December 2025 Pick of the Month

On saying YES

This journal, Academic Emergency Medicine (AEM) is a resource for any person interested in emergency care, including original research, systematic reviews, commentaries, and personal reflections. In my view, AEM is analogous to a hypothetical, cooperatively owned and managed National Park. Everyone loves to visit the park, enjoy its resources, and sometimes camp. But no one wants to mow the grass, empty the trash and tell campers to turn down the Kid Rock after dusk. Our journal, AEM, certainly loves its visitors and campers (i.e., authors), but we cannot function without everyone who uses this resource contributing time and talent in-kind. And that time and talent I am referring to is saying YES when you are asked to review a paper.

Peer review is nearing crisis mode at many journals. The decision editors (DEs) often have to invite more than 10 people to get one YES. Frequently, the DEs find it is easier for them to serve as one of two reviewers rather than invite 20 reviewers. I have heard many times that departmental chairs routinely discourage junior faculty from saying YES. This intransigence about volunteering for peer review leads to delays and inadequate peer review. And to be frank, it is just plain selfish. I recognize the old phrase that goes something like this: “Peer review is usually flawed, often wrong, and sometimes unfair…but it is the best system we have to uphold scientific integrity.”*

With this background, I have explained why I asked the venerable and highly acclaimed author, researcher, and now administrator, Dr. Judd Hollander, to write a commentary about this subject that he entitled Want to Grow? Just Say Yes…Mostly in the December 2025 issue of AEM. I asked him because I recalled a keynote address he delivered where volunteering—saying YES—was his main message. That was almost 10 years ago and clearly things have not improved.  And although he addresses other academic issues beyond peer review, his overarching theme is about the value you can gain from altruism and sharing your academic talent. Please read his wisdom.

*I believe and Editor-In-Chief of Lancet is credited with this phrase. If anyone knows its origin for sure, please let me know: Jkline@wayne.edu

Jeffrey A. Kline, MD
Wayne State University School of Medicine
Editor-in-Chief