JOIN OUR EDITORIAL BOARD

1. Purpose and Scope

The Pakistan Journal of Clinical Research (PJCR) is committed to maintaining the highest standards of editorial excellence, scientific integrity, transparency, and independence. This Editorial Board Recruitment, Appointment, and Governance Policy establishes a structured, transparent, and merit-based framework for the selection, appointment, evaluation, and renewal of Editorial Board members, including Associate Editors, Section Editors, Statistical Editors, Editorial Advisors, and Peer Reviewers.

The policy aims to ensure that PJCR maintains a highly qualified, diverse, and internationally representative editorial team capable of overseeing rigorous peer review and safeguarding the quality, credibility, and ethical integrity of the journal. The policy is developed in accordance with the principles and recommendations of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE), the Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ), Scopus Content Selection and Advisory Board (CSAB), Web of Science Core Collection evaluation criteria, and PubMed/MEDLINE standards.

2. Principles Governing Editorial Appointments

PJCR adheres to the following core principles in all editorial appointments:

• Academic excellence and subject-matter expertise.
• Editorial independence and freedom from undue influence.
• Transparency and accountability in editorial operations.
• Diversity, equity, and inclusion in editorial representation.
• Ethical publishing practices and research integrity.
• Internationalization of editorial leadership.
• Continuous performance monitoring and quality improvement.

Editorial appointments shall be based solely on professional qualifications, scholarly achievements, editorial competence, and commitment to the journal's mission.

3. Eligibility Criteria

Individuals considered for appointment to the Editorial Board shall ordinarily meet the following minimum requirements:

3.1 Academic and Professional Qualifications

• Candidates must possess a recognized terminal professional or academic qualification relevant to the journal’s scope, including but not limited to MD, MBBS with postgraduate specialization, FCPS, MRCP, PhD, DrPH, PharmD, or equivalent credentials.
• Candidates should hold an academic, clinical, research, or professional appointment at a recognized institution, university, research center, hospital, or healthcare organization.

3.2 Scholarly Record

Applicants shall demonstrate an active and sustained research profile through publications in peer-reviewed journals. Preference will be given to individuals with:

• Publications indexed in Scopus, Web of Science, PubMed/MEDLINE, or equivalent global databases.
• Experience as first author, corresponding author, or senior author.
• Demonstrated expertise within one or more areas relevant to PJCR's scope.
• Evidence of research impact, scholarly leadership, and academic engagement.

3.3 Editorial and Peer Review Experience

Prospective board members should possess prior experience as:

• Peer reviewers for reputable scholarly journals;
• Editorial Board members;
• Associate Editors or Section Editors; or
• Academic editors of recognized scientific publications.

Documented experience in scholarly peer review and editorial decision-making is highly desirable.

3.4 Ethical Standing

Candidates must demonstrate adherence to recognized standards of publication ethics and research integrity. Individuals with documented histories of scientific misconduct, plagiarism, data fabrication, duplicate publication, peer-review manipulation, or other ethical violations may be deemed ineligible.

All appointees must agree to comply with:

• COPE Core Practices;
• ICMJE Recommendations;
• PJCR Publication Ethics Policies; and
• Applicable institutional and regulatory requirements.

3.5 Commitment and Availability

Editorial Board members are expected to actively contribute to journal operations, including:

• Reviewing assigned manuscripts within established timelines;
• Recommending qualified peer reviewers;
• Participating in editorial discussions and policy reviews;
• Attending annual editorial meetings; and
• Supporting journal development initiatives.

Members should ordinarily be able to review or manage a minimum of four to eight manuscripts annually.

4. Diversity, Inclusion, and International Representation

PJCR is committed to maintaining a diverse and globally representative Editorial Board. The composition of the Editorial Board shall strive to ensure diversity in geographic location, institutional affiliation, gender representation, clinical and scientific disciplines, professional background, and career stage.

To preserve editorial independence and reduce institutional concentration, the Editorial Board shall not be dominated by members from a single institution, department, organization, or country. The journal actively seeks participation from experts representing diverse regions and healthcare systems worldwide.

5. Recruitment and Selection Process

5.1 Identification of Candidates

• Recommendations from existing Editorial Board members;
• Nominations from academic institutions and professional societies;
• Public calls for expressions of interest published on the journal website;
• Reviewer performance assessments;
• Bibliometric and scholarly impact evaluations; and
• Direct invitation of distinguished researchers and clinicians.

5.2 Application and Nomination Requirements

Applicants or nominees shall submit a current curriculum vitae (CV), ORCID iD, complete publication list, a statement of expertise, and a full disclosure of actual or potential conflicts of interest.

5.3 Evaluation and Due Diligence

Applications are evaluated by the Editor-in-Chief in consultation with senior editorial leadership. The evaluation process includes verification of academic credentials, assessment of publication history, review of peer-review background, and careful examination of potential conflicts of interest. The Editor-in-Chief retains final authority regarding all editorial appointments.

5.4 Appointment and Term

Appointments are ordinarily made for an initial term of three (3) years. Membership may be renewed based on performance, contribution, continued scholarly activity, and ongoing strategic needs of the journal.

6. Orientation and Training

Newly appointed Editorial Board members shall receive formal onboarding and orientation, including comprehensive guidance regarding editorial responsibilities, manuscript management systems, peer-review procedures, publication ethics, conflict-of-interest management, and journal policies. The journal provides periodic updates to support editorial excellence.

7. Roles and Responsibilities

Editorial Board members are expected to execute duties across the following core areas:

7.1 Editorial Oversight

• Manage manuscripts within their specialized fields of medical expertise.
• Ensure objective, timely, and evidence-based editorial assessment.
• Recommend qualified independent peer reviewers.

7.2 Peer Review Integrity

• Facilitate rigorous, independent double-blind peer review.
• Ensure that each manuscript receives evaluation by at least two independent reviewers.
• Promote constructive, respectful, and scholarly reviewer feedback.

7.3 Ethical Responsibilities

• Maintain strict confidentiality of all submitted manuscripts and peer review communications.
• Declare and appropriately manage any potential conflicts of interest immediately.
• Report suspected ethical misconduct or concerns directly to the Editor-in-Chief.

7.4 Journal Development

• Promote the journal within professional medical networks and societies.
• Encourage submission of high-quality, high-impact manuscripts.
• Support thematic special issues and contribute strategic growth recommendations.

8. Editorial Independence and Conflict of Interest

Editorial decisions are executed completely on the basis of scientific merit, methodological rigor, ethical compliance, and relevance to the journal's scope. They remain entirely uninfluenced by commercial interest, institutional affiliations, or political factors.

Editorial Board members shall not participate in decisions concerning manuscripts where a real, perceived, or potential conflict of interest exists, including circumstances involving personal relationships, institutional affiliations, research collaborations, or financial/competitive considerations. Conflicted editors are entirely recused from all stages of evaluation.

9. Endogeny and Editorial Authorship Policy

To preserve academic credibility, operational independence, and total compliance with international indexing standards, PJCR actively monitors and limits editorial endogeny. The proportion of published articles containing at least one author who is a member of the Editorial Board, editorial staff, or editorial leadership shall strictly remain below twenty-five percent (25%) of published content within any assessment period.

Manuscripts submitted by editors or board members shall undergo:

• Independent editorial handling completely separate from the author-editor.
• Assignment to an external or completely unrelated editor.
• Rigorous external peer review by independent experts.
• Transparent public disclosure of the handling process upon publication.

10. Performance Evaluation and Reappointment

Editorial Board performance is reviewed annually based on manuscript handling efficiency, review timeliness, adherence to ethical standards, responsiveness, and active contribution to board activities. Members demonstrating sustained inactivity or failure to meet expected responsibilities may be removed before completion of their term.

Periodic board renewal and systematic succession planning are implemented to maintain editorial vitality, diverse representation, and strategic innovation.

11. Transparency and Public Disclosure

PJCR maintains absolute public transparency. The journal publicly discloses on its official website the full names, institutional affiliations, countries of residence, specific editorial roles, and ORCID iDs of all active board members. Contact information for the main Editorial Office is permanently accessible.

12. Compliance with International Publishing and Indexing Standards

This policy ensures strict operational alignment with the criteria established by primary scientific indexing bodies:

13. Policy Review and Amendments

This policy is reviewed periodically by the Editor-in-Chief and Editorial Board to maintain continuous integration with evolving global publishing frameworks. Revisions are enacted transparently, and the most current authorized version remains accessible online.

14. Contact Information

For inquiries regarding Editorial Board membership, official nominations, policy updates, or editorial governance matters, please utilize the authenticated contact credentials below:

Journal Web Domain: https://pjcr.org

Primary Editorial Office Email: editor@pjcr.org

Dedicated Recruitment Email: recruitment@pjcr.org