Editor's Note: A Look to the Future

I am Rachel Jimenez, and in March of this year, I had the honor of succeeding Robert Miller as the next editor-in-chief of Advances in Radiation Oncology ASTRO's Gold Open Access Journal. Dr Miller served as the founding editor of Advances, and over the past 8 years, with incalculable energy, dedication, and leadership, he has established Advances as a respected, well-known journal in the field of radiation oncology. With a growing impact factor and a now monthly issue, Advances holds tremendous potential for continued growth. The fact that it has had such success is largely because of Dr Miller's vision and hard work as well as the hard work of his talented editorial board. I want to thank him for all that he has done for Advances (It is truly remarkable!), and I will humbly endeavor to build on the very solid foundation he has laid.

Because there are undoubtedly many of you who do not yet know me, my professional career to date has been centered as an academic clinician and researcher at Massachusetts General Hospital. My interests have been oriented toward advanced technology, education, and the ethical practice of oncology. Prior to becoming a physician, I worked as an information technology consultant in the private sector. In that role, I accumulated considerable experience in building and leading teams with passion and mission. Now, I am thrilled to be able to draw on these collective experiences to serve Advances and its readership.

Looking ahead, I recognize that the Open Access format of Advances in Radiation Oncology can be a powerful tool for promoting equity. Without a need for a subscription, anyone, from patients to community physicians to academics around the world, can immediately read and incorporate our scholarship. This ease of sharing data obliterates the academic echo chamber, accelerating innovation and enhancing the diffusion of important ideas to those most interested, no matter who or where they are. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Advances served a unique role for our specialty by facilitating the rapid dissemination of valuable scholarship across our global radiation oncology community. In doing so, it highlighted that the landscape of medical publishing is evolving and that being able to share important research in our field quickly and without constraint is imperative in this era of digital media.

To continue its favorable growth, I believe that Advances can further leverage its ability for swift transmission of information by refining its identity to expand readership and increase its reach. With the anticipated arrival of other Open Access oncology journals, it is becoming increasingly evident that Advances needs to continue to distinguish itself, both for potential researchers and for our growing readership. My priority is to create a niche for Advances within the landscape of radiation oncology journals by hewing to the identity embedded in its name. Specifically, I want Advances to focus on publishing scholarship pertaining to evolving technology in our field while highlighting the clinical and biological advances that keep radiation oncology on the cutting edge.

I also believe Advances can play an important role in facilitating timely discussion and debate pertinent to professional and educational developments within radiation oncology. For example, research, reviews, and commentaries on cost, reimbursement, and workforce sustainability will increasingly shape the landscape in which we practice and deserve to be read and viewed by a broad audience that can respond and interact with the information and opinions expressed. In that vein, I intend to invest in Advances’ online presence so that accessing the high-quality work we publish is simple and compelling. Specifically, I am motivated to bring the best of social media to bear on promoting the outstanding scholarship in our journal and to do so in a manner that promotes positivity and community within our specialty.

While these goals are ambitious, I believe that Advances is well-positioned to succeed. In many ways, I see Advances as a youthful, adaptable journal with the ability to harness fresh ideas, research, and talent together to move the field forward. While I am excited to get to work, I do recognize that in addition to Dr Miller, some members of the board will be completing their service to the journal, and I would like to thank them sincerely for their contributions, while acknowledging those who have elected to stay, and enthusiastically welcome the new team members who will be joining us this year. I am honored to get the chance to work with some of the best among our specialty to grow the journal, help our colleagues gain due recognition for their work, and share valuable insights while advancing the field forward in service to our patients.

Disclosures

Rachel B. Jimenez is the current editor-in-chief of Advances.