Sex and the Machine
The visible work that you see as AAGL members from the Journal of Minimally Invasive Gynecology is the academic output, original research, systematic reviews, images and academic videos. Behind the scenes, there is the necessary governance and organisational input that is essential for the smooth running of the Journal. This work is not particularly glamorous, but it is critical and requires patience and attention to detail to ensure that systems are in place for transparency and academic integrity. It also takes many years to learn all the tricks of the trade and we are delighted to have such a hard-working team of Deputy Editors to keep the wheels turning. They carry a considerable burden, and we thank them for their dedication and commitment to the Journal. We also thank you, the readership.
To ensure the future maintenance of the machine, we are delighted to welcome our new class of Associate Editors, the second group selected for mentorship. Our Associate Editor program is an innovative undertaking designed for physicians aspiring to be exposed to all aspects of our Journal Editorial team and process. Requirements include a desire to acquire the skills and experience necessary for future leadership roles in an academic journal alongside having a track record of outstanding reviews for JMIG. Based on the demand and our outstanding candidates, we have increased our number of Associate Editors this year. We are also excited that our Associate Editor class continues to be international reflecting both our membership and Editorial Board (which hit the milestone this year of more representatives from outside the United States than within!).
Each Associate Editor will work one-on-one with different Deputy Editors to be exposed to our diverse areas of focus and expertise as well as meet individually with other key members of our Executive Team including our Statistical Editors and our Journal publication experts. We hope that the experience and knowledge gained will propel our Associate Editors to one day become an Editor-in-Chief! In the meantime, look out for their Editorial in JMIG later this year where they will share their journey!
A casual conversation with Cheryl Iglesia and Barbara Levy at the AAGL annual meeting in Nashville led to our next special issue, Sex and Surgery, that will launch later this year. This is to be a series of narrative and systematic reviews, all with the very specific focus on sex – both the verb and the noun. As gynaecological surgeons, almost everything we do needs to consider sex in some way, shape, or form. JMIG is looking at a range of important issues that may require surgery or result from surgery, as well as what every surgeon needs to know about sex. From sexual function, anatomy, and physiology to sexual outcomes following the surgeries we do, this special issue will cover toys, tools, and erotica like none before. Informative, academic, and entertaining, you will definitely learn at least one new thing – but probably much more than that. Drs. Iglesia and Levy are guest editors for this issue and have been hard at work for over a year to ensure you know all there is to know about sex and surgery. Keep your eyes peeled!
