The Future of Medical Education Journal (FUTURE MED EDUC J) employs a double-blind peer review process, in which the identities of both authors and reviewers remain concealed throughout the review process.
Upon submission, each manuscript undergoes an initial editorial assessment conducted by the Editor-in-Chief or an Associate Editor to evaluate its suitability with respect to the journal's aims and scope, scientific quality, methodological rigor, ethical standards, and compliance with the journal's submission requirements and formatting guidelines. Manuscripts that are outside the journal's scope or do not meet the journal's scientific or ethical standards may be rejected at this stage without external peer review.
Manuscripts that successfully pass the initial editorial assessment are assigned to at least two independent expert reviewers with relevant subject expertise. Additional reviewers may be invited when considered necessary by the handling editor. Reviewers are selected based on their expertise and the absence of potential conflicts of interest.
Reviewers are asked to evaluate the manuscript's originality, scientific merit, methodological quality, ethical compliance, clarity of presentation, relevance to the journal's scope, and overall contribution to the field of medical and health professions education. Reviewer reports provide recommendations to support, but not determine, the editorial decision.
Based on the reviewers' reports and the editorial assessment, the Editor-in-Chief or the Associate Editor responsible for handling the manuscript makes one of the following editorial decisions:
Most manuscripts require at least one round of revision before a final decision is made. Authors are expected to submit a revised manuscript together with a detailed point-by-point response to each reviewer comment.
When revisions are requested, authors are expected to submit a revised manuscript together with a detailed point-by-point response to each reviewer comment. Revised manuscripts may be returned to the original reviewers for further evaluation when considered necessary by the handling editor.
The peer review process typically takes approximately 4–8 weeks, although the overall processing time may vary depending on reviewer availability, the complexity of the manuscript, and the extent of the required revisions.
All manuscripts, reviewer reports, editorial communications, and related materials are treated as confidential throughout the peer review and publication process.
FUTURE MED EDUC J is committed to maintaining a fair, objective, timely, and confidential peer review process and follows the recommendations and ethical principles of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) in handling peer review and editorial decision-making.