1 Objectives
The H-index was created in 2005 by J.E. Hirsch in order to make a more holistic index for scientific output by a researcher. It can give a robust estimate of the broad impact of a scientist’s cumulative research contributions.1 Rather than focusing solely on the quantity of publications or number of citations, the H-index considers both and has shown strong correlation in career advancement within academic medicine. The purpose of this article is to clearly explain the calculation of the H-index, its role in advancing one’s career in otolaryngology, as well as how to improve one’s score.