Publication in scientific journals is required for academic promotion at universities. It is also the method by which most family medicine faculty members disseminate their scholarly work, establish a reputation in their field, and develop a clinical, teaching, or scholarly expertise. Publications are able to reach a broader audience than are presentations, which makes them the epitome of academic scholarship. Most academic family physicians give presentations to students, residents, or colleagues as part of their regular job duties and at regional and national meetings, but few write articles based on those presentations.