Editorial: New Horizons and New Responsibilities: PubMed Central indexes the JCE

In some ways, journals are like people. There are many different types of individuals and each has his or her own way of contributing to the knowledge of a field. Journals have character, which is reflected in the writings contained within each issue, the rigor of peer review, how each journal looks, and the traditions that they maintain. Like people, journals are also known by the company that they keep. To that end, the Journal of Chiropractic Education (JCE) recently joined a cadre of highly regarded journals by becoming included in PubMed Central and PubMed on May 15, 2008. All articles published in the JCE from volume 20, number 2 to the current issue are indexed in PubMed. As usual, all JCE content, going back to 1999, will remain as open access material online at our website (www.journalchiroed.com). Joining PubMed speaks to the quality of character of the JCE.

The JCE has a rich history and a promising future. Twenty years ago, the JCE was established as the profession's only journal dedicated to publishing advances in the field of chiropractic education. However in reviewing the publication records, we noticed that contributions and participation could expand to a more global audience (1,2). Therefore, as Editor I have endeavored to bring the journal to more scholars in our field in an effort to enhance chiropractic education around the globe. These efforts have been made possible by dedicated staff members and volunteers, none the least are the publishing company, the Association of Chiropractic Colleges, our editorial board members, authors, and peer reviewers. The JCE Editorial Board is currently represented by 26 colleges from 8 countries, the Foundation for Chiropractic Education and Research, and 2 independent members, underscoring the effort to obtain broad representation from around the world. I shall continue to push forward to obtain involvement from chiropractic institutions that are not currently involved with the journal, with a goal of having every chiropractic institution around the world represented on the Editorial Board.

Obtaining indexing with PubMed was a tremendous undertaking and there were times when I questioned whether the underdog of chiropractic journals would be able to accomplish this goal. For years educational research has not been a priority in the chiropractic profession and at times the contributions have not been as substantial or rigorous as they could have been. In spite of this, since becoming Editor for the JCE in 2006, my focus has been to bring the journal to a global audience, to make the JCE the only logical place to publish research on chiropractic education, and to have the JCE indexed in PubMed. To accomplish this task, I first needed to ask why papers on chiropractic education were being submitted to journals other than the JCE. The answer was clear. From the authors' point of view there is a higher priority to publish papers in journals indexed in PubMed. Publishing in a journal that is not indexed in PubMed is not as desirable because the journal receives less exposure. The JCE can now offer greater exposure of articles through inclusion in PubMed.

Obtaining indexing in PubMed is indeed rewarding and quite an accomplishment. Yet, it is a new chapter in the life of the JCE that brings new responsibilities. The journal must continue to publish high quality papers. Thus, contributors to the JCE can expect that our present rigorous peer review system will continue to mature, bringing with it an increased demand for superior papers. I am extremely proud of the excellent and helpful reviews provided by our volunteer cadre of peer reviewers and Editorial Board members. They are a principal reason why the JCE has improved its scholarly rigor and gained entry into PubMed.

In addition to additional indexing, we have evolved the JCE's manuscript processing and peer-review into an entirely online system. This speeds up manuscript processing, reduces costs, and is a better experience for our authors and reviewers. We have received numerous positive comments on this improved electronic system, and we are indebted to our publisher, Data Trace, for managing this program for us. For more information, please visit our new manuscript submission system at http://jce.msubmit.net.

As we begin this new era of the JCE, the chiropractic profession also carries the responsibly of contributing to the body of literature about the science, art, and theories of education. The JCE is a dynamic journal represented by a vibrant and diverse array of talented scholars from many countries. How can each of us make a contribution to the field of chiropractic education research? Every day, in institutions around the world, innovative concepts are put in motion in classrooms by creative and industrious educators. However, if these activities and discoveries are not published, they cannot be passed down to the next generation of chiropractic educators. These ideas must be communicated to the profession via peer-reviewed scholarly papers and make the transition from anecdote to publication. Chiropractic educators now have a new horizon and carry the responsibility to reach this goal by creating a legacy for the profession. I encourage you to commit your experiences to posterity and submit them to the JCE.