https://orcid.org/0009-0004-9013-2919
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Hongnan Ye, The key to addressing the issue of academic misconduct in the medical field is to reform the evaluation system, Postgraduate Medical Journal, Volume 101, Issue 1195, May 2025, Pages 492–493, https://doi.org/10.1093/postmj/qgae134
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Dear Editor,
In the recent paper [1], Zhang outlines the significant issue of academic misconduct in the research and publication of academic papers by medical practitioners and students in China. Zhang calls for a unified effort by medical schools, teaching hospitals, and editorial boards to prevent or eliminate academic misconduct in China’s teaching hospitals. However, it is important to note that in the analysis, Zhang has overlooked the fundamental cause of the academic misconduct problem, which is the evaluation system that relies on publishing academic papers as the primary indicator [2]. Consequently, while Zhang’s proposal may have a short-term impact on some individuals, it is unlikely to address the underlying issue of academic misconduct. Centuries ago, higher education institutions developed a system of promotion and tenure for faculty in the liberal arts and sciences [3]. After this, the medical profession adopted this system in recent decades, thus establishing academic promotion as a necessity for most health care workers. The conferral of academic promotion has significant implications for an individual’s remuneration, benefits, access to research funding, and leadership prospects. Of particular note is the fact that it also confers power and recognition within an institution [3]. In addition to Zhang’s suggestions, the most crucial step toward the prevention or eradication of academic misconduct in the medical profession is to reform the current evaluation system.
