Tall Towers Are Built on Strong Foundations

摘要

When I was appointed the editor-in-chief of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery – Global Open (PRS Global Open), I developed a 57-page list of ideas to implement. I was, am—and can’t foresee a time when I won’t be—entirely invested in the success of this publication. Right as I was about to begin the 58th page, however, a thought struck me: Success—particularly that of a world-renowned medical journal—is never the result of one person’s ideas, but the collective wisdom of the group that designs and propels the vision forward. To this end, one of my initial ideas was to break out of the traditional mold the Society had established for a co-editor. With the support of the Publications Committee of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons—and for the first time ever for any American Society of Plastic Surgeons journal—two co-editors were appointed instead of just one. I doubt that many would find fault with the traditional editor/co-editor pairing that has made both PRS and PRS Global Open so successful for so long, but the fact of the matter is that we have an opportunity to bring more voices, perspectives, diversity, and experience to the table, and with the speed at which our specialty evolves (not to mention the world of publications), that additional input is invaluable. It is my distinct privilege to have Amanda Gosman, MD, and Bert Losken, MD—two experienced visionaries and accomplished surgeons—on board to help lead the way. Next on the list was to install section editors—another first for PRS Global Open. This was done to supplement our already strong editorial board, composed of regional, contributing, consulting, and associate editors. We want to not only categorize existing submissions into a more robust infrastructural framework, but also determine what kind of submissions we want in the future and encourage that development. Of course, some of these sections are traditional (breast, craniofacial/pediatric, cosmetic, hand/peripheral nerve, and reconstructive), but others either carry different names or are completely new—making PRS Global Open more contemporary and reflective of the ever-expanding landscape of plastic surgery. These sections include the business of plastic surgery, education, global health, research (a broader term than the previously used “experimental”), gender surgery, technology (which will cover technological advances affecting the field, including the digital sphere, physical hardware, robotics, big data, social media, and more), residency/fellowship, case reports, and wellness. These sections are designed to make absolutely clear to our readership (that is, the entire world) exactly the type of high-quality articles that we aim to distribute (Fig. 1). (See Document, Supplemental Digital Content 1, which provides a thorough listing of the subject areas within each PRS Global Open topical section, https://links.lww.com/PRSGO/B661.) For our future authors, it also establishes a welcoming, clear and visible home for their content. When authors consider to which journal they intend to submit their work, our organizational system of sections lays out what we prioritize. With the new vision of PRS Global Open, we intend to stand upon the two pillars of quality and speed. Every submission will undergo the robust scrutiny of peer review. We have more than 3800 peer reviewers to call upon throughout the world, representing diversity of experience, expertise, and perspective—all of which will help strengthen each and every article published by PRS Global Open. Our editorial board will provide constructive feedback to authors so that every accepted submission is in the best shape possible by the time of publication. Concurrent with that due diligence, we already have best-in-class turnaround times—a distinction we not only intend to maintain, but improve upon. The journal’s average turnaround time between submission and first decision in 2020 was 15.2 days, and the targeted time between acceptance and publ