Recently, one of us ( J.E.S) had the opportunity to speak with a medical student about a research
rotation that the student was planning to do. She would be working with Dr. Z, who had given her the
project of writing a paper for which he had designed the protocol, collected the data, and compiled the
results. The student was to do a literature search and write the first draft of the manuscript. For this she
would become first author on the final publication. When concerns were raised about the proposed
project, Dr. Z was shocked. “I thought I was doing her a favor,” he said innocently, “and besides, I hate
writing!”