New Cohort of JAMA Editorial Fellows Selected to Enhance Scientific Communication Skills
In a significant move to bolster the integration of emerging voices in medical research and publishing, the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) has announced the selection of ten talented individuals for the 2025 JAMA Editorial Fellowship Program. This initiative is designed to engage early-career clinical and health services researchers with JAMA’s editorial leadership, enabling them to gain insights into the nuances of editorial decision-making and to enrich their science communication capabilities.
The 2025 fellows were selected out of a highly competitive pool, showcasing a diverse range of interests and expertise in medical publishing, medical education, research, and a dedication to academic medicine. Their collective profile underlines an unwavering commitment to advancing healthcare through research, innovation, and communication, crucially underscoring the importance of elevating future leaders in academic medicine.
Highlighting the fellowship’s merit, Dr. Joseph Ross, Deputy Editor of JAMA, noted that last year’s pilot initiative attracted significant interest, prompting this year’s expansion to open the program to any eligible junior faculty or research fellow. A staggering response with over 300 applications signifies both the profound commitment within the medical community to science communication and the program’s growing prestige.
Among the esteemed fellows, Hannah Decker, an MD and MAS, stands out with her focused dedication to enhancing surgical equity through quality improvement and policy change. A general surgery resident and National Clinician Scholar at UCSF, her research has been pivotal in addressing an often-overlooked segment of the patient population: individuals experiencing homelessness. Hannah’s work emphasizes the translation of high-quality research into practical solutions and policy adaptations.
Leah Estrada, PhD, RN, another key fellow, brings a rich academic background as an Assistant Professor at the Brookdale Department of Geriatrics and Palliative Medicine. Based at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Leah’s research primarily centers on improving palliative care services for Latino individuals with dementia, a demographic frequently underserved in clinical research. Her emphasis on caregiver dynamics illustrates the critical interplay between patient care and support systems.
On his part, Robert Gallo, MD, is carving pathways in medical informatics as he seeks to improve patient outcomes in hospital settings. Currently serving as a hospitalist at the VA Palo Alto Health Care System and Stanford University, Robert’s work leverages innovative technologies to support physicians in inpatient care. His understanding of medical informatics is expected to intersect beneficially with editorial work, augmenting JAMA’s commitment to relevant research findings dissemination.
From obstetric healthcare delivery, Adina Kern-Goldberger, MD, MPH, MSCE, emerges as a pivotal figure in maternal-fetal medicine. As an Assistant Professor at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation/Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine, Adina specializes in comorbidity-based risk stratification and shared decision-making processes in preconception care. Her insightful research is critical to understanding healthcare delivery’s intricacies and its societal implications, especially concerning mothers and infants.
Meanwhile, David-Dan Nguyen, MDCM, MPH, a urology resident at the University of Toronto, is pursuing his Ph.D. in Clinical Epidemiology focusing on health policy and machine learning applications to address disparities in prostate cancer outcomes. David-Dan’s academic rigor and focus on integrating artificial intelligence into healthcare underscore an essential contemporary shift towards data-driven healthcare solutions.
Equally noteworthy, Manan Pareek, MD, MSc, PhD, a fellow in cardiovascular medicine at Copenhagen University Hospital, brings a wealth of experience to the narrative of acute coronary syndromes and thrombosis. With his involvement in over 150 peer-reviewed articles and several national guidelines, Manan’s authoritative insights are likely to shape discussions on cardiovascular health within the editorial framework of JAMA.
As a prominent figure at the intersection of health services and health disparities, Kathy Sliwinski, PhD, MBE, RN, is pioneering research focused on care delivery for patients with limited English proficiency at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine. Her PhD work underscores the significance of cultural and linguistic competency in clinical practice—a vital area of discussion in contemporary healthcare delivery systems focusing on inclusiveness and equity.
In pediatric cardiology, Francesca Sperotto, MD, PhD, is conducting critical research on cardiac imaging and care for children with congenital heart conditions at Boston Children’s Hospital. Her work amalgamates advanced imaging techniques with essential clinical care, showcasing how technological advancements can directly improve patient outcomes, particularly in vulnerable populations like children.
Rebecca Tsevat, MD, MS, a second-year fellow in the National Clinician Scholars Program at UCLA, is focused on initiatives that support youth affected by adverse childhood experiences. Her research aims to bridge the gap in care transitions for adolescents with chronic medical conditions. Rebecca’s work is tremendously important, reflecting broader societal issues and emphasizing the necessity for tailored healthcare approaches in transitional care settings.
Finally, Lachelle Weeks, MD, PhD, offers a critical perspective from the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, merging research and patient care within a bustling clinical environment. Her exploration of clonal hematopoiesis and its association with various myeloid diseases not only contributes to our understanding of cancer progression but also highlights the need for a collaborative approach in tackling complex biological questions. As the director of the CHIP Clinic, she is steering vital research that could influence future treatment paradigms in oncology.
The launch of this fellowship program aligns with JAMA’s broader commitment to nurturing young scientists and scholars interested in the realm of publication and editorial decision-making. As such, the enthusiasm surrounding the program is palpable, signaling a renewed focus on the importance of foundational research in shaping healthcare discourse.
The reaction of JAMA leadership underscores the fellowship’s alignment with ongoing efforts to support young physicians and researchers who seek to share their expertise through editorial work. By enhancing scientific communication and editorial strategy, the JAMA Editorial Fellowship Program cultivates a new generation of thought leaders who are well-equipped to engage with the pressing issues facing modern healthcare.
With the growing complexity of healthcare systems and the need for rigorous scientific inquiry, this initiative serves as an essential platform for these emerging scholars. Through their participation in the fellowship, they will hone their communication skills while contributing to JAMA’s esteemed editorial mission. The implications of their work will likely reverberate across the medical community, fostering a culture of knowledge-sharing that only strengthens the field of medicine as a whole.
As we witness the emergence of these early-career leaders in the JAMA community, the future of medical publishing and communication looks promising, with innovative ideas destined to find expression through the pages of one of the world’s most respected medical journals.
Subject of Research: Medical publishing and editorial decision-making in healthcare
Article Title: New Cohort of JAMA Editorial Fellows Selected to Enhance Scientific Communication Skills
News Publication Date: January 23, 2025
Web References: None
References: None
Image Credits: None
Keywords: Science communication, medical education, healthcare publishing, editorial fellowship, young researchers.
