Peer Review Standards

As Editor-in-Chief, International Surgery, I dedicate this editorial letter to the immense importance of high peer review standards. International Surgery has a very long history, over 82 years, of publishing peer reviewed scientific medical manuscripts. The very highest level of ethical standards has consistently been followed for the benefit of the global scientific medical community at large. A peer review policy statement exists for International Surgery and is fully observed. High quality peer review procedures relate to the trust that readers of International Surgery place on manuscripts published in International Surgery, and no ambiguity should exist in reference to this trust.

Recent retractions by scientific medical research journals point to the importance of high peer review standards and of selecting the very best qualified persons to serve as peer reviewers for International Surgery. The International Surgery staff give significant attention to reviewing the credentials of persons who express interest in serving as peer reviewers for International Surgery. We carefully review the CVs of persons seeking to become peer reviewers. We place high value on persons who have earlier peer review experience in the scientific medical publishing field.

The objective of the International Surgery peer review process is to assess the validity, quality, and originality of submitted manuscripts. Acceptance of any manuscript is based on strong evidence supporting conclusions in the manuscript, original research results, importance to scientific and medical scientists, and interest to researchers in other related fields of scientific medical science. Manuscripts based on case studies are considered with only the highest quality case studies being accepted.

Peer reviewers accept, suggest minor revisions, suggest major revisions, or reject manuscripts. The International Surgery peer review process is completed in approximately 21 days following submission to two or more peer reviewers. Strict confidentiality standards exist. No exchanges of information pertaining to the submitted manuscript between authors and peer reviewers who review the information in the submitted manuscript are allowed under any circumstance.

My intention, as Editor-in-Chief of International Surgery, is to continue to insist on observing the highest peer review standards in scientific medical publishing. I welcome any questions or comments that you may have.

Sincerely,