha Omega Alpha (AOA) during the third year of school had significantly more publications (mean 101.7 +/- 69.6) between 1970 and 1990 than those elected during the fourth year (mean 28.3 +/- 48.0, p = 0.01). Both had significantly more publications than non-AOA members (mean 11.1 +/- 19.4, p = 0.02). Publication of the student's medical school thesis was also associated with a greater number of publications than thesis non-publication (mean 22.1 +/- 37.5 vs 14.4 +/- 30.0, p = 0.005). These studies demonstrate that, at least at the institution studied, election to AOA and publication of the results of a research project were associated with increased publication rates in the medical field over the 20-year period following medical school graduation.