From 2019 Onwards …

“If nothing ever changed, there would be no butterflies! ”

–Author Unknown

Here’s the Indian Journal of Plastic Surgery’s (IJPS) butterfly moment—signifying change, transformation, and growth.

We, at the Association of Plastic Surgeons of India, constantly strive to take the IJPS to new heights of academic success and global recognition. With this aim in mind we are now partnering with Thieme Medical and Scientific Publishers to publish IJPS.

It is with much pleasure, I am presenting to you a vibrantly colorful, all-new, rich-content filled 2019 opening issue of IJPS. To mark the new beginning, this special issue is featuring reconstruction of lower limb and emphasizing important clinical topics.

As the Editor of the IJPS, I am happy to pronounce several new features with this changeover, with the introduction of e-First articles. Articles, upon final acceptance, are published as e-First, prior to the print issue. This offers a crucial and strategic opportunity to the author, reader, editor, and the publisher. While the authors get an early publication, readership, and citations, the readers do not have to wait for 3 to 4 months for each issue of IJPS; new articles are published throughout the year. For the editor and the production team, the pressure of preparing an issue on deadlines diminishes. e-First publishing helps in greatly improving impact factor, bringing early-bird benefits to stay at par with peer journals.

For more than 50 years in the publication, how does the road ahead look like for the journal?

The IJPS has marked its reputation among the peer journals of plastic surgery, thanks to the contributions of authors, reviewers, and consistent efforts of my predecessors. The journal is now accessed over 25,000 times every month and receives a large number of manuscripts from all over the world. We have made significant headway in indexing, lately withEmerging Source Citation Index (ESCI), a mark of quality. The journal metrics are now being monitored regularly at ESCI and increase in citations of the published content will help to upgrade the journal from ESCI to SCIe (Science Citation Index Expanded), providing its maiden impact factor. Hence, authors and potential writers are hereby implored to cite the content of IJPS articles when they publish in other journals, as well as urge fellow authors to do the same.

The journal has undergone face lift several times since 1968 with successive editors at the helm ([Figs. 1] [2] [3] [4]). The first color photograph was published in 1987[1] ([Fig. 5]). The present changeover is infused with fresh look, enthusiasm, and great efficiency. The new cover page is prudently designed to depict wider scope and region of the specialty keeping the theme of the publisher. Our immediate priorities are timely publication, to increase the author and reader base, to increase the number of issues, and to pursue Medline indexing. We are also working on new sections of the journal on regular issues to widen the scope of topics. Our review time has significantly reduced, with the first decision made at an average of 4 weeks.

Fig. 1 IJPS in 2019.

Fig. 2 IJPS-1968 to 2000.

Fig. 3 IJPS–2000 to 2008.

Fig. 4 IJPS in 2017.

Fig. 5 Tabular presentation of changes in IJPS from its beginning in 1968 to 2000, compiled by then editor, Dr. Pramod Kumar (Reprinted).

Another arduous task at my hand is to maintain a sustainable financial support. Currently, the major funding comes from the association and partly from subscriptions and advertisements. Our aim has been to keep a gold open access to the authors and readers, to publish without charging any fees from authors, and to provide quality-print issues to the members. It is highly challenging and expensive to sustain this model and meet the recurring cost without affecting the quality. Yet, we are making all efforts to build resources, so that we are able to sustain and grow further. We are planning to increase the number of issues at the earliest possible opportunity, without financially burdening the association.

The new association with the team Thieme Medical and Scientific Publishers, within a short period, has reiterated our confidence that IJPS is in safe hands and we are moving in the right direction for higher accomplishments. We look forward to your comments and suggestions to improve the overall quality. I deeply appreciate the contributions of Dr. Hari Venkatramani and Dr. Raja Sabapthy in conceptualizing this special theme issue.

The journal’s new homepage is: http://www.thieme.com/ijps

The archive is available at: https://www.thieme-connect.com/products/ejournals/journal/10.1055/s-00042863

Potential authors should submit their content here: http://www.manuscriptmanager.net/ijps

As IJPS takes new wings and starts on a new lap, I hereby invite you all to contribute high-quality articles, to suggest any improvements, and/or to be part of our editorial team.

• References

• 1 Thind RS, Sabapathy SR. History of the Indian journal of plastic surgery. Indian J Plast Surg 2000; 33: 95-97