The Editor-in-Chief of one of the world’s most respected medical journals, JAMA (Journal of the American Medical Association), Catherine D. DeAngelis, M.D., M.P.H., has announced that she will be resigning from her post on June 30th, 2011.

Dr. DeAngelis said:

All good things must come to an end and so, this must, too.

Dr. DeAngelis has told colleagues and staff of her decision to leave after serving as Editor-in-Chief since January 2000. She also oversees the nine Archives specialty medical journal publications.

Dr. DeAngelis has been at the forefront among editors to enhance the integrity and ethics of medical journal publishing. She encouraged other editors to agree to a requirement that all clinical trials be registered as a condition of publication when she worked with the ICMJE (International Committee of Medical Journal Editors). DeAngelis also strived for the strengthening of conflict of interest guidelines.

DeAngelis introduced and established the requirement that clinical trials that were sponsored by industry must have an independent academic statistician to examine all data before any manuscript can be accepted and published by JAMA – such a stringent requirement does not exist in any other journal, experts say.

JAMA’s Impact Factor increased from 11.4 in 2000 to 28.9 in 2009 while deAngelis was Editor-in-Chief. The journal impact factor is a measurement of citations that is used to help evaluate a journal’s relative importance when compared to other journals. JAMA has consistently been among the top three general medical journals worldwide.

Michael D. Maves, M.D., M.B.A., the Chief Executive Officer of the American Medical Association, said:

Cathy DeAngelis has made a tremendous contribution to the profession of medicine through her leadership as Editor-in-Chief of JAMA. JAMA’s reputation for quality and integrity is known throughout the world.

Dr. DeAngelis will be moving back to Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, where she plans to develop a Center for Professionalism in Medicine and the Related Professions, including nursing, public health, business and law. DeAngelis was vice-dean for Academic Affairs and Faculty at Hopkins School of Medicine before joining JAMA. She is a Professor of Pediatrics there.

Dr. DeAngelis said:

This program, based in ethical professional conduct, will be a culmination of education, training and experience. It is the logical next step for me based back in my academic home.

Now that Dr. DeAngelis has announced she is leaving, the American Medical Association (AMA) has started searching for a new Editor-in-Chief for JAMA and the Archives journals. Russell Reynolds Associates has been retained to assist with the search.

Elizabeth A. Jones, Senior Vice President, Periodical Publications for the AMA, said:

Dr. DeAngelis has set high standards for JAMA and the Archives as well as the peer reviewed medical community at large. We need to find the right person to carry on with this and the rich history of JAMA into the next decade and beyond.

Editorial Board member, Ronald G. Evens, M.D., from Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, will head the search committee. The Committee will also include representatives from the Journal Oversight Committee, the AMA’s Board of Trustees, AMA senior management, and JAMA/Archives. The AMA plans to have a new editor in place by July 1, 2011.

Source: JAMA (Journal of the American Medical Association)

Written by Christian Nordqvist