Peer Reviewers for the Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine in 2008 =============================================================================== * Anne Victoria Neale * Marjorie A. Bowman * Phillip Lupo External peer reviewers are the unsung heroes of the *JABFM*. Here we acknowledge and thank all who so generously gave their time and expertise to build the evidence base of family medicine, as well as to advance the scholarship of their peers. We also take this opportunity to identify how our peer review processes are aligned with the recent National Institutes of Health (NIH) plans to enhance its peer-review system. In September, 2008, the NIH Peer Review Oversight Committee announced plans to enhance NIH peer-review activity, stating, “The excellence of peer review is directly correlated to our ability to recruit and retain the most accomplished, broad-thinking, and creative scientists to serve on study sections” (available at [http://enhancing-peer-review.nih.gov](http://enhancing-peer-review.nih.gov)). Although the NIH peer review enhancements are specific to the federal grant review process, we found that those related to “engaging the best reviewers” are also pertinent to our efforts at the *JABFM*. These are excerpted below along with comments specifying how the *JABFM* addresses these best practices. ## NIH: “Recruit the Best Reviewers” ***JABFM* alignment:** We aim to secure a content specialist and family physician generalist for each reviewed manuscript to provide a broad and scholarly critique to assist authors in disseminating their work. In 2008, reviews were submitted from 43 states and 21 countries. ## NIH: “Improve Reviewer Retention” ***JABFM* alignment:** We recognize that reviewers are very busy, and we avoid overburdening our reviewers with many requests. To expand our peer reviewer database, we actively recruit new reviewers with most new submissions; authors are also invited to suggest reviewers. ## NIH: “Provide Benefits for Reviewers” ***JABFM* alignment:** Reviewers receive a copy of the editor's decision letter that includes the reviews for the manuscripts they critiqued. In 2008, we instituted an annual letter to those reviewers who provide exceptional service to the *JABFM*. With this we intend to show our appreciation and strengthen relations with the family medicine research community. We also consider requests from excellent reviewers for letters of support for promotion or tenure. ## NIH: “Enhance Reviewer Training” ***JABFM* alignment:** We provide resources for peer reviewers, which are available in the “Peer Reviewers” area on the *Journal*'s home page ([www.jabfm.org](http://www.jabfm.org)). These include an article about how to review a manuscript,1 an article about the *JABFM* peer-review process,2 and an article about what we seek in reviewer critiques.3 The editors also provide occasional workshops on journal peer reviewing at national primary care. Reviewers should also be aware of the *JABFM* editorial statement regarding conflict of interest.4 ## NIH: “Allow Flexibility” ***JABFM* alignment:** Reviewers are encouraged to enter into their Rapid Review reviewer profile dates in which they will be unavailable for requests for manuscript review. Reviewers who receive a request that they are unable to accept are encouraged to let us know of such circumstances; some reviewers take this opportunity to suggest alternative potential reviewers. ## NIH: “Streamline Applications” ***JABFM* alignment:** All manuscript submissions are assigned to an editor for internal review and a decision to send the paper out for external peer review.2 In 2008, 26% of unsolicited manuscripts were rejected after this internal review. The top reasons for rejection (internal review only and external review combined) were because it added little new information to topic (34%); it was faulty research (26%); or it was poorly written (18%). ## Electronic Table of Contents Alerts We invite our peer reviewers to submit their best work to the *JABFM*. We are an open-access journal with a wide readership. At the end of 2008, 67,015 members of the primary care community received our electronic Table of Contents, which is sent when each issue posts online. These eTOCs have hyperlinks to each new article. Sign up for eTOCS at [http://www.jabfm.org/subscriptions/etoc.shtml](http://www.jabfm.org/subscriptions/etoc.shtml). ## Recruiting New Peer Reviewers New reviewers are welcome; researchers, faculty, and community-based physicians are invited to enlist as peer reviewers for the *JABFM* (see the peer reviewer registration form on the website at [www.jabfm.org](http://www.jabfm.org)). ## 2008 Reviewer Performance In 2008, 390 individuals submitted to the *JABFM* editors 455 peer reviews and advice regarding suitability for publication. Reviewers took an average of 24 days (median, 25) to submit a review. Thanks to the following reviewers for their outstanding responsiveness: Ya’aqov M. Abrams John Abramson David A. Acosta David C. Agerter Erin J. Aiello James E. Aikens Grace A. Alfonsi Deborah Allen William A. Alto Gail M. Amundson J. Ellen Anderson Ronald J. Angel Jack Ansell Christine Arenson Cheryl B. Aspy Liv Berit Augestad John Bachman Elisabeth L. Backer Eric W. Bakker Beth Barnet Kirsten Barrett Monina Bartoces Kay A. Bauman Max Bayard Elizabeth A. Bayliss Oralia V. Bazaldua Howard B. Beckman Marvin Moe Bell Franco Benazzi Michal Benderly Ian M. Bennett Alfred O. Berg Stephen Berman Frances E. Biagioli Dawn Bielawski Juliann Binienda Helen J. Binns B. Wayne Blount Alan Blum Thomas Bodenheimer Patrik Borg Hayden B. Bosworth Rachel Bramson Kent Bream Patrick Bridge Howard Brody Carlos Brotons David W. Brown Richard L. Brown Sharon A. Brown Cynthia M. Bulik Sandra K. Burge Lucinda M. Buys Suzanne M. Cadarette Peter J. Carek Nancy Carter Ashwin Chatwani Rajesh Chauhan Frederick M. Chen John A. Chiladakis Kaj S. Christensen Richard D. Clover Andreas Cohrssen Vilma Cokkinides Yeates Conwell Michael A. Crouch Rebecca Crowell Brian K. Crownover Richard W. Crummer Jennifer F. Culhane Larry Culpepper William Curry Craig W. Czarsty Timothy P. Daaleman Peter G. Danis III Robert J. Darios Martin G. Dawes Cheryl Dee M. Dianne Delva Raymond Y. Demers Cristina Demian-Popescu Richard A. Deyo Joel Dickerman L. Miriam Dickinson Allen J. Dietrich Joseph R. DiFranza Martey S. Dodoo Lisa Dodson Rowena J. Dolor Steven A. Dosh Tanya Dougherty Susan Dovey Benjamin Druss Anne L. Dunlop Eileen F. Dunne Scott Eathorne Charles B. Eaton Nancy C. Elder William G. Elder, Jr. Eva K. Ellegard William A. Ellert John W. Ely Charles C. Engel John W. Epling, Jr. Edzard Ernst Paolo Fabbri Krista Farey Adrianne Feldstein Joshua J. Fenton Robert L. Ferrer Karl B. Fields Edgar Figueroa Kenneth S. Fink Murray M. Finkelstein Kevin Fiscella Colleen T. Fogarty Patricia Fontaine Stuart Forman E. Foster Arthur Fournier Chester H. Fox Erica Frank Jennifer Frank Peter Franks Michael D. Freeman Linda M. French Ivar L. Frithsen Vicki Fung Sim S. Galazka Mauro Gallitelli Joseph J. Gallo Elizabeth Garrett James M. Gill Dwenda K. Gjerdingen Stephen Goggans Marji Gold Adam O. Goldstein Rise B. Goldstein Jodi M. Gonzalez Robert Graham Judith A. Gravdal Beverly B. Green Larry A. Green Michael E. Green Tomas L. Griebling Kim Griswold Michael Grover Jasen W. Gundersen Warren G. Guntheroth A. Gutke David L. Hahn S. A. Haje Jennifer L. Hamilton E. Haneke Susan Harris Kelly Haskard Robert L. Hatch Diana L. Heiman Robin Helm Eric Henley Joshua A. Hirsch Joseph Hobbs Michael F. Holick Christina T. Holt Eugene Hong Phyllis Horns Margaret S. Houston Sharon K. Hull Jon Eric Isaacson Livia Jackson Carlos Roberto Jaen Paul A. James Sandeep Jauhar Shannon B. Jenkins Sue Jessop Raymond Jian Masahito Jimbo Michel R. Joffres David W. Johnson Mark S. Johnson Jason D. Jones Nikolaos V. Kafkas Jordan F. Karp Robert D. Keeley Amy J. Keenum Omar A. Khan Niharika Khanna George E. Kikano Colin P. Kopes-Kerr M. Z. Koubeissi Grace M. Kuo Jesse Lachter Joseph M. Lane Robert Langan Lixing Lao Cristina Lara-Castro Frank Lawler Edward W. Lee Lawrence M. Leeman Patricia M. Lenahan Stephen Lerner Barcey T. Levy Joseph A. Lieberman III Elizabeth Lin Maja-Lisa Loechen Everett E. Logue Kate Lorig David P. Losh Margaret M. Love Bing Lu Todd Lucas Jon Lurie Catherine L. Lysack Paula K. Maasilta Diane J. Madlon-Kay Eli Magen Michael K. Magill Margaret A. Maglione Mark Mahowald Kamal A. Mansour Jun J. Mao Katherine Margo Cara Marshall Luca Mascitelli Dimitrios K. Matthaiou Charles Maynard Gary McCord S. E. McGregor Helen E. McIlvain W. E. Mehling David R. Mehr Joel H. Merenstein J. L. Michener Daniel Miller Sandra Miller Arunima Misra James W. Mold Alain J Montegut Michael V. Moore Pablo A. Mora Karen Muchowski Paul S. Mueller Marlon P. Mundt Joseph M. Murley Zsolt J. Nagykaldi Rajasree J. Nair Jatinder Narang Laeth S. Nasir Donald E. Nease, Jr. Eddie Needham Jon O. Neher Richard Neill Lynne S. Nemeth Herbert B. Newton Warren P. Newton Giang T. Nguyen Polly H. Noel Thomas E. Norris Mary Patricia Nowalk Jim Nuovo Steven M. Ornstein Lynda J. Owen Wilson D. Pace J. F. Pagel Heather Paladine Scott A. Paluska Michael K. Park Bennett Parnes Donald Pathman Valory N. Pavlik Kevin A. Pearce Randolph L. Pearson William S. Pearson Wayne F. Peate Michael J. Petrizzi T. Grant Phillips II William R. Phillips Marty S. Player John H. Porcerelli David Price Michael D. Prislin Elizabeth Proude Jacob P. Prunuske James C. Puffer Perry A. Pugno Wayne Putnam Parvez A. Qureshi David Rabago Howard K. Rabinowitz Kalyanakrishnan Ramakrishnan Jo Marie Reilly Michael D. Reis Erika Ringdahl Louis Ritz Peter A. Rives Charo Rodriguez Hector P. Rodriguez James E. Rohrer Michael P. Rosenthal Michael G. Ross Mack T. Ruffin IV R. Ruiz-Moral Monika M. Safford George Samraj Haleh Sangi-Haghpeykar John W. Saultz Judith A. Savageau Ramesh Saxena Ellen I. Schafheutle Robert M. Schainfeld Maryjean Schenk Helen Schneider Kendra Schwartz Thomas L. Schwenk Jeffrey B. Schwimmer John G. Scott Dean A. Seehusen Peter A. Selwyn Eric K. Shaw Jun Shu Leonard Allen Shulman Pesach Shvartzman Ajai Singh Paul A. Sloan L. F. P. Smith Peter C. Smith Douglas Smucker Leif I. Solberg Adam J. Sorscher Stephen J. Spann Stuart M. Speedie Joseph B. Stanford Jamie Stang Barbara Starfield Michael Stehney Phyllis K. Stein Nancy G. Stevens Stefan Stoerk Gregg D. Stoner Mark L. Stovak Joseph Straton Jeff L. Susman Andrew L. Sussman J. Swan Alfred F. Tallia Peter G. Teichman Kay Tetzlaff Clayton L. Thomason Dixie L. Thompson G. A. Tommaselli John M. Tovar Matthew E. Ulven Jose M. Valderas Ron Vallario Daniel J. Van Durme Richard D. Vann Steven D. Vannoy Anthony J. Viera Viju Vijaysadan Daniel C. Vinson Ilia D. Volkov Peggy J. Wagner Gordon Walbroehl Peter D. Watson Ganesa Wegienka Barry D. Weiss Myrna Weissman Frances K. Wen James J. Werner Aaron M. White Philip S. Whitecar Wilhelmine Wiese-Rometsch Jennifer E. Wildes Thad E. Wilson Daniel K. Winstead Walter P. Wodchis Leslie E. Wolf William M. Woodhouse Scott E. Woods W. Michael Woods Jinping Xu K. T. Xu Bektas Murat Yalcin Barbara P. Yawn Rodney B. Young Rosalie F. Young Philip Zazove Therese Zink Adam J. Zolotor Stephen J. Zyzanski ## References 1. Roberts LW, Coverdale J, Edenharder K, Louie A. How to review a manuscript: a “down-to-earth” approach. Acad Psychiatry 2004; 28: 81–7. Available at [http://ap.psychiatryonline.org/cgi/content/full/28/2/81](http://ap.psychiatryonline.org/cgi/content/full/28/2/81). Accessed 9 January 2009. [CrossRef](http://www.jabfm.org/lookup/external-ref?access_num=10.1176/appi.ap.28.2.81&link_type=DOI) [PubMed](http://www.jabfm.org/lookup/external-ref?access_num=15298858&link_type=MED&atom=%2Fjabfp%2F22%2F2%2F102.atom) [Web of Science](http://www.jabfm.org/lookup/external-ref?access_num=000223120100001&link_type=ISI) 2. Neale AV, Bowman, MA. Peer review process of the *Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine*. J Am Board Fam Med 2006; 19: 209–10. Available at [http://www.jabfm.org/cgi/content/full/19/2/209](http://www.jabfm.org/cgi/content/full/19/2/209). Accessed 9 January 2009. [FREE Full Text](http://www.jabfm.org/lookup/ijlink/YTozOntzOjQ6InBhdGgiO3M6MTQ6Ii9sb29rdXAvaWpsaW5rIjtzOjU6InF1ZXJ5IjthOjQ6e3M6ODoibGlua1R5cGUiO3M6NDoiRlVMTCI7czoxMToiam91cm5hbENvZGUiO3M6NToiamFiZnAiO3M6NToicmVzaWQiO3M6ODoiMTkvMi8yMDkiO3M6NDoiYXRvbSI7czoyMDoiL2phYmZwLzIyLzIvMTAyLmF0b20iO31zOjg6ImZyYWdtZW50IjtzOjA6IiI7fQ==) 3. Neale AV, Schwartz KL, Bowman, MA. Peer reviewing for the *Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine*: what does it take? J Am Board Fam Med 2006; 19: 643–647. Available at: [http://www.jabfm.org/cgi/reprint/19/6/643.pdf](http://www.jabfm.org/cgi/reprint/19/6/643.pdf). Accessed 9 January 2009. [FREE Full Text](http://www.jabfm.org/lookup/ijlink/YTozOntzOjQ6InBhdGgiO3M6MTQ6Ii9sb29rdXAvaWpsaW5rIjtzOjU6InF1ZXJ5IjthOjQ6e3M6ODoibGlua1R5cGUiO3M6NDoiRlVMTCI7czoxMToiam91cm5hbENvZGUiO3M6NToiamFiZnAiO3M6NToicmVzaWQiO3M6ODoiMTkvNi82NDMiO3M6NDoiYXRvbSI7czoyMDoiL2phYmZwLzIyLzIvMTAyLmF0b20iO31zOjg6ImZyYWdtZW50IjtzOjA6IiI7fQ==) 4. Neale AV, Schwartz KL, Bowman MA. Conflict of interest: can we minimize its influence in the biomedical literature? J Am Board Fam Med 2005; 18: 411–3. Available at [http://www.jabfm.org/cgi/reprint/18/5/411.pdf](http://www.jabfm.org/cgi/reprint/18/5/411.pdf). Accessed 9 January 2009. [FREE Full Text](http://www.jabfm.org/lookup/ijlink/YTozOntzOjQ6InBhdGgiO3M6MTQ6Ii9sb29rdXAvaWpsaW5rIjtzOjU6InF1ZXJ5IjthOjQ6e3M6ODoibGlua1R5cGUiO3M6NDoiRlVMTCI7czoxMToiam91cm5hbENvZGUiO3M6NToiamFiZnAiO3M6NToicmVzaWQiO3M6ODoiMTgvNS80MTEiO3M6NDoiYXRvbSI7czoyMDoiL2phYmZwLzIyLzIvMTAyLmF0b20iO31zOjg6ImZyYWdtZW50IjtzOjA6IiI7fQ==)