Background: The thesis is an research work wish must submit to rigorous scientific criteria. However, this research effort remains inaccessible to international scientific communities. The aims of this study were to determinate the publication rates in indexed journals and factors affecting publication.
Methods: This was a retrospective descriptive study of pathology theses listed in the theses catalog of the library medical university of Tunis whose theses were supported between 2000-2010. Publication had been searched in databases "Pub Med". The number of citations received by each published thesis was recorded in www. Scopus.com.
Results: Our study concerned 189 theses. Thirty five original articles were derived from 33 theses (17.5%). Eleven medical indexed journals have made the support of articles, dominated by generalist journal (La Tunisie Médicale: 68.6%), specialist journals (Annales de Pathologies, Pathology, Ultrastructural Pathology: 11.4%). The number of article citations had an average of 1. Theses with informative title had been more publication (p=0.005). Theses with structured introduction had been more publication (p=0.002).
Conclusion: Publication rate of pathology theses in indexed journals are relatively low. This publication rate could be improved by the organization of seminars and workshops on writing articles from theses or by the improvement of these articles in national competitions.