Scottish Medical Journal

Editorial/Comments

ChangeS in the Scottish Medical Journal

SMJ 2001: 46(6); 163 

As indicated in our Millennium Issue (Volume 44, No 6) we wish to make changes in the Journal format to move towards an electronic publishing format and greater availability to an international readership.

  This provides an opportunity to pass on the editorship to a younger enthusiast who is capable of undertaking this computer‑orientated task. Dr Guy Fletcher, Consultant Anaesthetist at Royal Alexandra Hospital, Paisley will take over as from January 2002. In future the Journal will be available on the SMJ web pages (www.smj.org.uk). In addition, a hard copy will continue to be available to private subscribers and libraries. This is in the nature of an experiment and reactions to it will be awaited with interest.

  These changes have coincided with an abrupt termination of sponsorship and this leaves us exposed to a financial shortfall. We have a reserve fund which will enable us to continue publication while we explore further commercial support. In addition, an electronic format will prove cheaper and indeed we will be able to expand the contents. In addition, we will move again towards pharmaceutical advertising.

  Amended instructions to authors will appear in the first Journal of 2002 as to the preferred format for submissions. There will of course be a short period for this to be implemented.After 20 years of editing this Journal, I depart with some sadness but look forward to the changes with great anticipation for the continuing role of the Scottish Medical Journal in educating future generations of Scottish doctors.

C D Forbes

Department of Medicine

Ninewells Hospital & Medical School

Dundee

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