We all recognize that these last few months have been difficult for all throughout the world. As with all aspects of life, Global Spine Journal (GSJ) has watched and supported all efforts to disseminate appropriate and reliable information to our readers during this unusual time. We have fast-tracked specific topics of interest regarding COVID-19 topics, in order to allow for meaningful information to be presented to our readers and the membership of AOSpine. These articles can be found grouped together in our special collections area of our website. We will continue to work hard to review and present the most current and accurate scientific information during this crisis.
In the spine arena, we have seen multiple highly regarded spine meetings and educational events being postponed or cancelled, with new and virtual events attempting to fill this void. We missed out on special sessions and participation at Global Spine Congress, which is our main event of the year and allows for face-to-face interactions with authors, reviewers, editors, and the greater spine community. However, we are pleased and grateful that we have been able to still operate during this difficult time and provide a place for people to submit their research, especially while surgeries and clinical activities are affected.
The old saying that “with adversity comes opportunity” perhaps is best illustrated with GSJ seeing a record number of submissions in the last few months, as most researchers have likely had more time to focus on completing research projects and manuscripts. This is an exciting time for GSJ, filled with many new changes and positive updates. Our recent inclusion in Clarivate Journals Citation Report for the Impact Factor has been a momentous milestone for the journal. In line with receiving an impact factor, we are now giving GSJ a refresh with a brand new cover. GSJ’s new cover also goes hand in hand with the new AO branding. This new cover represents a new future for GSJ and AOSpine and we are so excited to show it to all of you, as GSJ continues to grow and change.
We welcome any comments, feedback, and suggestions, as we constantly monitor the forward progress of the journal, and look toward a brighter future. We would especially like to thank our readers and all of the health care community for the hard work they have exhibited during this ongoing worldwide crisis.
Jeffrey C. Wang, MD
USC Spine Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA
Jens R. Chapman, MD
Swedish Neuroscience Institute, Swedish Medical Center, Seattle, WA, USA
Karsten Wiechert, MD
Schön-Klinik Müchen Harlaching, Munich, Germany
Contributor Information
Jeffrey C. Wang, USC Spine Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
Jens R. Chapman, Swedish Neuroscience Institute, Swedish Medical Center, Seattle, WA, USA.
Karsten Wiechert, Schön-Klinik Müchen Harlaching, Munich, Germany.