For several years many health care workers believed that there is a pressing need for a medical journal that would develop into a forum to address certain issues of family and community medicine. At last, the dream has come true and now we have at hand the first issue of the Journal of Family & Community Medicine. The journal should serve the fulfillment of well-defined objectives. For a long time there has been a dichotomy between community and family medicine. The Journal should strive to emphasize the rational trend of combining the two. Research in preventive medicine, ecological and demographic nature, community based epidemiological research, and screening programs for early detection of human diseases are only some of the issues that the journal would promote.
The journal should also stress the importance of teaching medicine in Arabic language in the medical schools all over the Arab World. Undoubtedly, the mother tongue propitiates understanding and comprehension. Nevertheless, health care workers should master one or more foreign languages to reciprocate with international literature. Publishing the Journal in Arabic and English languages emphasizes this conception.
The birth of a new medical journal is a tedious process. The Editorial Board faced a variety of constrains. The first and foremost, was to define the criteria for accepting or rejecting a contribution. The quality, originality, style and appropriateness of the subject were considered among the most pertinent criteria. We hope that this inaugural issue is only the starting step toward producing a distinguished journal that fulfills its objectives.
We are indebted to; His Royal Highness Prince Talal Bin Abdul Aziz, the patron of the Saudi Society for his tremendous support and encouragement, Sheikh Hamad Al-Zamil for his financial support and Dr. Hany El-Menyawi for his contribution in editing the journal, Dr. Mohammed Z. Felimban, Dr. Hassan Abuo-Gad and Mr. Atef M. El-Hoteiby for secretarial, and the Editors of the Saudi Medical Journal for sharing with us their experience. We are also grateful to many others who devoted time and effort and contributed to the birth of the Journal. The enormous task of producing this issue was immeasurably lightened by all that marvelous devotion.