JBJS is pleased to highlight our Elite Reviewers. The Elite Reviewers Program recognizes our best reviewers for their outstanding efforts. All JBJS reviewers help us maintain the highest standards for quality orthopaedic publishing.

Name: Scott Rodeo, M.D.

Affiliation:

Co-Chief Emeritus, Sports Medicine and Shoulder Service

Vice Chair of Orthopaedic Research

Co-Director, Orthopaedic Soft Tissue Research Program

Professor, Orthopaedic Surgery, Weill Medical College of Cornell University

Attending Orthopaedic Surgeon, The Hospital for Special Surgery

Head Team Physician, New York Giants Football

Years in practice: 22

How did you begin reviewing for other journals and for JBJS in particular?

I expressed interest to journal editors on the advice of my mentors at The Hospital for Special Surgery.

What is your top piece of advice for those reviewers who aspire to reach Elite status?

Take an active interest in reviewing.  Understand that this is a privilege.  It is work, but it is very important work.  Realize that reviewing helps you abreast of certain specialty areas – this helps you to be a thought leader in the field. Take that responsibility seriously. You know the effort that you put into your own manuscripts – recognize that authors have done the same and they deserve a thoughtful and careful review.

Realize that virtually no other profession advances and changes as rapidly as medicine, and the pace of knowledge production continues to increase.  Such continued advances require and demand that we are “stewards” of the constantly expanding knowledge base, and this all starts with publications.  Encourage your trainees (residents, fellows) to become true “students” of orthopaedics – encourage them to develop an on-going curiosity for the field. Develop a passion for a certain sub-specialty – become a content expert in that area, which will make you an excellent and valued reviewer. This approach has numerous benefits: it is one of the best ways to avoid “burn-out”, it keeps one engaged over the years, it makes you a better physician/surgeon, and it allows you to be a contributing member to our field.

Aside from orthopaedic manuscripts, what have you been reading lately?

I read the journal Cytotherapy, which is the official journal of the International Society for Cell and Gene Therapy. I also read Nature. Reading these journals provides a window into other, diverse areas of medicine and basic research, and it also helps me understand the current state of the art related to “biologics”, cell therapy, gene therapy, etc. in other areas of medicine.

Learn more about the JBJS Elite Reviewers program.

JBJS is pleased to highlight our Elite Reviewers. The Elite Reviewers Program recognizes our best reviewers for their outstanding efforts. All JBJS reviewers help us maintain the highest standards for quality orthopaedic publishing.

Name: Benjamin J. Miller

Affiliation:

University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA

Years in practice: 9

How did you begin reviewing for other journals and for JBJS in particular?

I began receiving requests to review in fellowship and early clinical practice.  Ultimately there are so many requests that you have to be selective about the quality of journal you agree to review for – JBJS has always been of the highest standard and impact.

What is your top piece of advice for those reviewers who aspire to reach Elite status?

Review the article systematically with a degree of skepticism, and focus on the methodology and potential sources of bias or inconsistency.  Once a report is in the published literature, it is accepted as fact, and so it is important to be diligent and comprehensive to address any questions a potential reader may have.

Aside from orthopaedic manuscripts, what have you been reading lately?

Just finished Guns, Germs, and Steel – very interesting book, long overdue to read, about how the human world came to be shaped as it is.

Learn more about the JBJS Elite Reviewers program.

JBJS is pleased to highlight our Elite Reviewers. The Elite Reviewers Program recognizes our best reviewers for their outstanding efforts. All JBJS reviewers help us maintain the highest standards for quality orthopaedic publishing.

Name: Professor Andrew Kurmis

Affiliation:

Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Lyell McEwin Hospital, Elizabeth Vale, South Australia, Australia

Years in practice: Less than 10 years

How did you begin reviewing for other journals and for JBJS in particular?

I received an invitation from an editor, and I was recommended to contact JBJS with regard to potentially reviewing by an esteemed colleague.

What is your top piece of advice for those reviewers who aspire to reach Elite status?

Be sensible with your reviewer workload. A well-done review usually requires good time commitment and effort – this is sometimes hard to achieve if you have too many demands on your plate at the time.

Aside from orthopaedic manuscripts, what have you been reading lately?

I was recently invited to co-author a review article for one of the anaesthetic journals – I have been busily reading anaesthetic manuscripts!

Learn more about the JBJS Elite Reviewers program.

JBJS is pleased to highlight our Elite Reviewers. The Elite Reviewers Program recognizes our best reviewers for their outstanding efforts. All JBJS reviewers help us maintain the highest standards for quality orthopaedic publishing.

Name: Peter G. Passias, M.D., MSc.

Affiliation:

NYU Medical Center / NY Spine Institute

NY, NY. U.S.A.

Years in practice: 9

How did you begin reviewing for other journals and for JBJS in particular?

I first started reviewing for several years as an invited reviewer for several spine journals including Spine, Neurosurgery, Journal of Biomechanics, Journal of Neurosurgery, The Spine Journal, among others. After years of service I was graced with the opportunity to review for JBJS with an invite from the Editor Andrew Schoenfeld, M.D., who is a great thought leader in our field.

What is your top piece of advice for those reviewers who aspire to reach Elite status?

My opinion is that it is not about just coming up with the appropriate response as to whether a rejection, revision or acceptance is indicated. It is primarily about providing a thorough structured review of the hypothesis, study design, and execution and presentation of the study being reviewed, based upon what we consider the acceptable recommendations for a bias-free supported conclusion in a manuscript. That being said, many of the manuscripts fall under the category of revisable and potentially acceptable. In these circumstances, it is imperative to provide the authors with a structured point by point recommendation of how the study at hand can be improved to an acceptable version.

Aside from orthopaedic manuscripts, what have you been reading lately?

I always make it a point to review top clinically relevant articles, on a weekly basis, in the field of spinal research from top orthopaedic, neurosurgery, and biomechanical journals in terms of impact. Following that, I always peruse NEJM, JAMA, and LANCET for any surgical related articles that have met criteria for acceptance. Lastly, I stay abreast in the field of spine related health economics by reading several business-oriented spine publications, including Beckers among others.

Learn more about the JBJS Elite Reviewers program.

JBJS is pleased to highlight our Elite Reviewers. The Elite Reviewers Program recognizes our best reviewers for their outstanding efforts. All JBJS reviewers help us maintain the highest standards for quality orthopaedic publishing.

Name: Shivi Duggal, MD, MBA, MPH

Affiliation: SUNY Albany School of Public Health, Rensselaer, NY

Years in practice: I am a recent medical school graduate.  I took some time after my medical school graduation to pursue and complete my public health degree.

How did you begin reviewing for other journals and for JBJS in particular?

I contacted the editorial department and applied.

What is your top piece of advice for those reviewers who aspire to reach Elite status?

The best advise I can provide to reviewers is to make sure once a week time is set aside to perform reviews, so you can provide ideal reviews in an efficient timely manner.   This will not only benefit you as a reviewer, but also benefit the journal and those submitting manuscript to the journal. 

Aside from orthopaedic manuscripts, what have you been reading lately?

Varies.

Learn more about the JBJS Elite Reviewers program.

JBJS is pleased to highlight our Elite Reviewers. The Elite Reviewers Program recognizes our best reviewers for their outstanding efforts. All JBJS reviewers help us maintain the highest standards for quality orthopaedic publishing.

Name: Iftach Hetsroni

Affiliation: Meir Medical Center, Kfar Saba, Israel & Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Israel

Years in practice: I have been a Senior Orthopedic Surgeon since 2007

How did you begin reviewing for other journals and for JBJS in particular?

Reviewing was natural and very fulfilling. I was asked by several journals; I did not always know exactly how they found my details and reached for me, but I rarely refused. I did not know at the beginning how crucial and enjoyable this would be for my professional career but today without any doubt reviewing for top journals is a very essential part of my work, improves my writing skills and my knowledge in the field and makes my life more fulfilling as a clinician and as a researcher.

What is your top piece of advice for those reviewers who aspire to reach Elite status?

Decide quickly if you are interested in reviewing what you have been asked to, then respond. There is no point in waiting to respond. The review as a top priority. Enjoy it and look for the details. Is this contributing valuable information? Does it have the potential to change anything in the field, and is it conducted properly?

Aside from orthopaedic manuscripts, what have you been reading lately?

I love reading books of many kinds, novels and others.

Learn more about the JBJS Elite Reviewers program.

To kick off 2020, JBJS is pleased to begin a second round of profiles highlighting our Elite Reviewers. The Elite Reviewers Program recognizes our best reviewers for their outstanding efforts. All JBJS reviewers help us maintain the highest standards for quality orthopaedic publishing.

Name: Brett D. Crist

Affiliation: University of Missouri, Columbia, MO

Years in practice: 14

How did you begin reviewing for other journals and for JBJS in particular?

I was asked to review after meeting Dr. Swiontkowski.

What is your top piece of advice for those reviewers who aspire to reach Elite status?

Provide honest and timely reviews.

Aside from orthopaedic manuscripts, what have you been reading lately?

I’m currently reading Anders Ericsson’s book Peak that discusses how deliberate practice affects people’s performance.  I’m not finished yet, but it’s interesting to see how deliberate practice can elevate performance.

Learn more about the JBJS Elite Reviewers program.

JBJS is pleased to highlight our Elite Reviewers. The Elite Reviewers Program recognizes our best reviewers for their outstanding efforts. All JBJS reviewers help us maintain the highest standards for quality orthopaedic publishing.

Name: Roger van Riet, MD, PhD

Affiliation: AZ Monica and University Hospital, Antwerp, Belgium

Years in practice: 10 years

How did you begin reviewing for other journals and for JBJS in particular?

I was invited to review because of my publications in the field of elbow surgery.

What is your top piece of advice for those reviewers who aspire to reach Elite status?

Be critical.

Aside from orthopaedic manuscripts, what have you been reading lately?

I enjoy reading autobiographies of elite athletes to find out what drives them and how they set and achieve their goals.

Learn more about the JBJS Elite Reviewers program.

JBJS is pleased to highlight our Elite Reviewers. The Elite Reviewers Program recognizes our best reviewers for their outstanding efforts. All JBJS reviewers help us maintain the highest standards for quality orthopaedic publishing.

Name: Lawrence D. Dorr, MD

Affiliation: Dorr Institute for Research and Education, Pasadena, CA

Years in practice: 40

How did you begin reviewing for other journals and for JBJS in particular?

For JBJS, I applied to review.

What is your top piece of advice for those reviewers who aspire to reach Elite status?

Reviews have to be taken as seriously as writing a manuscript. Are the methods scientific? Is the data correctly analysed? Compare tables and figures to the results section – both for being accurate as well as not repetitive. Is the discussion a repetition of the results or do the authors compare and contrast their data with the appropriate citations? Is the data new, and will a surgeon change their practice because of this study?

Aside from orthopaedic manuscripts, what have you been reading lately?

Charnley biography

Lost Gutenberg by Margaret Davis

Matriarch by Barbara Bush

Learn more about the JBJS Elite Reviewers program.

JBJS is pleased to highlight our Elite Reviewers. The Elite Reviewers Program recognizes our best reviewers for their outstanding efforts. All JBJS reviewers help us maintain the highest standards for quality orthopaedic publishing.

Name: Stein J. Janssen, MD, PhD

Affiliation: Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Years in practice: I’m a 4^th year resident in orthopaedic surgery.

How did you begin reviewing for other journals and for JBJS in particular?

I first reviewed some papers together with more experienced researchers and staff. Subsequently, I approached the Editor-in-Chief of two other top orthopaedic journals during a meeting and started reviewing. I reached out to JBJS after reading an editorial from Dr. Swiontkowski about the value of peer review and started reviewing soon thereafter.

What is your top piece of advice for those reviewers who aspire to reach Elite status?

Present a well-structured and detailed review suggesting ways for researchers to improve their work instead of only criticizing the manuscript. Several reporting guidelines (e.g. STROBE, PRISMA, CONSORT) can help to systematically evaluate a manuscript. In addition, review in a timely fashion.

Aside from orthopaedic manuscripts, what have you been reading lately?

I always check the table of contents of the top 4 medical journals (NEJM, the Lancet, BMJ, and JAMA) and read the most interesting papers.

Learn more about the JBJS Elite Reviewers program.