Pakistan Armed Forces Medical Journal (PAFMJ)
Message of the Editor in Chief
I am truly honored to be the Editor-in-Chief of the Pakistan Armed Forces Medical Journal (PAFMJ). I am also proud to be working in tandem with an outstanding team of Joint Editors, Assistant Editors and other members of the Editorial Board. This is an editorial team that is fully engaged and committed to the success of this outstanding journal.
This past year amidst the pandemic of COVID-19, has been the toughest that many of us have ever faced. Among the heroes who have emerged from this crisis are the health care professionals who have risked their lives to serve their patients with utmost commitment and devotion. We at PAFMJ have endeavored to provide trustworthy and timely research as well as highlighted the need for proper protection, training and wellbeing. Like many other journals across the country, our COVID-related content is freely available and up to date with the growing evidence base. We recognize the importance of ensuring that our journal represents the research being conducted in the country, and at the same time also encompasses key issues critical to patient care.
We have streamlined our submission, editorial and production process to fast track publication of important research and multidisciplinary educational content. As Editor-in-Chief, I recognize the value authors place on high-quality and unbiased peer review conducted in a timely manner. I have instructed all those involved with the journal in an effort to provide the highest standard of manuscript review, editing, and publishing. We have implemented rigorous peer review criteria, and this will be reflected in the quality of published articles. In addition, we at PAFMJ are continuously striving to get the journal indexed in important international databases, earn impact factor and increase our visibility. We also value the importance of rapid publication, as we have structured our editorial team to expedite the processing of submitted manuscripts. We have published more content, more quickly than ever before. This would not have been possible without the passion and commitment of our colleagues and contributors from all across the country, many of whom have borne this greater workload alongside their COVID-related clinical duties. PAFMJ stands with you in the months ahead. We also want to encourage all those who are interested in being part of this energetic and enthusiastic team to contact us, as we will welcome your contribution. We look forward to hearing from you, our community of readers, authors and reviewers.
Since the establishment of Army Medical College the Anatomy Department is teaching its disciplines to the undergraduates of MBBS (1977), to BDS (1998) postgraduates of FCPS and MPhil and to the paramedics of BSC Nursing as per PMC & HEC Criteria.
Our mission is to nurture competent and compassionate future medical doctors, dental surgeons to serve at National and International level.
Vision
Our reach goes beyond provision of evidence to Health Care Professionals in their daily practice to the delivery of informed content that has a positive impact on medical community and the health of people across the country and in the world.
Mission Statement
To be the hub of information of evidence based research and to increase the collective awareness of the Health Care Professionals in order to provide the best possible evidence informed patient care and inculcate the values of lifelong experiential learning, ethical practice and social accountability.
Introduction
Pakistan Armed Forces Medical Journal (PAFMJ) publishes scholarly work from all the medical and allied subjects (basic as well as clinical) including medical education as well as from biological and biomedical sciences. The manuscripts submitted for publication may be in the form of an original research (randomized controlled trial, meta-analysis, quasi experimental study, case control study, cohort study or cross-sectional analytical study), review article, case report, book review, recent advances, new techniques, debates, adverse drug reports, current practices, audit report, evidence-based report, short communication, or a letter to the editor. Studies more than five years old at the time of submission as well as simple descriptive, KAP (knowledge, attitude, practice) and retrospective studies are not entertained. Pakistan Armed Forces Medical Journal does not accept multiple studies/multiple end publications gathered/derived from a single research project or data (wholly or in part) known as ‘salami slices’. The Journal discourages submission of more than one article dealing with related aspects of the same study.
Objectives
- a. To publish original, well documented, peer reviewed clinical and basic sciences articles.
- b. To inculcate the habit of medical writing.
- c. To enable physicians to remain informed in multiple areas of medicine, including developments in fields other than their own.
- d. To share the experience and knowledge for benefit of patients.
- e. To document medical problems pertinent to military medicine like high altitude medicine, heat stroke, disaster management etc.
- f. To achieve the highest level of ethical medical journalism and to produce a publication that is timely, credible, and enjoyable to read.
- g. To include original research describing recent advances in health particularly clinical studies, clinical trials, and assessments of pathogens of diagnostic importance, medical genetics and epidemiological studies.