Program Highlights

• • One-year training program for graduating trainees* and early career surgical investigators.

  • Up to 3 applicants will be accepted each year

  • Applicants will work with SOC board members who will serve as their mentors and consultants for each monthly review.

  • Applicants will learn how to effectively review a research paper under the guidance of their mentor

  • The program is of no cost to the applicant

  • Applicants will become reviewers for JAMA Surgery at successful completion of the program*

*Only faculty are eligible to be peer reviewers for JAMA Surgery. Graduating trainees will need to be appointed faculty before they can be peer reviewers.

OBJECTIVES

• • Upon completion of the program, applicants will be able to:

  • Understand the peer reviewer’s tasks and responsibilities

  • Learn how to detect bias, confounding and other weaknesses within research methodology

  • Gain skill in developing a respectful critique that improves the manuscript

  • Understand how to determine if a manuscript should be accepted, revised, or rejected

  • Understand the publication process including submission, review, revision, publication, and dissemination

PROGRAM EXPECTATIONS

• • Participate in monthly sessions with assigned mentor and review the SOC-JAMA Surgery methodology series https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamasurgery/pages/statistics-and-methods and discuss reviewed manuscripts.

  • Review a minimum of 8 manuscripts within the 1 year training program

  • Have 1 formal didactic session with editor(s) from JAMA surgery to understand editorial process

  • Reviewers in training will have 1 week to complete review and then 1 week for mentor to put together the review for JAMA Surgery. Mentor is responsible for timely submission of review to JAMA surgery

  • Reviewers in training must commit to confidentiality of all the materials they review for JAMA Surgery

WHO MAY APPLY

• • Members of the Surgical Outcomes Club who are in their final year of training in a surgical specialty or early career surgical investigators within their first five years of completing training in a surgical specialty or are members of a surgical department may apply to this fellowship. 

application process

Applicants must submit the application form along with the following:

• • Current copy of your curriculum vitae

  • A one-page statement of interest, including:

    • Prior and/or current activities with publishing, writing, or editorial experience

    • Letter of support from department chair/division chief for those who have completed training or from the program director for those who are still in training.