Abstract
After 34 years as founding Co-Editor-in-Chief of Journal of Endourology, Ralph Clayman has decided to step down. Thus, the journal is losing a legend in the world of endourology, whose opinions are always invaluable. Ralph and I have been colleagues since I arrived in Minnesota in 1977 and on a personal level, I will miss his input, presence, and particularly the interaction between us. The good news is that the person he chose as his replacement is Jamie Landman, who is as dedicated as Ralph, dynamic, and current with the latest technology. He has been working with us in tandem and has several new ideas that we hope to institute.
Ralph, Gopal Badlani, Joe Segura, and I started the Endourological Society in 1984. A few years later Mary Ann Liebert approached us, suggesting the establishment of a Journal of Endourology. No society can remain dynamic with one meeting a year. It requires the academic stimulus of a journal to propagate new ideas and to set standards for the subspecialty. On a practical basis it also requires subscribers to the journal and to be financially viable. Gopal Badlani ensured that it would be financially sound, and I promoted the concepts of endourology nationally and internationally.
Ralph was responsible for setting a high standard for this journal, which has a rejection rate of >75%. Despite the fact that we are a relatively small subspecialty, his hard work has resulted in a highly visible impactful journal. He insisted that the opinion of a second editor is required before an article is deemed unworthy of being reviewed, and that every article is reviewed by a minimum of three reviewers. He also instituted strict adherence to plagiarism guidelines.
In addition to Ralph's contribution, the journal has benefitted extensively from John Denstedt, who was the managing editor of the journal for about 10 years. Chandru Sundaram, who was the editor of Videourology, has recently been succeeded by Mantu Gupta, and Chandru assumed the role of executive editor of the journal. During his tenure on Videourology, Chandru established the video atlas of common endourologic procedures, an authoritative resource for all urologists. As always, the journal also recognizes the hard work of the editorial board and other reviewers who ensure the high standard of the journal and help the editors give our authors fair and rapid review of their research.