CNPq researchers in medicine: A comparative study of research areas

Abstract

Objective. This study evaluated the profile and scientific production of researchers in Medicine who have a scholarship from the "Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico". Methods. The "Lattes" curriculum of 411 researchers in Medicine with active scholarships during the years of 2006 to 2008 were included in the analysis. Variables of interest were: gender; affiliation; scientific production, and supervision of undergraduate masters and doctorate students. Results. There was a male predominance (68%) and of scholarship level 2 (55.7%). Four states of Brazil are responsible for 90% of the researchers (SP, RJ, RS, and MG). Eight institutions account for about 80% of researchers, especially USP (30.7%) and UNIFESP (17%). The study identified 30 areas of expertise for researchers. In relation to scientific production, the median was 4.13 articles published per year (interquartile range, IQ, 2.9 - 5.8). The median adjusted for articles published in the database Web of Science was 2.23 per year (IQ, 1.4 - 3.2). The most productive areas of indexed articles were the areas of Neurosciences (3.16, IQ, 1.8 - 4.7) and Psychiatry (2.92, IQ, 1.73 - 4.5). Conclusion. Researchers in medicine are concentrated in the Southeast. This study has disclosed an increase in scientific output by most researchers in the last five years. Effective strategies to qualitatively improve the scientific output may possibly be enhanced by knowledge of the profile of researchers in Medicine.