Peer-Review process

Overview

The peer review process is a fundamental component in the publication of scientific articles in an academic medical journal. This process guarantees the quality, accuracy and relevance of published papers, ensuring that they meet established scientific and ethical standards. The steps are as follows:

1. Receipt and Initial Evaluation: Once the manuscript is submitted to the journal, the editorial team performs a preliminary evaluation to verify that it meets the journal's standards, thematic focus and basic quality requirements. At this stage, papers that do not meet the fundamental criteria are discarded. This includes: 1) subject matter, 2) compliance with ethical aspects, 3) editorial quality.

2. Assignment of Reviewers: If the manuscript passes the initial evaluation, it is assigned to one or more experts in the corresponding subject area, known as reviewers. These reviewers are selected for their experience and knowledge of the topic, ensuring an objective and rigorous evaluation. The reviewers are selected for their demonstrated experience in the subject matter.

3. Peer Review: The reviewers analyze the manuscript in detail, evaluating the methodology, validity of the results, originality, relevance of the work and its contribution to the medical field. In addition, they verify that the content is supported by current and relevant bibliographic references. The reviewers provide detailed recommendations that may include acceptance, request for minor or major revisions, or recommendation for rejection. A period of approximately 1 to 2 weeks is given for review of the manuscript. This review is double-blinded, thus reducing the possibility of conflicts of interest.

4. Editorial Decision: Based on the reviewers' comments and recommendations, the editor makes a final decision. This decision may be to accept the manuscript as is, to request revisions by the authors, or to reject the paper. If revisions are requested, the revised manuscript may be subjected to a further round of peer review before a final decision is made.

5. Proofreading and Publication: Once the manuscript is accepted, final editing, including proofreading and formatting, takes place. Authors have the opportunity to review and approve the proofs before final publication. Finally, the article is published in the journal, accessible to the scientific and medical community.

6. Transparency and Ethics: The entire peer review process is conducted in a confidential manner and strictly adheres to ethical standards of publication. Conflicts of interest are carefully managed to maintain the integrity of the editorial process.

Manuscripts Submitted by Journal Editors:

When an editor submits an article to their own journal, the process must ensure transparency and impartiality. A guest editor or independent senior editor, with no connection to the submitting editor, should oversee the review process. The submission is subjected to the same rigorous standards as any other, with a double-blind or single-blind peer review conducted by independent experts. Final decisions are made by the guest editor, ensuring no preferential treatment. All steps are documented for transparency, aligning with ethical guidelines such as those from COPE, to uphold the journal’s credibility and fairness.

This peer review process ensures that only papers of the highest scientific quality are published, thus contributing to the advancement of knowledge in the medical field.