Publication details
National-, institutional-, and individual-level determinants of dermatologic research excellence: an analysis of Stanford–Elsevier Lists of the top 2% scholars worldwide (2017-2023)
| Authors | |
|---|---|
| Year of publication | 2026 |
| Type | Article in Periodical |
| Magazine / Source | Frontiers in Medicine |
| MU Faculty or unit | |
| Citation | |
| web | https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/medicine/articles/10.3389/fmed.2026.1728400/full |
| Doi | https://doi.org/10.3389/fmed.2026.1728400 |
| Keywords | palliative care; end-of-life policies; medically assisted dying; compassionate care; European position statement |
| Attached files | |
| Description | Background – Skin diseases contribute to a massive and often overlooked component of the global disease burden, highlighting the need for a better understanding of the dermatologic research landscape and its key drivers of excellence. Aim – To explore the national, institutional, and individual-level determinants that shape dermatologic research excellence worldwide. Methods – We analyzed the publicly available Stanford–Elsevier Lists of the top 2% most-cited scientists (2017–2023), extracting scholars classified in Dermatology & Venereal Diseases to identify excellent dermatologic scholars (EDS). EDS records were then linked, based on affiliation data, to country-level indicators (Universal Health Coverage [UHC], Human Development Index [HDI], Gender Inequality Index [GII], national budgets, and disease burden), institutional rankings (Quacquarelli Symonds [QS], Times Higher Education [THE], and Academic Ranking of World Universities [ARWU]), and individual attributes (gender and academic age). Outcomes were EDS counts by country/institution and scholar-level bibliometrics (citations excluding self-citations, modified H-index, and composite score). Results – EDS were overwhelmingly based in high-income countries (97.9% career-long; 94.5% single-year) with the EURO region contributing ~48% of EDS and exhibiting highest densities (0.585 and 0.482 per 100, 000), while low-income settings had ~0.002. The top 20 institutions hosted ~21% of all EDS. Women comprised 22.9% (career-long) and 28.6% (single-year) of EDS; men had higher median citations and modified H-indices. Academic age correlated positively with modified H-index (? = 0.312 career-long) and C-score (? = 0.145 single-year), and each additional year predicted higher citations (ß = 84.1 career-long; ß = 2.6 single-year). In adjusted models, higher HDI and UHC aligned with higher citation counts. Conclusion – Dermatologic research excellence remains concentrated in high-income, predominantly European and Anglophone ecosystems, within a small cadre of elite institutions and among older, male scholars. Policymakers should focus on targeted funding for under-represented regions and institutional reforms to ensure equitable career advancement for women in academic dermatology. Copyright © 2026 Riad and Koščík. |
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