Requiring first author papers for physicians is not unusual. In the UK surgeons are required to have published several as a requirement to finish training [0].

Requiring first author papers for physicians is not unusual. In the UK surgeons are required to have published several as a requirement to finish training [0]. Often in the uk this makes a phd or other higher degree necessary to completing training. [0]https://publishing.rcseng.ac.uk/doi/pdfplus/10.1308/rcsbull.TB2020.11?download=true https://publishing.rcseng.ac.uk/doi/pdfplus/10.1308/rcsbull....