The Board of Trustees of The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery has appointed James D. Heckman, M.D, as our new Editor-in-Chief, beginning January 1, 2000. His selection was the result of an intensive national search for a successor to Henry R. Cowell, M.D. Ph.D., who has been Editor since 1985.
We believe that Dr. James Heckman is abundantly and uniquely qualified to lead The Journal into the future. He is an educator with outstanding academic credentials, who, until recently, served as Professor and Chairman of the Department of Orthopaedics and Director of the Orthopaedic Residency Training Program at the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio, Texas. Dr. Heckman is also an experienced editor, who has been an Associate Editor and a Deputy Editor of The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery and has served in various editorial capacities on several other journals. He is a noted investigator and has published many scientific articles. Dr. Heckman has the needed management skills and has demonstrated leadership in roles including the Presidency of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.
As our new Editor, Dr. Heckman will be responsible for maintaining the integrity of The Journal's peer-review and selection process and for renewing and enhancing the historic role that we have played in publishing a premier scientific journal for the good and strength of our specialty. The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery will continue to provide educational material that advances the knowledge of the orthopaedic community. The Journal will respond appropriately to the changes in the practice of medicine and orthopaedics and will strive to be innovative in its methods of publication and dissemination of reliable scientific information.
Dr. Heckman is working closely with the Board of Trustees of The Journal to continue to bring innovation to The Journal's mission, including the publication of more articles, shortening the time from submission to publication, advancing the integration of print and electronic publication that has already been initiated, and expanding the information we provide. The Board supports Dr. Heckman in his initiatives, as it has supported Dr. Cowell during his tenure.
The Board of Trustees began this year with an editorial in the January 1999 issue, paying tribute to Dr. Cowell and looking back at his long and dedicated service to The Journal. We end the year looking forward, with this tribute to our new Editor, Dr. James D. Heckman. The Board has full confidence in Dr. Heckman and in his ability to lead all of us into the future of orthopaedic education and publication and to make The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery ever more valuable as an essential resource for orthopaedic surgeons.
THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Paul J. Hirsch, M.D., Chairman
James R. Urbaniak, M.D., Vice-Chairman
Walter B. Greene, M.D., Treasurer
Michael W. Chapman, M.D., Secretary
Bernard F. Morrey, M.D.
Jesse C. DeLee, M.D.
Stuart L. Weinstein, M.D.