JGME Policy on Supplements

Background

The Journal of Graduate Medical Education (JGME) is published by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME). The ACGME Journal Oversight Committee recruits the Editor-in-Chief (EiC), who in turn recruits senior, associate, and resident/fellow editors to form the Editorial Board. JGME is a peer-reviewed, editorially independent, scientific journal published 6 times yearly that focuses on research in graduate medical education, with no geographic limits on submissions. The Editorial Board determines the review process and has the final decision for all manuscripts submitted to JGME, including supplement issues. Manuscripts are submitted to the Editorial Board, which can also request articles from specific authors for commentaries and special articles.

Supplements to the journal on topics relevant to graduate medical education (GME) are funded outside of the JGME budget by non-commercial entities, such as the not-for-profit ACGME. Supplements benefit JGME readers by providing up-to-date information around a specific theme; these articles would otherwise be distributed throughout a year or more of regular JGME issues, or not be accepted due to space limitations. These papers may also require different categories or formats from standard JGME categories. Typically, supplements will focus on a single topic of prime importance to JGME readers, such as International Graduate Medical Education. Supplement submissions will undergo the same peer review process as for submissions to regular JGME issues.

JGME Supplement Policy

1. A short (1 page), written proposal that describes the supplement content and proposed editors (if pertinent) must be submitted to the editor-in-chief at least 18 months in advance of eventual publication.
2. The editor-in-chief and editorial board will discuss and render a decision regarding the supplement proposal. If approved, the editor-in-chief and executive editor will present the proposed supplement to the Journal Oversight Committee and discuss funding options.
3. If funded, the editor-in-chief, executive editor, and deputy editors will recruit supplement editors from within the editorial board, as well as knowledgeable guest editors with content expertise. The supplement editors will oversee the supplement review process.
4. The supplement editors, with editor-in-chief and executive editor assistance, will issue a call for papers, recruit additional reviewers if needed, and follow the JGME peer review process.
5. Submissions will undergo technical checks and move through the Editorial Manager system using the JGME peer review system.
6. Supplements must comply with the same ethical standards and conflict of interest statements as all JGME issues. All editors adhere to the JGME ethical standards and disclose conflict of interest, as do all authors.
7. JGME does not publish meeting abstracts in supplements.
8. JGME does not publish “sponsored” supplements. Typically supplements originate from the editorial board or members of the ACGME.
9. All submissions will be original work and not previously published.
10. Criteria for supplement article acceptance are the same as for regular JGME issues:
• Pertinent to graduate medical education
• High quality of work that adds to the published literature and provides a service to the graduate medical education community
• The work is balanced, objective, and accurate
• Opinions are labeled as such, in opinion articles (eg, Perspectives)
• Article acceptance is based solely on the quality and value of the work
• Peer review, editors, and editor-in-chief determine decisions for articles
• The editor-in-chief and executive editor have final responsibility for article acceptance in the supplement
11. There are no declarations of sponsorship as no supplement sponsorships are permitted. However, if funding is obtained from a not-for-profit entity that is not ACGME, this is clearly stated in the supplement.
12. Author funding and relevant conflicts of interest are stated clearly in articles, as for regular JGME issue articles.
13. Supplements are open access, as are regular JGME issues, with no charges at any point.