Addressing free rider issues in academic authorship in medical education

Free riding in academic authorship represents an ethical challenge that threatens the credibility, fairness, and trustworthiness of scientific knowledge. Addressing this issue requires coordinated reform across institutions, journals, and researcher training. By strengthening accountability mechanisms, and fostering a culture of ethical authorship, the academic community can ensure that authorship accurately reflects genuine intellectual and practical contributions. Confronting free riding in academic publishing is essential not only for maintaining ethical integrity and fairness but also for preserving public trust and the validity of scientific knowledge.