The role and ambitions of a trainee editor

My name is Babu Karavadra, and I am currently an ST5 registrar in obstetrics and gynaecology in the East of England and an Honorary Lecturer at the University of East Anglia. The aim of this editorial is to provide our readers with more insight on the role of a trainee editor to Post Reproductive Health. This is the first journal that I have had the privilege of being a trainee editor for. I also wanted to use this opportunity to engage other trainees alike into the field of post reproductive health and encourage them to undertake their own research and submit research articles.

To provide some background, I have completed my clinical training to date in the East of England. As a Clinical Research Fellow, I completed a PhD in endometriosis. My thesis particularly focussed on the delays to diagnosis of endometriosis and non-invasive ways of optimising a diagnosis. This was an excellent opportunity to gain significant insight into different research methodology, but also to meet other like-minded individuals who were committed to improving women’s healthcare. I have had the opportunity to contribute as an invited peer reviewer for BMJ Open, PLOS ONE, Frontiers Endocrinology, BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth, BMC Medical Research Methodology and Population Medicine. In addition, my role as the co-chair of the UK Audit and Research Collaborative in Obstetrics and Gynaecology (UKARCOG) means that I am in contact with other trainees who have a strong interest in research and audit. The role involves discussing research or audit proposals from other trainee’s and finding ways to support and encourage individuals to engage. My collective experiences from these roles encouraged me to apply for the trainee editor post.

The role of a trainee editor is wide and varied and provides an excellent opportunity to engage with the editorial team as well as other researchers on a national and international level.

I am involved in inviting reviewers for manuscripts and am also actively involved in peer-reviewing submissions and considering the strengths and weaknesses of a manuscript, its original contribution and making a recommendation to the Editors in Chief on its acceptability. Through my role as UKARCOG co-chair and involvement on several RCOG committees as trainee representative (Academic Board, Abortion Care Task and Finish Group and Gynaecology Simulation Task and Finish Group), I work closely with other trainees to identify and explore any specific training needs and make specific recommendations to the senior editorial team on any themed topics relevant to this.

As a trainee editor, I have been encouraged to suggest a special edition themed issue and hope to progress ‘endometriosis in the post reproductive years’. Following the menopause, whilst a large percentage of individuals with endometriosis may notice symptomatic improvement, there are still specific unmet care needs that should be considered for this group of patients, in both primary and secondary care. The suggested themed issue would be aimed to further educate a broad range of healthcare professionals in primary and secondary care. In adopting a collaborative approach, I hope to encourage clinicians, social scientists, psychologists’, students, and a wide range of other professionals to contribute to the issue.

I hope that through my role as trainee editor, I will be able to encourage other trainees to be actively involved in the field of post reproductive healthcare. A significant proportion of post reproductive healthcare is provided in primary care and services offered in secondary care are often very specialised and limited in how often they are offered. As a result, trainees in Obstetrics and Gynaecology appear to have limited exposure to the specific aspects of post reproductive healthcare in the secondary care setting. It is hoped that the material from this journal will further spark interest amongst trainees and encourage them to take up the Advanced Training Skills Module in Menopause care. As the UKARCOG co-chair, I work very closely with the British Undergraduate Society of Obstetrics and Gynaecology (BUSOG) and hope to encourage students to get involved in research at an early stage of their career in this important area of medicine.

I am happy to be contacted anytime for any queries or suggestions for manuscript ideas.