Download PDF - The Dermatologist

Getting Published
author and may pick up the expenses
of producing the poster and of registering
for the meeting itself.
As the written material makes its
transition to final format—article,
book, poster, live presentation—
authors are cautioned to be meticulous
about references. Bibliographic references
are an important component of
many publications.
“References have to be precise.
Use the format specified by the publisher
or let your editorial assistant help
you. Most authors tend to under-reference
rather than over-reference, so
when in doubt, add the citation. You
never know what physician will need
and use that reference later on.” Moore
encourages all dermatologists with an
interest in publication to find a computer
software program that will automatically
format references or convert
citations from one format to another.
Part of the burden of creating adequate
references is the gracious art of
giving credit where credit is due. A
solid bibliography is less an act of
scholarly discipline than an acknowledgement
of others whose work has
influenced the author.
WHAT TO EXPECT
Much material that gets published
in the world of scholarly dermatology
involves a stringent review process,
usually by other experts in the field.
They are free to analyze and critique
anything from the data to the illustrations
to the wording of a particular
sentence.
“You can’t be thin-skinned as an
author,” Moore advised. “Fortunately,
the peer-review process is a great
safety net for us, and most authors
come to respect the process.The most
onerous part of review is the time it
takes. Depending on the publication,
it can take weeks or even months for
a finished article to get through
review. That can be hard on the
author and others who want to see
the material in print.”
Even after an article is accepted
for publication, it can take many
more months before it actually
appears.“That’s why I like poster presentations
so much,” Moore commented.
“It’s a fast-track to get the
ideas published and into discussion.”
Presentations and even continuing
medical education (CME) activities
can also net faster results than the traditional
journal article.
Another trajectory for a physicianauthor
is to initially develop a live presentation
that later becomes a poster or
an article. Most dermatologists who
enter the world of publishing find it
engaging, rewarding, and invigorating,
once they learn the ropes.
“Physician Resources strives to
continue to raise awareness of the
important role of the dermatologist,”
Stacey Moore said about her business,
which opened two years ago and works
only with dermatologists.“We want to
help facilitate the process of communicating
the latest ideas in dermatologic
treatment and prevention. It is my hope
that this will ultimately impact the dermatologic
patient in a positive way to
enhance his or her care.” ■
Jo Ann LeQuang is a freelance medical
writer based in Angleton, Texas. Contact
Jo Ann at LeQ Medical, 1216 N.Velasco
Street, Suite J, Angleton, TX 77515;
telephone 979-864-4479; fax 979-864-
3930; e-mail joann@leqmedical.com.