Drft...Wud
PLANNED ATTACK ON THIS SOUTH INDIA LOBBYIST CODE NAME
ROOTLESS TOOTLESS
First and fore most we should congratulate Dr U Sings decision.Like every good thing his longish tenure as an editor of IJPMR has come to a meaning full end.His efforts for IAPMR is commendable.But the need for a fresh guard is only imperative for diverse viewpoints to merge.It is not about a person,or an institutions or cities or egos, it is more about that elusive
wholesome inclusive perspective which badly need representation.This is about how another man from a different core group add to this wholesomeness ,this is about a third eye looking at the discipline as diverse as PMR,this is about including ever one to its fold. This is about fresh heads,ears,arms legs and heart.
Its easier to say but a difficult philosophy to grasp as some pioneers in the medical journal publishing industry has found out.There cant be a quick fix magic formula as the generalised blind criticism seems to suggest
RICHARD SMITH founder of BMJ have been vexed about this and his musing i share below
"The values that underpin journals are almost always implicit rather than explicit. Medical journals are a confluence of medicine, science and journalism—and might be expected to have the values of all three. "
"Now journals are moving into a world where they have patients on editorial boards and even editors who are patient not doctors. Journals are trying to move from a world where patients were objects to one where they are partners. But here I judge journals are lagging behind the practice of medicine."
"medical journals often contain poor science. Basic scientists who work in biology and chemistry are regularly scornful of the, mostly, applied science that appears in medical journals. "
"What journals can do is to make people think, set agendas, encourage debate, draw doctors' attention to new things that may be important, and even legitimize subjects. In short, they are very like newspapers, and Robbie Fox, the great editor of theLancet in the 20th century, liked to call his journal a newspaper."
"Fraud in science is as old as science itself—because science is a human activity. But fraud was not high on anybody's agenda until about 20 years ago. As recently as 5 years ago I heard a fellow of the Royal Society argue that fraud was exceedingly rare, did not happen with `proper scientists', had never harmed anybody, and did not matter because science was self correcting"
"But what about the accountability of journals and their editors? The Lancet took the bold step of introducing an ombudsman to consider complaints against the editors. The experiment seems to have been a success but has not been widely copied. TheBMJ introduced an ethics committee of its own, and almost immediately wondered how it managed for 160 years without one. But these are small experiments. Most journals have neither an ombudsman nor an ethics committee."
Dr Nallegauda's true concerns for well being of the journal is more then apparent.But at the same seems to me bit myopic and lacking pragmatism.The strict criteria's he has set up for editorship is no doubt a novel course but that don't negate other alternative and more practical and wholesome approaches on practice today in publishing spheres .And certainly his thought process is not the way most medical journals operate.Its not that simple.Academic research and a National body journal are two very different fish altogether with each having mutually exclusive domains of function.
More over it seems like he don't have the complete all India field picture.Yes true all india's national centers like vellore ,smc, aiims ,RIMS are no doubt are in the lime light for obvious proud reasons.But this ignores the fact that there are parallel less known state institutes who are in a flurry of path breaking academic activities which due to its distance from so called academic power centers are not permeating into these premiere institutes.Those ideas need legs very badly.We feel it every seconds and believe me we are running out of time.
Let us take one example of NRSMC&H ,kolkata this state run institute is already running an fully operational "interventional physiatric clinic" which is first of its kind in ASIA at the same very big academic projects have kick started in this college on spinal cord injury with collaboration with Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics DEPT OF ATOMIC ENERGY .Two Phds enrolled for the study as of now with two more expected in the next year.These is a very futuristic study of genetics ,structural proteomics ,stem cells and include ANIMAL models which would be ultimately translated into humans .This has been planned to ultimately fan out to a System biologiy model.
To be very modest this type of study design is unparalleled not only in in india but mostly above par with most western counter parts also.Let me assure you this are not just a castle on air dreams i am talking about.These are hard facts put on ground. The first phase is already on and exciting results are already showing.Already this has caught imagination of institute directors.Even the govt would be pumping whopping sums of money to this institute. So the picture of Yesterday might not tell you the whole story as you see today
So what is the point of this fact.If you go through what Richard Smith has to say i think you can make out how such endeavour which have been initiated here goes ahead to take on the real issue of furthering science of medicine.Finally finding its way to the ones who need it the most the patients.I hope Dr Nallegauda don't find a joke in it .If he does i think laughter from our side would be the best medicine.
Dr Nallegauda has taken names But question may arise why aren't they proactively coming forward with such vast research experience and sharing there fruits of labor to the humanity?
It might be due to various reason .So this is not meaning full just flinging heavy names , friends ,alumni names just like that. Let each speak for themselves .But i find Dr Nallegauda haven't said his name. As direct as he is this seems unusual.That might indicate (i say might) indicate the problem.
which might be..... its easy to point fingers then performing such a complex job in an organised manner.
So in that case it negates his point that mere organisational efficiency is not enough.Yes it might not be the only criteria
this very behavior of shying away from responsibility proves that it is a must have criteria .i.e editor should be prepared bite the bullet.To keep print flowing its a full time job.It is not a mere prestigious post as some might presume it to be.For that editor should be able and willing to spare time for such a cause.Which has to be given unconditionally and with out any murmur of a complain which i find already lacking in many independent commentators.
How many of are you are really interested ???in such dedicated job?? i guess very few.
In that case just pointing finger who has energy ,will and vigor for such calling is not very positive a thing or intelligent thinking and certainly impolite.
There is unnecessary criticism regarding Dr Halder. Since he was in the editorial board for a long time sure some good has rubbed on to him from the haloed father figure of Dr Sing who had been a top notch editor as admitted by Dr Nallegoda.He has indeed come up through ranks to be a editor.On what logic Dr Nallegowda says he haven't.??
Dr Rathin Halder the would be editor.Sure has expressed plans not desire to increase number of issues per year number of quality papers per issue even is working on getting international faculties to contribute to it.Besides he has expressed plans to distribute the job . I think the above respectable names floated can do the job if they prefer to even Nallgaudaji can .Its hardly a closed fort as he makes it to be.
In our personal capacity, only today we talked with Bangladeshi counterpart he is very keen to contribute to our efforts.So this are not so dark a corner as his representation might project.This things can be arranged needs a bit of energy thats all.
Peer review is no big deal even just passed PGT with little bit of academics can do it with a basic understanding of paper writing. There are real life instances of paper being sent for peer review to fresh pass outs.And most decline for lack of interest.More over this process has been doubted in the current time
"It is a sacred process—and the phrase `peer reviewed journal' is supposed to guarantee quality. But clearly peer review is deficient. Despite being central to the scientific process it was itself largely unstudied until various pioneers—including Stephen Lock, former editor of the BMJ, and Drummond Rennie, deputy editor of JAMA—urged that it could and should be studied. Studies so far have shown that it is slow, expensive, ineffective, something of a lottery, prone to bias and abuse, and hopeless at spotting errors and fraud. The benefits of peer review have been much harder to establish. "
RICHARD SMITH
Statistics can be learned if not yet learned .There are numerous software with ready solutions available on nets more ever ever medical college at this nook of the woods have well trained statisticians in the Community medicine who can and do teach and help in case of statistical decision making. Its not Greek as is suggested.I think Dr Halder with his maverick PR skills can tag in ISI "(Indian Statistical Institute ,Kolkata) which to my knowledge just languishes for such serious joint ventures.
beside read the above link about chinese editorship problems
i think as far as research goes they do it in more number then the whole world put together and mostly they are doing very good.
http://www.councilscienceeditors.org/files/scienceeditor/v21n6p205.pdf
Dr Nalle gowda in his astute observation has also missed numerous other vital things.Which is strange.
they are the faculty strength , number of MD PMR in private sector as well as the PGT strength.
Strategic location ,availability of knowhow about printing process,interdisciplinary liaison ,access to private support., other associated association's academic support,correspondence to basic research scientist, number of patients catered etc.
Some state like the one i come from has the highest number of faculty strength at medical colleges and all these are state run colleges which date back to antiquity .its easy to forget institutions like IPGME&R ,MEDICAL COLLEGE, NRSMC&H ,which are one of the oldest in whole of Asia with blazing academic records .So a very rich culture of academic runs through the veins of some of these states which we in the din of confusion prefer to forget.
Besides we have excellent respect full relation ship with other disciplines and associations.
for the above stated logic we think those who got editorship should not be put to sword in such uncivilized manner.
( after all they are MD IN pmr PROPER and veterans examiners with fair amount of teaching years behind them who have delivered most of the time and its only unfair to doubt they cant do it again ?)
I think Dr Nallegauda was carried away with huge expectations which is incongruous to the current state of affairs more over not practical because the conditions he speaks about is mostly non existent
A little bit of alumni and state feeling and wee bit institutional ego emanating from his rush in head is appreciable.Thats healthy as far as i am concerned.Another healthy thing is to put the future editors on toes as far as quality of the journal goes .after all they too have an ego which can flare at such critical reviews.Let the future editors match mountain of expectation Dr Nallgowda has put before them. Sure that calls for strong arms head heart and a supple mind.I would like to belive that all is not lost if the editorship shift to certain city specially those cities with excellent academic and printing infrastructure say for kolkata . for kolkata has delivered and deserves a chance .as others do as well.So go ahead editors.
well that i think is an excellent peer pressure strategy from Dr Nallegowda but at the same i think Dr Nallegouda should cheer up it is not all that dark in some part of the world which he dose not get much news from.And most of the time not politics as our current distorted perception might lead us belive.
"These journals are about the fundamental business of disseminating science rather than making societies or publishers rich."
Richard Smith
well perhaps this is the only criteria we should go by
in the end if we want qualified editors it would be desirable for them to go through a program or a course .Such courses are available and can be done with correspondence .Which the association can bear the cost.This will be a practical solutions for the eligibility for editor ship .At present the above discussion shows we really dont know much about editorship nor can we put up even one candidate who qualifies with out a nasty dispute erupting .Till that date this unpleasant favouritism as was apparent from some of the above discussions will go on.which is uncalled for among educated well meaning folks.
LOOKS LIKE FUTURE EDITORS WILL HAVE A LOT IN THERE HANDS
Regards
