Are you interested in being a peer reviewer for Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery and OTO Open (OTO Journals) but wondering if it’s the right fit for you? Below are just a few of the many benefits of becoming a reviewer. Keep reading to learn more about the eligibility requirements, what is expected of a reviewer, and how to apply!
Key Benefits
Help Improve Research in the Specialty
You can ensure that the best research is available to those who need it to make decisions about quality patient care, including drug and treatment development, cutting-edge techniques, and more.
Stay up to Date with the Latest Research Advances
Learning how to peer review well can help you become a better “consumer” of medical literature and a better scientist and author. Staying abreast of the latest advances in the field can also help you to improve your care of patients.
Connect with the Community
Reviewing for the OTO Journals is a great way to gain experience and become more involved with the AAO-HNSF and the greater otolaryngology community. Over time, reviewing can also lead to more senior positions within the journal.
Earn up to 15 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™ of CME Per Year
All peer reviewers for the journals can receive CME credit for eligible reviews. Star Reviewers (those who contribute frequent, high-quality reviews) and all those who review at least four papers a year are also recognized at the AAO-HNSF Annual Meeting and in OTO-HNS.
Give Back to the Specialty and the Global Otolaryngology Community
Contributing as a peer reviewer helps support patient care worldwide through the advancement of knowledge and practice. The journals are always seeking additional qualified reviewers to provide their invaluable expertise.
Frequently Asked Questions
According to a landmark 2010 publication by former Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery Editor-in-Chief, Richard M. Rosenfeld MD, MPH, “How to review journal manuscripts,” the goals of peer review are six-fold, as follows.
Table 1. Goals of editorial peer review
*Reproduced from Rosenfeld, R.M. (2010), How to review journal manuscripts. Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery, 142: 472-486. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.otohns.2010.02.010
Reviewing a manuscript is a commitment, but there is no set amount of time it takes to write a good review. It can take anywhere from a few minutes for a paper with obvious, fundamental flaws to many hours to review and write your report. According to a 2023 survey by the OTO Journals’ publisher, 70% of respondents take at least four days from start to submission to complete their review.
There is no set number of reviews that reviewers must complete annually, although completing frequent, high-quality reviews can bring recognition and advancement. You are always welcome to decline a review if you are unavailable, have a conflict of interest, or think a manuscript is too far afield from your area of expertise. (Reviewers who repeatedly decline review invitations over time without updating their schedule may be removed from the roster.)
Cecelia E. Schmalbach, MD, MSc, Editor in Chief of the AAO-HNSF journals, Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery and OTO Open, shares her vision for the journals, the evolution of peer-reviewed publishing, why reading the journals is an important part of the specialty’s practice, and more.
