Abstract
According to Dr. Len Wartofsky, Secretary of the American Thyroid Association (ATA) from 1988 to 1993, “the events surrounding the birth of the journal are somewhat blurred.” The idea for a journal devoted strictly to thyroid disease appears to have been developed by our publisher, Mary Ann Liebert. John Wilber, President of the ATA in 1990, was then approached by Mary Ann and her husband Peter, a pediatric surgeon. John Wilbur and Len Wartofsky pursued the concept and met with Mary Ann Liebert at her offices in New York to sketch out a first contract.
The first issue (Volume 1, Number 1) had a date of publication of 1990 and was a special inaugural issue devoted to the life and achievements of Sidney H. Ingbar who had passed away in 1988. Dr. Wartofsky served as the Special Guest Editor for that first issue.
The fundamental contract with the publisher was subsequently approved by the ATA Council and presented to the membership at the business meeting held at the 10th International Thyroid Congress at The Hague in February 1991. Dr. Wartofsky states, “After considerable animated discussion, the proposal for sponsorship of an official journal of the ATA was approved by a narrow margin.” Shortly thereafter, Dr. Jerome Hershman was selected as the first Editor-in-Chief of Thyroid.
Under Dr. Hershman's stewardship, which lasted from 1990 to 1999, the journal grew rapidly in stature, visibility, and content. Starting initially with four issues per year, the number of issues gradually increased, and in 1998 the first volume with a monthly issue was published.
Thyroid was accepted by MEDLINE in 1990 and by Current Contents in 1992, leading to an important increase in its accessibility. Dr. Terry Davies, well remembered for his frequently thought-provoking editorials, served as second Editor-in-Chief from 2000 to 2007. Under his leadership, Thyroid transitioned to a web-based manuscript processing system, and it also became available online. During the last 5 years (2008–2012), Dr. Charles Emerson's strong leadership has further propelled Thyroid to its present prominence.
The former Editors-in-Chief of Thyroid. From left to right: Dr. Jerome Hershman (1990–1999), Dr. Terry Davies (2000–2007), and Dr. Charles Emerson (2008–2012).
The current position of Thyroid is reflected by its truly global reader- and authorship and its most recent impact factor of 4.792 for the year 2011, which reflects an 11% increase compared to the previous year. This achievement is a testament to the outstanding leadership of our three previous editors, our many excellent authors, and the continuing progress in our field.
The primary goal of Thyroid remains to publish original peer-reviewed clinical and basic research papers, cutting-edge reviews, and authoritative guidelines covering all aspects of thyroidology. The challenge for 2013 and beyond is to build on the past success of our publication and continuously increase the quality of the published manuscripts. Case studies and reports on patients with remarkable features or rare disorders will be limited to contributions that provide novel insights into the underlying pathogenesis or clinical management. Together with our team of editors, I am committed to providing authors with a decision in a timely manner. The team of Associate Editors and Editorial Board members has been expanded in order to reflect the broad spectrum of our field, as well as the international audience and authorship of Thyroid. I extend a warm welcome to our new international, multidisciplinary Associate Editors and Editorial Board Members, and I would also like to acknowledge the expert contributions from the numerous ad hoc reviewers, which are key for a meaningful peer-review process. I wish to emphasize that all accepted manuscripts are immediately published ahead of print on the Liebert Instant Online (LION) system, and that all articles are accessible on tablet computers and smartphones.
I assumed my duties in August 2012, and I wish to thank Charles Emerson, Vicki Cohn and her team at Mary Ann Liebert, and Bobbi Smith and Sharleene Cano in the ATA office for all their support for a seamless transition to my new role as Editor-in-Chief. Last but not least, I thank all readers and contributors for your continuing interest in clinical and/or basic thyroidology and your support of Thyroid. I also encourage all to submit your first-tier work to the journal; it is your contributions that ultimately define the vitality and future of our exciting field and the content and growing success of Thyroid.
Best wishes for a peaceful and fulfilling New Year!
