Letter from the Editor: Closing Comments from ENTtoday’s Outgoing Editor

Robert H. Miller, MD
Physician Editor

And now, for the future of medical publishing: It is changing as rapidly as, if not more so than, the practice of medicine. The days of monthly paper academic, subscription journals are coming to a close except, perhaps, for a few select publications. No longer do physicians have the time (our most precious commodity) to read specialty journals from cover to cover to stay up to date; rather, disease- or patient- specific information is now on demand via Google and other sites. This situation will be a challenge for publications

like The Laryngoscope. LIO uses an open access business model that is based not on subscriptions but on each author paying a fee to publish after a peer review as strict as The Laryngoscope’s. Although relatively new to medical publishing, this OA model seems to work and will likely grow. ENTtoday’s existence depends on medical advertising, which is also undergoing fundamental changes. Many challenges, but also many opportunities, face us today.

Not only am I retiring from ENTtoday, I’m also stepping down from my position with the American Board of Otolaryngology, the American Board of Medical Specialties, and medicine in general. It has been a wonderful life with great memories and only the very rare disappointment. I cannot imagine doing anything other than being a physician; there is not a better profession for someone who is interested in science, wants to help people, and possesses an inquisitive/creative bent. Being a physician has afforded me incredible professional opportunities in education, research, health policy, and leadership. Even with the very real challenges I see and hear about today, medicine is one of the few truly honorable professions remaining.

I hope the current generation of young physicians recognizes the opportunity and privilege society has given us as a profession. These are rights earned by the profession going back centuries. I certainly hope that this legacy continues and isn’t frittered away by an excessive focus on money, lifestyle, and self-interest. Our forefather physicians made sacrifices to improve patient care, and what they gave back to society earned us the privileges we have as a profession today. I view medicine as a calling and a brotherhood; it is a tradition and legacy that must be maintained.