Early career involvement in writing, reviewing and editing for the college journal

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Peer review is a lot less mysterious once you see how the machine actually works. In this episode we pull back the curtain on what editors look for, how decisions get made, and why the journal is deliberately built as a more transparent, collaborative process.

This episode explains the real roles behind the scenes - deputy editors, associate editors, trainee editors, handling editors, editorial committee members, and peer reviewers - and shows how each step shapes whether a paper is sent out, revised, or returned. Along the way, we break down the difference between desk assessment and peer review, why reviewer shortages are one of the biggest bottlenecks in medical publishing, and how the journal tries to keep the process fair, timely, and open.