New Co-editor in Chief of Croatian Medical Journal: Collaboration Across Continents

The readers who came to this editorial from the Croatian Medical Journal’s (CMJ) web-page as well as those who regularly read the CMJ on line, already most likely know that Professor Matko Marušić has stepped down as one of the Journal’s co-editors. Herewith we are pleased to announce that the CMJ will be edited by Ana Marušić and Ivan Damjanov, serving as co-editors in chief in the editorial leadership of the Journal. Professor Ana Marušić will continue performing her editorial duties from the Split University School of Medicine, Split, Croatia, whereas the new co-editor in chief, Professor Ivan Damjanov, will take on editing the Journal electronically from the University of Kansas, Kansas City, Kansas, USA.

In writing this Editorial, the two of us are deeply cognizant of the great responsibilities that we are taking upon ourselves. The obvious question is whether we could ever fully replace Professor Matko Marušić, the founder of the CMJ and its editor (or co-editor) and spiritus movens for the last 18 years (1). Professor Marušić explained the reasons for stepping down from the position of the co-editor in chief in the editorial published in the August issue of the Journal (2). His election to the position of the Dean of the School of Medicine in Split, one of the owners of the Journal (3), created an obvious conflict of interest; thus he felt obliged to resign in compliance with the policies of the Journal and the general rules of good editorial practice (4). We thank Professor Marušić for creating the CMJ, thus giving a wonderful gift to all four Croatian medical schools. We will try our best to preserve his legacy.

By leading the Journal along the lines that he has envisioned in the early 1990s, we hope not only to justify the confidence of the Editorial Board but also retain the trust of the public, the readers, and contributors.

The change in the editorial leadership is not related to the recent dispute of one its owners and the CMJ editors (5,6) but aims to further improve the journal and its international outreach, visibility, and educational activities.

Co-editorship is a tradition of the CMJ (5) and it has had a strong synergistic effect on the growth and visibility of the Journal. We hope to keep and further develop the complementarity of the editor’s expertises, skills, and experiences to the benefit of the Journal. The CMJ has become even more international, with its two editors living on different continents but working in the same virtual office of the www.cmj.hr.

The new co-editors in chief are committed to continuing the general editorial policies set in place by Professor Matko Marušić. No significant changes are planned, although the new co-editor in chief would like to see further expansion of the CMJ’s educational activities, and the promotion of the journal as a forum for publishing contributions in the field of medical education, to reflect his long term commitment to teaching of medicine (7).

As in previous times under the leadership of Professor Matko Marušić, we are looking to the support, advice, and contributions of the members of the Editorial Board, Board of Governors, and all four Croatian medical schools, and we hope that our effort will meet with their approval. Finally, we hope that we shall meet the expectations of the CMJ readers and, with the contribution of our authors, continue printing good, reliable, and interesting scientific data, worth of citation in other journals (8). We shall strive to preserve the independence of the Journal and remain responsible and accountable to the public, which provides the financial support through the Ministry of Science, Education, and Sports, as well as to its owners, the four medical schools of Croatia: Josip Juraj Strossmayer University School of Medicine in Osijek, University of Rijeka School of Medicine, University of Split School of Medicine, and University of Zagreb School of Medicine.

Allow us to finish this Editorial by stating that we are open to new ideas and suggestions and ready to undertake new challenges. With the support of our readers and contributors we are confident that the Journal will prosper and retain its national and international reputation, and, as noticed on the occasion of its 15th anniversary, continue “moving ahead” (9). Together, we can!