General medical journal

General Medical Journal is a type of medical journal that publishes articles encompassing all areas of medicine. These journals are often peer-reviewed, ensuring that the information they contain is accurate, reliable, and contributes to the field of medicine.

Overview

A General Medical Journal is a periodical publication intended to further the progress of science, usually by reporting new research. Most journals are highly specialized, although some of the oldest journals such as The Lancet and The BMJ publish articles and scientific papers across a wide range of scientific fields.

History

The first general medical journals were established in the 17th century. The earliest known example, Medicina Curiosa, was published in 1684 and is considered the precursor to the modern general medical journal.

Peer Review

Most general medical journals follow the peer review process, which is a quality control mechanism used by publishers before they publish a piece of work to ensure it is of a high standard. The process involves experts in the same field who are consulted by editors to give a review of the scholarly works produced by a colleague of theirs from an unbiased and impartial point of view, and this is usually done free of charge.

Open Access

Many general medical journals are open access, meaning that their content is free to read online. This is in contrast to traditional subscription-based publishing models where readers must pay to access content. Open access can be beneficial for researchers in developing countries who may not have the financial means to access expensive journal subscriptions.

Impact Factor

The impact factor (IF) of an academic journal is a measure reflecting the yearly average number of citations to recent articles published in that journal. It is frequently used as a proxy for the relative importance of a journal within its field; journals with higher impact factors are often deemed to be more important than those with lower ones.

See Also

• List of medical journals
• Scientific journal
• Academic journal