Thank You, Thank You, Thank You

Article Outline

• Copyright

The machinery that makes The American Journal of Medicine (AJM) function is powered by many different individuals performing a variety of tasks. Without its long list of employees and volunteers, the Journal could not function. I am writing this editorial to thank the individuals who have made AJM what it is today, and what it will become in the future. The order in which these expressions of appreciation appear in this essay should not be construed as any indication of the importance of the individual or the group named. They are all equally important in the success of the Journal. To use a sports analogy, a baseball team needs a second baseman just as much as it needs a center fielder.

The American Journal of Medicine has been extraordinarily fortunate to have outstanding administrative, publishing, and computer personnel in Tucson, New York City, Philadelphia, San Diego, Amsterdam, and Oxford, UK. These individuals function smoothly as a team and guarantee our ability to produce a high quality issue each month. We are sponsored by one of the premier professional societies in the United States, the Association of Professors of Medicine, whose members are the chiefs of medicine in every medical school in the US and Canada.

Our associate editors, subspecialty editors, and editorial board are the intellectual backbone of the Journal. The importance of their advice, suggestions, and scholarly efforts in producing and reviewing material on behalf of the Journal cannot be overestimated. In a similar vein, committed, conscientious reviewers are essential to the publication process. The AJM is fortunate in having a large cohort of dedicated reviewers, some of whom we designate as elite reviewers because they have performed 8 or more quality reviews for us during the last few years. As a reward for such diligent and essential service, a number of these elite reviewers are invited each year to join the editorial board of the AJM.

I am sometimes asked by residents, fellows, and junior faculty, what benefit accrues to an individual from reviewing manuscripts for the AJM. My answer is: there are a number of potential benefits associated with reviewing. First, the reviewer sharpens her/his critical sense during the review process. Secondly, the reviewer is kept abreast of the latest scientific developments in the field even before they become public knowledge. Thirdly, young faculty members can list their reviewing activities on their curriculum vitae as scholarly activity, and this may help with promotion and tenure decisions. For example, I was recently asked by one of our elite reviewers to write a letter supporting his promotion package from assistant to associate professor at a prestigious East Coast medical school. I was pleased to write this letter and the promotion was approved. We subsequently invited this individual to join our editorial board as another sign of our appreciation for his dedicated efforts on behalf of the AJM. Finally, when one reviews manuscripts for the AJM the reviewer joins the AJM family, which includes some of the very best minds in contemporary clinical medicine. Knowing that one is a part of this elite group of outstanding medical intellectuals is by itself highly rewarding.

So, as we enter the first months of 2010, let me express my sincerest and deeply held gratitude to everyone who makes the AJM possible. It is literally true that “we could not do this without your help.” I personally want to say thank you to each and every individual who helps us make The American Journal of Medicine a success. As always, feel free to comment on our blog at http://amjmed.blogspot.com.