Getting the Best Out of Your Editorial Board

Bernard G. Jaar, MD, MPH, FASN,FNKFJohns Hopkins Medical Institutions

Nephrology Center of Maryland Section Editor – BMC Nephrology

www.biomedcentral.com/bmcnephrol

IMPACTFACTOR

1 . 52

www.biomedcentral.com

• Open access: freely and permanently available online for anyone to read and reuse• High visibility for your work• Online submission• Rapid, thorough peer review• Inclusion in PubMed and PubMed Central• Renowned Section Editors:

Hans-Joachim Anders (Germany) Adrian Covic (Romania) Michelle Estrella (USA)Bernard Jaar (USA) William Oetting (USA) Giorgina Piccoli (Italy) Donald Silverberg (Israel) Robert Unwin (UK)

For editorial enquiries please contact the Executive Editor Hayley.Henderson@biomedcentral.com

Disclosure

• Royalties: UpToDate

• Member American Board of Internal Medicine - Subspecialty in Nephrology

Objectives

• Describe how we put together our editorial board– Selection criteria

• Describe interaction with Associate Editors

My Role as Section Editor …Orchestra Conductor

“The primary duties of the conductor are to unify performers, set the tempo, execute clear preparations and beats, and to listen critically and shape the sound of the ensemble.”Oxford Concise Dictionary of Music (Fifth ed.)

reviewersAssociate Editors

Editor

Authors / Readers

Selection Process for Associate Editors (AEs)

• A numbers Game: How many? number of AEs increased with time as we got busier:– November 2012: 4– May 2015: 19

• Track record – At least (early) mid-level career• Willing to serve• Expertise• Geographic representation (Hayley)

Wide Range of Expertise

• Formal training (most) in epidemiology and outcomes research (for our section)

• Specific areas of expertise: e.g.,– Epigenetics (Dr. Parekh)– Meta-analysis (Dr. Jafar) – Large population studies (Dr. Plantinga)

Geographic Representation

Interaction Between SE and AE

SE AE Initial Decision

SE

Reject

Accept

Manuscript

Reviewers Revisions

Support the Role of the AE (I)• Provide guidance about handling specific

manuscript as needed: e.g.,– HOT topic: CKD unknown etiology in low –

middle income countries– Common disease but in region where there is no

data (AKI in Sub-Saharan Africa)• Help with reviewers as needed• Encourage AE to make 1st decision (empower) • But assess the process to make sure the

authors get a fair review … (authors => hard work)

Support the Role of the AE (II)• Support AE when falls behind because

he/she is busy: invite more reviewers, make initial decision, … (but keep AE in the loop by cc email)

• Don't hesitate to use AE from other sections as appropriate

• If interesting manuscript, suggest AE to write or invite commentary

• Keep communication line open with quick turnaround time as much as possible

Support the Role of the AE (III)

• Sometimes … and unfortunately … an AE may become unresponsive …– Direct and honest conversation (not always

available – e.g., provide months when available)

– Resign from editorial board because of conflicting interest with other duties

• Don’t hesitate to serve as AE!

Avoid AE Burnout !!!Keep personal list of # of manuscripts by AE with date

Manuscript title Date Received

Associate Editor

Decision

1MS: 1068981645853028Creatinine-or cystatin C …John Doe et al.

November 22, 2012

L. F. Accept

2…3…229MS: 1234567891011121Symptom burden …John Doe et al.

May 8, 2015 I. H. Pending

Thank You!