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| EDITORIAL |
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| Year : 2021 | Volume
: 8
| Issue : 2 | Page : 39-40 |
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New beginnings and new challenges
Vikram Kate1, Vikas Menon2
1 Editor-in-Chief, International Journal of Advanced Medical and Health Research (IJMAHR), India
2 Editor, International Journal of Advanced Medical and Health Research (IJMAHR), India
| Date of Submission | 16-Nov-2021 |
| Date of Decision | 16-Nov-2021 |
| Date of Acceptance | 16-Nov-2021 |
| Date of Web Publication | 30-Dec-2021 |
Correspondence Address:
Prof. Vikram Kate
Editor-in-chief, IJAMHR
India
 Source of Support: None, Conflict of Interest: None  | Check |
DOI: 10.4103/ijamr.ijamr_229_21
How to cite this article:
Kate V, Menon V. New beginnings and new challenges. Int J Adv Med Health Res 2021;8:39-40 |
The International Journal of Advanced Medical and Health Research (IJAMHR) wishes a heartfelt farewell to our editor: Dr. Tamilarasu Kadhiravan. He has been at the helm of the journal for 5 years and has successfully steered its course through several challenges and trials during his tenure. His remarkable clinical and research acumen has helped enrich the quality and reach of the journal substantially. As editor in chief, on behalf of the editorial board, I thank him for his hard work and dedication toward the journal and wish him the best in all his future undertakings. Dr. Kadhiravan will be handing over the baton of editorship to yet another proficient, and enthusiastic individual: Dr. Vikas Menon. Dr. Menon has previously been an editor of specialty psychiatry journals,[1] and this will be his first venture in editing a journal with a multitude of specialties. Although the latter may be fraught with challenges unique to such journals, the members of the editorial board are certain that with his keen insights and meticulous approach to research writing, Dr. Menon will not only live up to but also exceed the standards set by his predecessor.
Any change of guard also represents an opportunity to introspect and understand how the journal has fared, what remains to be addressed, and what future directions the journal might take. The increase in the number of articles submitted in a year may be a good indicator of how the journal has progressed. The submissions to IJAMHR have increased by nearly 50% from 116 in 2015 to 221 in 2020. Simultaneously, the rejection rates have risen from 64% in 2015 to over 90% in 2021 which represents a tightening of editorial policies and raising the bar for accepted articles. Furthermore, the number of subscribers has gone up from 9 in 2015 to 21 currently. Over the last 5 years, the time taken from manuscript submission to first decision has reduced from 56 days in 2015 to 47 days in 2020 while the time from acceptance to publication has reduced from 114 days in 2015 to 75 days in 2020. The journal has consistently adhered to publication timelines as well, no mean feat given the disruption wrought by the COVID-19 pandemic.
A collective and cohesive effort is necessary to understand and address the areas within the journal that require change. In recognition of the fact that young, aspiring researchers are in search of fast-track publication options in journals with wider indexation, it is essential to be responsive to these aspirations. To achieve this, we aim to enhance the efficiency of the review and publication process at the journal which will also significantly contribute to the goal of getting the journal included in major indexing agencies such as MEDLINE and SCOPUS. The primary goal of the journal will be publishing articles that advance science and are relevant to health professionals and policymakers, and if the impact factor of the journal is established during this process, the additional benefit will help in furthering the progress of the journal.
This brings us to the new directions that the journal may head into. A section on articles in the “Ahead of print” will soon feature as this will ensure faster and wider visibility of quality research. Furthermore, it may improve the rates of citations and downloads which will be reflected in the overall journal metrics. Peer reviewers are the “gatekeepers” of science, and the success of any journal rests upon the work of many dedicated and conscientious reviewers. Over the last few years, our reviewer pool has been refined and strengthened, and we welcome individuals interested in being peer reviewers to join our team by submitting the required details to the editor directly ([email protected]) or by clicking the “join as reviewer” link on the journal home page.
An important ethical research concern is plagiarism as the journal continues to receive several submissions with substantial plagiarism. Although we appreciate the increasingly competitive world of scientific publishing and the complex factors that can operate in such a phenomenon, such major violations of publication ethics are of serious concern. And so, to ensure that research material within IJAMHR is devoid of such issues, all our submissions are screened for plagiarism twice: once before sending for external review and once more before final acceptance. Similar concerns have been discussed previously in our journal, and we request prospective authors to take note of this to avoid problems later.[2]
Before concluding, the editorial board would like to thank the readers and contributors to the journal for making it what it is today: an 8-year-old “young” journal that seeks to be efficient, engaging, ethical, and scientifically sound. The constant support and valuable inputs of the executive editor, Dr. Rakesh Aggarwal, Director of JIPMER, Puducherry, have been invaluable in bringing the journal to its status today. The members of the editorial board again thank Dr. Kadhiravan for strengthening and nurturing the journal as well as for providing a sound platform for its further growth and expansion. Finally, with the support, wisdom, and wide experience of the entire team, the board is all but assured that Dr. Menon will chart an exciting and enriching course for the future of the journal and help it scale new heights. We wish him the very best of luck for the same!
| References | |  |
| 1. | Ameen S, Menon V, Praharaj SK. A 42-year-old new journal. Indian J Psychol Med 2020;42:319-22.  |
| 2. | Kate V, Kadhiravan T. IJAMHR: Looking ahead. Int J Adv Med Health Res 2017;4:1. [Full text] |
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