Before you compare yourself to that postdoc in cancer biology with an h-index of 27 at age 29, remember:

An means an author or paper set has published at least four papers that have each been cited at least four times. This indicates a modest, foundational level of academic impact, often found in early-career researchers, assistant professors, or specific sub-specialties.

The H-Index of 4: Significance, Scale, and the Scholarly Journey In the quantitative world of modern academia, the

Your next goal isn’t a Nobel Prize. It’s getting one more paper to 5 citations, or getting a fifth paper to 4 citations. Small, concrete targets.