Abstract
To fix thoughts by writing and subject them to frequent examinations and reviews, is the best method of enabling the mind to detect its own and keep on guard against fallacies…
Samuel Johnson, British author and writer of the first comprehensive English dictionary (1709–1781)
A bad review is like baking a cake with all the best ingredients and having someone sit on it.
Danielle Steele, American romantic novelist (b. 1947)
It has been a full year now since the current editorial team has taken over the running of the Canadian Association of Radiologists Journal (CARJ). Some of you have no doubt noted a number of changes that have occurred in the journal, and more are planned for the upcoming year. It is with hope that these changes have for the most part been viewed as positive by the readership.
As editors, we have attempted to keep the journal current and relevant as far as possible. In light of this, we have included a special guest editorial by Dr E. A. “Ted” Lyons, the current president of the Canadian Association of Radiologists, entitled, “A Wake-up Call for Canadian Radiology.” In this piece, he vigorously encourages us to view ourselves, and make sure our nonradiologic colleagues view us, as “an integral part of the health care team.” This may seem very self-evident to many of us who already see ourselves in this light and incorporate this point of view in our day to day practice, but it is vital that all of us adopt this perspective now that there is an increasing tendency towards the “commoditization” of radiology services. Commoditization devalues the role of radiology and ultimately will result in the deterioration of health care quality and delivery. If we do not appreciate the significance and value of what we do, then how can we expect others outside our own discipline to do so. The editorial team of CARJ shares the concerns of Dr Lyons, and this has been reflected in some of the previous editorials that have appeared in the CARJ on such important issues as teleradiology and “turf.” It is important that Canadian radiologists be cognizant of the impact of these and other emerging issues on the practice of our specialty so that we may carefully plan constructive and positive responses. We encourage submission of carefully considered pieces for publication in the journal dealing with these issues.
In the last year, as many of you have noted, the format and content of the journal has evolved. The number of submitted manuscripts has continued to increase, and we are pleased to report that by July of this year we had received almost the same number of submissions as we had in the entire previous year. In general, the quality of the submissions has been very good and continues to improve. This has resulted in an increase in the backlog of papers for publication. To make more room for original research and review papers that can contribute to continuing medical eduction (CME), the number of Residents' Corner Cases has been restricted and only selected cases are being accepted for publication. We also have attempted to increase the number of papers for which CME questions are available in an attempt to increase the total number of credits that can be awarded to readers over the course of the year. Application to the Royal College will be undertaken to allow us to provide this.
We also are pleased to report that the journal format will shortly be changing so that it will appear 4 times a year instead of 5. Each issue will be slightly thicker so that the same total number of pages will be published per year; however, the journal will now be bound instead of appearing in the current stapled format. Many readers have strongly encouraged us to move in this direction, and we hope that the journal will look less like a “throw away.” Before the end of the year, the CME quizzes will no longer be published within the hard copy of the journal but will be transferred entirely to an online format. The CARJ CME Web site will list all CME quizzes that are currently available (2 years from the time of publication), and readers will be able to answer questions directly online. This will significantly simplify the process by no longer requiring mailing in of quizzes and manual scoring. This will greatly increase the efficiency of the entire process and has the added advantage of providing several additional pages in each issue of the journal that can now be used for manuscript publication.
Several important challenges remain for the journal. Among these is the great difficulty in ensuring that prompt peer review of manuscripts occurs. It is very difficult to get some categories of manuscripts reviewed expeditiously, and this can cause considerable delay in having a manuscript appear in print. I would strongly encourage any of you who might be interested in reviewing to try your hand at it even if you have never done it before. I have found that some of our best reviews are provided by nonacademic radiologists, many in small community centres. The perspective of nonacademic radiologists is just as valuable as those in large academic centres. An added advantage to performing reviews is that it significantly improves your appreciation of the papers that you read in the future!
Overall, the year has proven to be an interesting and satisfying one, and we hope that you will agree that the journal has been moving in a positive direction. All the members of the editorial team very much appreciate hearing from the readership with any constructive recommendations.