Year One in Review: Staying on the Train

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By all accounts, 2009 was a very successful inaugural year for PM&R, highlighted of course, by its acceptance into Medline/PubMed. We are in very fine company, as only about 20% of new journals achieve Medline status on their first attempt. And not only did PM&R attain this after only 6 months of publication, it also received scores of “excellent” across the board from the Literature Selection Technical Review Committee of the National Library of Medicine. The entire journal editorial team is very proud of this accomplishment, but we have not become complacent. We remain committed to advance PM&R as the premier journal of the field.

For those who know me, I subscribe to the philosophy that you can learn from looking back, but don't spend too much time in the past; commit your energies to moving forward. Therefore, one last look at a list of some highlights from the first year of PM&R's existence:

As we now begin our second season, I would also like to share with you some of our plans for 2010:

PM&R is interacting with the dynamic new American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (AAPM&R) membership structure. The 5 AAPM&R Councils are working closely with PM&R to provide high-quality review articles on important and practical topics. Such review articles will receive special recognition in the journal as a council product. I look forward to begin publishing these articles in the next several months.

The “classic” study guide format will also be updated. For decades, the specialty of PM&R has relied on the study guides to bring relevant information into clinical practice. The final topic of this current study guide format, Pediatric Rehabilitation, will be published in the March 2010 issue (note that it will be embedded within the pages of PM&R as opposed to a free-standing issue). The Academy will evolve the study guide offering from the historical single annual supplement, to a suite of products offered on a monthly basis. These new “study guide” products will be based on a new initiative to define the clinical practice patterns of physiatrists. Whereas previously the study guides covered two topics annually and 10 topics collectively over a 5-year period, this expanded product will be much more robust. Integrated to the council model, these topics will be developed within, and delivered from, each of the five council areas, becoming a true comprehensive practicing curriculum that defines the intellectual content of the specialty. In addition to the practicing curriculum outline and content, these expanded offerings will include FREE monthly journal CME articles for AAPM&R members (3 credits available per issue starting with this issue) to help keep physiatrists up-to-date on current practice and research; online learning tools organized by practice/topic area to help physiatrists study for Maintenance of Certification™ MOC/3 board exam; and special supplements on cross-cutting topics, blending basic science with clinical application, that are relevant for the entire specialty of PM&R. The first such supplement slated for spring 2010 publication is on the topic of Fatigue, guest edited by Lynn Gerber, MD. Like the Pediatric Rehabilitation study guide, the fatigue supplement will include a self-assessment examination and offer AMA PRA Category I credits and will fulfill the MOC/2 requirement. I look forward to this start of a series of excellent publications. Stay tuned for more updates over the next several months.

There is not a single resource that fully articulates the breadth and depth of the specialty of PM&R. As the healthcare (reimbursement) environment evolves to incorporate more evidence-based medicine and looks towards proof of improved patient outcomes, it will be even more important to demonstrate what physiatrists do and the value the specialty brings to organized medicine. When completed, the practicing curriculum should facilitate this identity. Many other specialties have invested in a similar curriculum project to help members meet MOC and continued professional development (CPD), which is also a primary focus of the AAPM&R board of governors. This project is monumental and will require a great investment of energy and expertise from the council members, but the upside will be the development of a series of enduring documents that will serve the entire specialty for many years.

Finally, we look to solidify our relationship with international physical medicine and rehabilitation (and physical and rehabilitation medicine) organizations and individuals. I foresee the day that PM&R is the primary source of information and education for the global physiatric community, as well as representing an opportunity for international researchers and clinicians to publish and share their quality work with AAPM&R members and others within the United States and North America. One of my main goals continues to be facilitation of the transfer of information across the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.

In addition to these evolving plans, we will certainly be continuing the already very popular Point/Counterpoint, Statistics, Ethics, and Practice Management columns. And the senior editorial team in conjunction with our publishing partner, Elsevier, will be continuing to strategize innovative options for PM&R. The world of scientific journal publishing is changing with the digital age and I expect to keep PM&R on the front edge, enhancing both the scientific/clinical content and the readers' experience. As always, your feedback is welcome and appreciated.

Happy New Year! We'll see you at the next station.

• ⁎ Disclosure: nothing to disclose