PROBLEMS FACED BY A MEDICAL JOURNAL EDITOR A FAREWELL EDITORIAL

Abstract

Voluntary editorship of a medical journal is a
pleasure and is very enjoyable if you just '˜sit' on the
board. It is very stressful if you decide to actively
work. Managing Editor is an editor who is always
under immense pressure. This '˜different breed' editor
is a bridge between the '˜elite' members of the board,
office staff, authors, reviewers, printers, subscribers,
advertisers and well-wishers. All these eight integral
pillars of a journal consult managing editor for all
their worries, queries, problems and frustrations.
Naturally it is the managing editor that is '˜blamed'
for every bad thing, and is forgotten at the time of
'˜cheers'. But let me tell you, the only thing that keeps
a managing editor '˜going' is the satisfaction of
keeping a living thing alive. For me my journal was a
living human being, a baby that I brought up and
once brought up it started bringing me up.
I have worked for JAMC from 1997 to
2006. In this period we managed to get the journal
indexed in Index Medicus/Medline/Pubmed besides
many other indexations. I have enjoyed working for
JAMC in all these years and this journal has returned
back to me more than the effort that I have actually
put into it. I am leaving the editorship to let new
persons come in to break monotony of 10 years. I
agree with a medical journalism dictum that '˜as the
new persons take over, new ideas flow in and
progress of a progressive journal becomes faster.'1
Here I will take an opportunity to highlight
problems faced by a managing editor, keeping the
pleasures for some other time. I have grouped
problems faced by me in order of gravity of problem
and arranged groups in order of importance. I will
briefly discuss a few points that need explanation
refraining from details. I am sure this document will
help many persons who are planning to become
editors or to bring out journals.