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Well into the New Millennium

Editor-in-Chief

	Introduction

Top Introduction

 
With this issue of JCEM, the current editorial office enters its second year. It is fitting to reflect on our first year with commentary and thoughts about the coming year.

Our first year was a very good one. The journal continued to attract and to publish high-quality, original research in clinical endocrinology from around the world. The number of submissions reached approximately 2000 for the second consecutive year. The international flavor of JCEM continued to be increasingly evident. Manuscripts were received from over 50 countries. The United States led the list with 27% of all submissions. Italy (11%), Japan (8%), United Kingdom (8%) and Germany (7%) were also well represented. The distribution of submissions by international regions was Europe (49%), North America (31%), and Asia (12%). Other regions constituted 7% of the total.

The acceptance rate remains constant at approximately 32%, a figure that is set because of our space constraints. As a result, we have not been able to publish a number of papers that were otherwise worthy. Some of you have written to me about this, noting the positive nature of the reviews of your paper and asking why then was the paper not accepted or, at the very least, not recommended for revision. These decisions are difficult ones, but we must use a priority system to work within our page limits. Some papers are not accepted simply because their overall priority is below the limit that we have had to set because of the page limit, but not because there is anything irretrievably flawed about the paper. I know that this has been a source of frustration to some of you. It is a source of frustration to us, too, but, for the forseeable future, we will still have to adhere to our priority system.

In the first half of the year, the journal experienced typical transitional delays in processing and reviews of manuscripts. I am pleased to announce, however, that these delays have progressively and dramatically shortened. The time from receipt of manuscript to first decision is now about the minimum time one can reasonably expect, only 28 days. This improvement includes all elements of the review process such as total time in journal office; actual time of review; and the Associate Editors’ time. Occasionally, a paper is delayed well beyond this average review time. Reasons for extraordinary delay are generally identified in three areas. We are receiving an increasingly large number of papers that do not fall traditionally in the endocrine genre. Such papers that explore hormonal systems in a surfeit of other subspecialty areas, of intrinsic interest to our readers, nevertheless are a challenge to review promptly. A second explanation for regrettably long delays is tardy reviewers. With a new computerized "flagging" system in place, we expect that long delays due to tardy reviewers will be kept to a minimum. A third reason for delay is due to situations in which a paper has received a split review and the Associate Editor seeks a third opinion to help with the adjudication process. We are endeavoring to keep all authors informed when their manuscript is delayed. The Publications Committee of The Endocrine Society, led by Dr. William Rosner, is in the advanced stages of a plan for all Endocrine Society Journals, an electronically based system of receipt, review of manuscripts, and communication with authors. When this new system is implemented, perhaps as early as this year, we expect that the review process will be streamlined markedly and that some delays, which seem to be unavoidable now, will no longer be evident.

The Journal published a number of special features: 24 Editorials, 10 Clinical Reviews, 2 Therapeutic Controversies, 2 Consensus Conferences, 4 Clinical Perspectives, 2 Hot Topics, and 1 Extensive Personal Experience. There were 18 Letters to the Editor. We will continue to publish special features in these categories along with other topics, such as Clinical Problem Solving and Genetic Bases of Endocrine Disease. You are encouraged to write to us with your own ideas of topics for these special features.

I am delighted to announce that Dr. Sharon Oberfield has been named Deputy Editor. Dr. Oberfield will assist me in some of the administrative tasks of the Journal as well as help me with the more creative aspects of our leadership role. I would like to acknowledge our Associate Editors who have given of their time tirelessly in a successful effort to oversee the peer review process. Special thanks to Drs. Andy Arnold, Beverly Biller, David Cooper, Jeff Flier, Barry Goldstein, Janet Hall, Bob Kreisberg, Paul Ladenson, Sharon Oberfield, and Elizabeth Shane. Their load has been heavy, but their spirits have been high. I have rarely worked so well with such a dedicated group of colleagues. We acknowledge with thanks our Editorial Board Members who regularly review for the journal, as well as the many others who we have called on during the year. The peer review system does not work without you.

A journal the size of JCEM does not operate smoothly or effectively without exceptionally fine administrative leadership. Ms. Patricia Meravy, Managing Editor, has worked well beyond all calls of duty to ensure that this transition year was a successful one. Her expertise, energy, good sense, dedication, and utter reliability have been pivotally important to the success of the Journal. Ms. Meravy has been assisted ably by our Editorial Assistants Marta Muniz, Jeniffer Sanchez, and Elena Vascak.

Finally, in my millennium note last year, I pointed out that a goal for JCEM is for "every endocrinologist in the world to consider the Journal mandatory monthly reading. You will not be able to let a month go by without knowing what is in the JCEM." Regardless of what field of clinical endocrinology you are in, every issue, invariably, holds something of interest. As we attract and publish your best work (citation index ratings are very high), the endocrinologist, whether he or she be in practice, clinical research, basic research, or in administrative positions, should be compelled to read the JCEM. We hope to achieve this goal and thereby ensure your continued commitment to the journal as we pledge our continued commitment to you.

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