Got asked to review a journal as a med student

[qw098]

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I am a 4th yr medical student and was asked to review a case report...

Is this normal? Or is it a scam/phishing? Are there any benefits for me?

I received the following e-mail yesterday - no idea how they got my e-mail:

I used "XXXX" to hide personal information.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ms. Ref. No.: XXXX-XXXXXXX
Title: Case Report
Journal of XXXXX

Dear Dr. XXXXXX,

Given your expertise in this area, I would appreciate your comments on the above paper. I have included the abstract of the manuscript below to provide you with an overview.

If you accept this invitation, your comments will be due by Aug 17, 2016. If you are unable to act as a reviewer at this time, I would greatly appreciate your suggestions for alternate reviewers.

To accept this invitation, please click here:

XXXXXXXXXX

To decline this invitation, please click here:

XXXXXXXXXX

Alternatively, to register your response using the Elsevier Editorial System please do the following:

XXXXXXXXXX

I look forward to hearing from you in the near future.

As a reviewer you are entitled to complimentary access to Scopus and ScienceDirect for 30 days. Full instructions and details will be provided upon accepting this invitation to review.

Yours sincerely,

XXXXXXXXX, MD
Associate Editor
"Journal Name"

 

[Redpancreas]

I am a 4th yr medical student and was asked to review a case report...

Is this normal? Or is it a scam/phishing? Are there any benefits for me?

I received the following e-mail yesterday - no idea how they got my e-mail:

I used "XXXX" to hide personal information.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ms. Ref. No.: XXXX-XXXXXXX
Title: Case Report
Journal of XXXXX

Dear Dr. XXXXXX,

Given your expertise in this area, I would appreciate your comments on the above paper. I have included the abstract of the manuscript below to provide you with an overview.

If you accept this invitation, your comments will be due by Aug 17, 2016. If you are unable to act as a reviewer at this time, I would greatly appreciate your suggestions for alternate reviewers.

To accept this invitation, please click here:

XXXXXXXXXX

To decline this invitation, please click here:

XXXXXXXXXX

Alternatively, to register your response using the Elsevier Editorial System please do the following:

XXXXXXXXXX

I look forward to hearing from you in the near future.

As a reviewer you are entitled to complimentary access to Scopus and ScienceDirect for 30 days. Full instructions and details will be provided upon accepting this invitation to review.

Yours sincerely,

XXXXXXXXX, MD
Associate Editor
"Journal Name"

Can't answer your question but why were you labeled as someone with an area of expertise in so and so area?


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile

 

[qw098]

Can't answer your question but why were you labeled as someone with an area of expertise in so and so area?


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile

No idea, I was wondering the same.

 

[cbrons]

No idea, I was wondering the same.

Just go with it.

Send them the message, "I think this paper is rather shallow and pedantic."

Sent from my SM-N910P using SDN mobile

 

[sunnysnow7]

It is not uncommon to receive these requests if you have papers in the PubMed database. You can go ahead and review the paper if you like, but it won't help your CV.

I've reviewed a few here and there that I thought were interesting. Not a bad way to kill a few hours if you're bored.

Hope that helps.

 

[Okazaki Frag Grenade]

Just go with it.

Send them the message, "I think this paper is rather shallow and pedantic."

Sent from my SM-N910P using SDN mobile

It insists upon itself


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile

 

[Goro]

Go to pubmed and see if the journal is in there. I'll bet it's not.

Ask your school's Librarians if they can find out if this is a predatory journal. This is what I suspect. My Inbox gets one of these solicitations a day, asking me to submit a manuscript (for which there are huge publication charges...that's how they make their money. They're like the Caribbean medical schools or scientific publishing.)

Do a google maps search on the publisher. If it's a private house (which you can see using street view) , that's another tipoff. Ditto addresses in India.

 

[doc05]

what journal?

 

[Merely]

What's the paper about that they would think you have an expertise?

 

[deleted707454]

Antarctica Journal of Mathematics? Was the email written in Comic Sans? http://www.domainsmoon.com/ajm.html

 

[PanzerTank00]

OP, many of these posters are salty and hating because they have not been in this position to be asked to review a paper (and likely never will) - classic SDN. I am now an intern but was asked to be a reviewer twice in medical school and three more times now in intern year. And yes, these were in well known, upper-tier journals within my subspecialty. Usually, they were journals where I had submitted work to or published in but I sometimes got cold-called from related journals. I assume it was because of publishing in the field of interest.

As long as it is actually a reputable journal I would say its a great thing to become involved in if you have the time. The peer review process is instrumental to research and advancing medical practice in every specialty. Take your time and carefully review the paper. Plus, you can list it on your CV under Editorial Service - "Consultant reviewer - Journal of Y". I think it is a small component of a well-rounded academic portfolio, but it's never too early to get involved.

 

[themockjock]

OP, many of these posters are salty and hating because they have not been in this position to be asked to review a paper (and likely never will) - classic SDN. I am now an intern but was asked to be a reviewer twice in medical school and three more times now in intern year. And yes, these were in well known, upper-tier journals within my subspecialty. Usually, they were journals where I had submitted work to or published in but I sometimes got cold-called from related journals. I assume it was because of publishing in the field of interest.

As long as it is actually a reputable journal I would say its a great thing to become involved in if you have the time. The peer review process is instrumental to research and advancing medical practice in every specialty. Take your time and carefully review the paper. Plus, you can list it on your CV under Editorial Service - "Consultant reviewer - Journal of Y". I think it is a small component of a well-rounded academic portfolio, but it's never too early to get involved.

Uh wut?

As a resident I have reviewed papers in "big" journals in my field, yes.

But wayyyyy more often than that, I get e-mails something along the lines of "Dear Dr. MockJock, thanks to your esteemed prestige in the field of pediatric neuroendocrinology [Hint: I am a surgical resident], we would invite you to review a paper in the brand-new "Bangalore Journal of Pediatric Endocrine... And Stuff," To begin the review process, simply click here. While you are at it, we would like you to submit a plenary address to the "First Annual Shanghai Conference on Pediatric Advances and Such" on a topic of your choosing. Yes it is in Shanghai and no we will not pay for your airfare, but please come. Please."

So if you're asked to review for JAMA, get all on that ****. If you're asked to review a paper for the "New International Journal of Medicine and Disease and General Health And Stuff (Now open access!!!!!!!)" don't waste your time. I don't think asking if the e-mail sounds legit and then replying that it doesn't is "classic SDN" for raising red flags regarding predatory journals.

 

[PanzerTank00]

Uh wut?

As a resident I have reviewed papers in "big" journals in my field, yes.

But wayyyyy more often than that, I get e-mails something along the lines of "Dear Dr. MockJock, thanks to your esteemed prestige in the field of pediatric neuroendocrinology [Hint: I am a surgical resident], we would invite you to review a paper in the brand-new "Bangalore Journal of Pediatric Endocrine... And Stuff," To begin the review process, simply click here. While you are at it, we would like you to submit a plenary address to the "First Annual Shanghai Conference on Pediatric Advances and Such" on a topic of your choosing. Yes it is in Shanghai and no we will not pay for your airfare, but please come. Please."

So if you're asked to review for JAMA, get all on that ****. If you're asked to review a paper for the "New International Journal of Medicine and Disease and General Health And Stuff (Now open access!!!!!!!)" don't waste your time. I don't think asking if the e-mail sounds legit and then replying that it doesn't is "classic SDN" for raising red flags regarding predatory journals.

That's why I said "reputable journal"

 

[mistafab]

THIS IS A SCAM

I worked in research - if you have published anything in your life you will be inundated with this type of scam/spam from publishing mills.

Please never answer unsolicited emails from "journals" looking for your "expertise."

Everyone in the know knows that you are a know-it-all who knows nothing (wrote it that way just for fun).

Srs though, if you are in the research game, you can spot these.

 

[Psai]

OP, many of these posters are salty and hating because they have not been in this position to be asked to review a paper (and likely never will) - classic SDN. I am now an intern but was asked to be a reviewer twice in medical school and three more times now in intern year. And yes, these were in well known, upper-tier journals within my subspecialty. Usually, they were journals where I had submitted work to or published in but I sometimes got cold-called from related journals. I assume it was because of publishing in the field of interest.

As long as it is actually a reputable journal I would say its a great thing to become involved in if you have the time. The peer review process is instrumental to research and advancing medical practice in every specialty. Take your time and carefully review the paper. Plus, you can list it on your CV under Editorial Service - "Consultant reviewer - Journal of Y". I think it is a small component of a well-rounded academic portfolio, but it's never too early to get involved.

? Upper tier journals within your subspecialty of being a medical student?

 

[ACSurgeon]

I am a 4th yr medical student and was asked to review a case report...

Is this normal? Or is it a scam/phishing? Are there any benefits for me?

I received the following e-mail yesterday - no idea how they got my e-mail:

I used "XXXX" to hide personal information.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ms. Ref. No.: XXXX-XXXXXXX
Title: Case Report
Journal of XXXXX

Dear Dr. XXXXXX,

Given your expertise in this area, I would appreciate your comments on the above paper. I have included the abstract of the manuscript below to provide you with an overview.

If you accept this invitation, your comments will be due by Aug 17, 2016. If you are unable to act as a reviewer at this time, I would greatly appreciate your suggestions for alternate reviewers.

To accept this invitation, please click here:

XXXXXXXXXX

To decline this invitation, please click here:

XXXXXXXXXX

Alternatively, to register your response using the Elsevier Editorial System please do the following:

XXXXXXXXXX

I look forward to hearing from you in the near future.

As a reviewer you are entitled to complimentary access to Scopus and ScienceDirect for 30 days. Full instructions and details will be provided upon accepting this invitation to review.

Yours sincerely,

XXXXXXXXX, MD
Associate Editor
"Journal Name"

If they addressed you as Dr. XXXX and you're still a student, maybe they have the wrong person?

 

[PanzerTank00]

? Upper tier journals within your subspecialty of being a medical student?

Yes. When you actually publish a few things other than 7500 posts on SDN, particularly in one journal and in a certain field, editors may solicit you for your expertise as it relates to that topic or field. People spent their precious time and money to be peer reviewers for work you submit and you are expected to do the same for others. It is how the scientific community works.

As a made up example, if you are the first author on a series of papers on the cost effectiveness of colorectal cancer screening in Annals of Surgical Oncology, the editors may ask you to review the next paper that comes in on a modified staging system for colonic adenocarcinoma.

 

[Psai]

Yes. When you actually publish a few things other than 7500 posts on SDN, particularly in one journal and in a certain field, editors may solicit you for your expertise as it relates to that topic or field. People spent their precious time and money to be peer reviewers for work you submit and you are expected to do the same for others. It is how the scientific community works.

As a made up example, if you are the first author on a series of papers on the cost effectiveness of colorectal cancer screening in Annals of Surgical Oncology, the editors may ask you to review the next paper that comes in on a modified staging system for colonic adenocarcinoma.

But you're on sdn too? And my name is on publications?

Please get over yourself, thanks.

 

[Taddy Mason]

And my name is on publications?

So you're not sure if you have pubs?

Please get over yourself, thanks.

The irony is too much.

 

[Goro]

This is indeed how things happen in the real world of academic publishing. One can also be asked to submit a review article on your area of expertise.

I always google "predatory journal" AND the name of the journal sending me the invite (if it's unknown to me). I also look to see if the journal is in Pubmed. If so, it's legit.

Yes. When you actually publish a few things other than 7500 posts on SDN, particularly in one journal and in a certain field, editors may solicit you for your expertise as it relates to that topic or field. People spent their precious time and money to be peer reviewers for work you submit and you are expected to do the same for others. It is how the scientific community works.

As a made up example, if you are the first author on a series of papers on the cost effectiveness of colorectal cancer screening in Annals of Surgical Oncology, the editors may ask you to review the next paper that comes in on a modified staging system for colonic adenocarcinoma.