Two years ago, Triological Society President Michael Benninger, MD, chair of otolaryngology–head and neck surgery at the Cleveland Clinic, saw Samuel Selesnick, MD, at a meeting.
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March 2022Dr. Selesnick is the current editor-in-chief of the society’s journal The Laryngoscope, and the two physicians began talking about invitations to review articles that are being considered for publication. Dr. Benninger said he felt a little overwhelmed.
“I get these all the time,” he told Dr. Selesnick. “I’m doing so many reviews.”
Dr. Selesnick took a quick look at some records and then told him, “You’ve gotten six invitations this year and you’ve only done two of them.”
The exchange made Dr. Benninger, who has devoted much of his professional time to journal editing, realize that maybe he was no longer doing enough when it came to medical publishing. He shared the recalled conversation in his Presidential Address at the 2022 Triological Society Combined Sections Meeting in January.
“Now I try to do every one, or I get a resident or fellow to do it with me,” Dr. Benninger said.
During his presentation, Dr. Benninger reviewed the state of journal publishing, pointing out its flaws, its benefits, and its sometimes untapped potential. And he underscored the importance of being involved, even when it might feel as though spare time is too limited.
“Get involved in publishing,” he advised. “If you get invited to review, then do the review. You learn so much by reviewing. If you’re a young faculty member or senior faculty member and you have a number of reviews that you’re requested to do, ask your residents and fellows to help you do those reviews.”
Dr. Benninger, whose resume includes time as the editor-in-chief of the journals Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery and the Online Interactive Journal of Otolaryngology, as well as serving on the editorial boards of 15 journals and as a reviewer for 75, offered advice to those who have interest in editorial board positions. “If you’re ever going to get to the point that you’re on an editorial board, you have to get involved early,” he said.
Quality publishing helps make sense of information in a world that is producing an astounding amount of data and knowledge. Dr. Benninger pointed to reports estimating that medical knowledge is now doubling about every 73 days, while in the 1950s it was estimated to be doubling every 50 years (Schilling DR. “Knowledge Doubling Every 12 Months, Soon to be Every 12 Hours.” Industry Tap. April 19, 2013. Accessed Feb. 8, 2022). “It has become really difficult for us to keep up,” he said.