| HOME | HELP | FEEDBACK | SUBSCRIPTIONS | ARCHIVE | SEARCH | TABLE OF CONTENTS |
|
|
|
|||||||
|
|||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Wake Forest University School of Medicine Winston-Salem, NC 27157
Lee Rogers, the straight-talking, charismatic philosopher who has been Editor in Chief of the AJR for nearly a decade, has decided to step down. His admirably capable successor, Robert J. Stanley, MD, assumes that position in January 2004. The transition will undoubtedly be smooth. The new editor plans many positive innovations for the Journal, and the future of the AJR is bright with Dr. Stanley at the helm. Still, the Winston-Salem chapter in the Journal's history has been remarkable indeed and is worthy of a closer look as the Lee Rogers era draws to a close.
The monthly arrival of the yellow journal does not, perhaps, generate the excitement we feel when the mail brings a letter from a loved one or an anticipated best-selling novel. But neither does it portend a weighty chore—the newest burden in the recipient's overcommitted life. Most scientific journals remind us how quickly our field is moving forward. Our growing stack of unread journals can be a metaphor for our professional stagnation, reminding us that science moves on, inevitably widening the gap between the practitioner and the state of the art. Alas, keeping up-to-date through reading scientific journals can be tedious. The material is often dry, its focus seemingly irrelevant, and its volume overwhelming. For many, the yellow journal is a welcome exception. Lee Rogers has been an innovative force in making the AJR a friendlier journal. He has worked tirelessly to increase its relevance to subscribers, at the same time maintaining its scientific integrity.
When Lee Rogers assumed his duties as Editor in Chief of the AJR, he promptly introduced several new features. Among these was the monthly column on medical–legal issues by Leonard Berlin, MD. This entertaining and informative column is a brilliant inspiration that transports readers into the courtroom, where radiologists routinely defend their actions. Readers of the AJR are fortunate to be able to share the drama of these true-life stories and to benefit by learning from the mistakes and painful experiences of others without being personally exposed to the potential liability and anguish of the participants themselves. Dr. Berlin has tirelessly and creatively crafted his columns into entertaining yet educational gems, summing up each article with recommendations that can help us to steer clear of the pitfalls that inhabit his case studies. Dr. Berlin's contributions to the AJR throughout the Lee Rogers era have been immense and invaluable.
Another feature that Lee Rogers wisely instituted is the "Editor's Notebook." Through this monthly column, Lee has shared much of the knowledge and experience gained during his remarkable career as a radiologist, a teacher, a scientist, and a voice of sensibility for the field of radiology. Focusing on the clinical relevance of articles contained in each issue, the Editor's Notebook is generally lighthearted but often provocative as well. Never one to shy away from controversy, Lee Rogers has taken on such touchy issues as after-hours radiology coverage, excessive radiation exposure to patients, bioterrorism, and ethical issues in the publication of articles. Not only have these columns been thought-provoking and entertaining, but they have often heralded positive change.
Inevitably, Lee has taken the high road on prickly, controversial issues. When the AJR planned to publish two articles reporting diagnostic radiology practices that could result in excessive radiation doses to pediatric patients and the risks of this overexposure, Lee took action. For the same Journal issue, he solicited an accompanying article describing precautions that minimize radiation to pediatric patients while maintaining examination quality. These three articles prompted remedial action in many radiology departments. Not only did the AJR alert radiologists to a potentially hazardous situation, but the Journal also provided practical methods for resolving the situation.
In his Editor's Notebook column that month, Lee focused on those three articles and used them as a springboard to discuss the general issue of higher-than-needed radiation exposures. He called our attention to industry's desire to market scanners that produce equivalently high-quality images in all patients, from the tiniest infant to the largest adult. Dr. Rogers pointed his finger at industry for emphasizing uniform image quality in large patients, while neglecting to develop methods to limit radiation exposure in patients with smaller bodies that attenuate fewer X-ray photons.
Not surprisingly, controversy quickly ensued. Before the Journal reached our mailboxes, an executive with a major manufacturer of diagnostic equipment was on the telephone with Dr. Rogers, questioning his motives and concerned about the negative publicity. A front-page article in USA Today generated a great deal of public interest in this problematic issue. Never losing his legendary sense of humor, Lee capably defended his ethical stand on this issue, which not only vaulted the AJR into the spotlight but also served as a wake-up call for radiologists and industry alike. The AJR gained recognition as an outlet for papers on radiation issues for diagnostic radiologists. Numerous important articles on this topic appeared in the AJR during the months that followed. Despite widespread protestations from industry, minimizing radiation exposure to patients quickly became one of the most desirable selling points for updated CT scanners. This reform represented a clear victory for patients and radiologists, stimulated by Lee Rogers and the AJR.
Dr. Rogers has also used his Editor's Notebook to promote the highest ethical standards in medical publishing, exemplified by the AJR. Shortly after his appointment as Editor in Chief, Lee noted that articles were occasionally submitted to the AJR for publication after submission or publication of a nearly identical article in another journal. Lee promptly took action. With the approval of the Publication Committee of the American Roentgen Ray Society, the parent organization of the AJR, Lee authored and implemented a judicious policy for dealing with suspected duplicate submission and publication of articles. This policy used the peer-review process to evaluate suspected duplicate articles and alerted authors to the potential penalties for pursuing this unethical practice. After Dr. Rogers notified readers and authors about these new standards in one of his columns and published a short list of offenders, submission of duplicate articles to the AJR promptly ceased.
Recognizing Lee's wisdom in implementing this policy, other leading journals adopted nearly identical guidelines. As a result of his demand for honesty in authorship, both Dr. Rogers and the AJR moved to the forefront in discussions of ethics in scientific publishing. Lee represented the AJR and, often, radiologists in general at national and international conferences on ethics in medical and scientific publication. By championing the issue of ethical standards in publishing, as well as that of appropriate radiation doses, Dr. Rogers placed the often overlooked and underrepresented specialty of radiology in a very favorable light.
Lee also took on the less glamorous but no less important issues of defending mammography during times of public controversy, improving resident and medical student education in radiology, defining the role of radiologists in combating bioterrorism, and promoting and applauding clinical radiology research. In his columns, Dr. Rogers also distinguished himself as an entertaining and discerning writer with a gift for identifying topics of interest to the readership.
Despite the time involved in tackling big issues, Lee continued to excel at overseeing the day-to-day workings of the Journal. He assembled a superb staff for the editorial office in Winston-Salem and supervised them expertly. Headed by editor/office administrator Charles Jenkins, the office ran professionally and smoothly. Mr. Jenkins was ably complemented by long-time colleagues Steve Newsome, Julianne Berckman, and Debbie O'Rourke. The office staff handled the large volume of manuscripts that flowed through the system every day with efficiency and proficiency. All in the office took pride in their contributions to the finished product: each month's yellow journal.
The associate editors, Jim Provenzale, MD, and I, happily shared our insights and expertise one day each week to support the effort of producing the premier journal for radiologists. With the leadership of Lee Rogers and the capability of the staff, the AJR achieved distinction as a journal favored by radiologists and contributing authors alike. The expert reviews were insightful as well as constructive, and the turn-around time from submission to publication was exceptionally brief during Lee's tenure. These features helped the AJR attract the finest scientific contributions from around the world. Lee insisted that every submitted article be evaluated by the editor or an associate editor and assigned unbiased peer reviewers with appropriate expertise. Reviewers themselves were continually graded for quality and promptness of reviews. Overdue reviewers could expect a polite telephone call from the Winston-Salem office to ensure timely responses to authors.
Lee Rogers's gregarious personality also contributed greatly to the Journal's success. He gladly chatted with all who asked to speak with an editor, and he took their concerns or protests seriously, often granting a second look to a submitted manuscript or review. Maintaining this level of efficiency and high standards helped to cement the loyalty of our many repeating contributors. Of course, such professionalism did not come without personal sacrifice; Lee Rogers could often be found at his editor's desk, assigning reviewers and making editorial decisions late at night and on weekends.
Among the many who will remember the Lee Rogers era at the AJR with particular fondness are those who were fortunate enough to serve as Melvin M. Figley Fellows during Lee's tenure as Editor in Chief. The Figley Fellowship was initiated by former Editor in Chief, Robert Berk, MD, and was continued by Lee as his successor. Intended as a means of educating rising stars in academic radiology in the inner workings of a peer-reviewed scientific journal, the fellowship required its recipients to work at the editorial office in Winston-Salem for 4 weeks during their fellowship year. For most, the highlight of this time was their association with Lee Rogers. Despite his stature as one of the most accomplished and famous radiologists in the world, Lee quickly made each Figley Fellow feel useful and comfortable in the editorial office. His affability, quick wit, and endless collection of entertaining anecdotes complemented the educational experience for each of the Figley Fellows. Many had the additional pleasure of getting to know Lee's wife, Donna Rogers. Always ready to support and promote Lee's endeavors, Donna graciously hosted the out-of-towners and the Journal staff, too. In an experience akin to that of joining a Greek organization in college, most Figley Fellows have maintained their loyalty to the AJR and have served as some of the Journal's most thoughtful and insightful reviewers and contributors.
The popularity of the AJR illustrates what is perhaps the most important of Lee's accomplishments as Editor in Chief: consistently producing a journal characterized by outstanding articles that were appropriately selected for their interest to the Journal's readership. Lee's indelible influence on the AJR included filling it with gems that he often sifted from potentially discarded articles. He did not bend to the pressures of "power ratings" and other artificial measures of a journal's merit. Rather, he took personal responsibility for imparting the highest possible quality to his product. He succeeded. For those who know Lee and his uncompromising insistence on high standards, it is no surprise that the AJR has flourished under his leadership.
Lee is not one to bask in the glow of his own accomplishments, but those of us who practice radiology, whether we are subscribers or not, owe a great deal of thanks to Lee Rogers for his stewardship as Editor in Chief of the AJR from 1995 through 2003.
Kudos to Lee F. Rogers, MD, and the members of the editorial staff in Winston-Salem, NC. All were indispensable in creating a lasting legacy: a golden era for the yellow journal.
CiteULike 
Complore 
Connotea 
Del.icio.us 
Digg 
Reddit 
Technorati What's this?
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| HOME | HELP | FEEDBACK | SUBSCRIPTIONS | ARCHIVE | SEARCH | TABLE OF CONTENTS |
