First scholarly medical journal launched by Marshall University School of Medicine

The Marshall University Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine has launched its first scholarly medical journal.

The Marshall Journal of Medicine is a peer-reviewed, open-access online journal designed to shed light on medical issues and conditions of priority to West Virginians and the Appalachian region. The first issue features submissions from physicians, medical faculty and residents from both Marshall University and West Virginia University.

"This journal is another step toward establishing a culture in our School of Medicine that prioritizes research," said Joseph I. Shapiro, M.D., dean of the School of Medicine. "Showcasing research that is focused on better health outcomes for our region goes hand in hand with our overall mission of fostering a skilled physician workforce to meet the health care needs of West Virginia and central Appalachia."

"We are thrilled to have a new open-access venue to share Appalachian-focused, scholarly work on the global scale," said Darshana Shah, Ph.D., associate dean for faculty affairs and professional development and editor-in-chief of the Journal. "Working with our colleagues on the main campus through the Digital Scholar Platform has allowed us to produce a dynamic, content-rich publication that we all should be proud of."

As an open-access publication, the Marshall Journal of Medicine facilitates online collaboration among researchers and allows them to build on the findings of others without restriction in order to accelerate discovery, Shah said.

In addition to Shah, members of the journal's editorial board include James Becker, M.D.; James Denvir, Ph.D.; Mehiar El-Hamdani, M.D.; Susan L. Flesher, M.D.; Suzanne Holroyd, M.D.; Aravinda Nanjundappa, M.D.; Mohammed Ranavaya, M.D., J.D.; Nalini Santanam, Ph.D., M.P.H.; and Franklin Shuler, M.D., Ph.D.

"I am incredibly proud of the collaborative effort between University Libraries and the School of Medicine to bring back publishing to our university," said Jan I. Fox, Ed.D., senior vice president for information technology/CIO at Marshall University. "The open, online nature of the journal makes it both cost effective and accessible."