IJPGD: The journey so far and the path ahead

We are pleased to bring out the first issue of the Indian Journal of Postgraduate Dermatology (IJPGD), an official publication of the Indian Association of Dermatologists, Venereologists and Leprologists (IADVL) and the first dermatology journal focussed on postgraduates. It is worthwhile to mention here that dermatology postgraduate strength has tremendously increased in the country over past few years and about 25% of IADVL members are either postgraduate students or teachers. Hence, there has been an unmet need to have a journal from the association with a special emphasis on postgraduates and dermatology teaching. Although the idea was floated much before, the proposal to start IJPGD, as the third official journal of the IADVL (after Indian Journal of Dermatology, Venereology and Leprology and Indian Dermatology Online Journal), was finally approved in the closing year annual general body meeting of IADVL during DERMACON 2022, at Jaipur. Following this, the deliberations to choose a publisher were started and after taking quotes from different publishers, Scientific Scholar was unanimously decided on by the Editorial board and IADVL Executive Committee, and an agreement with them was subsequently finalised. Galderma pharmaceuticals offered, and was accepted, to be an academic partner for the first 2 years.

IJPGD is a bi-annual journal, online and print, open-access and peer-reviewed journal which aims to promote research and publishing amongst dermatology residents. Publications are now an important part of postgraduate curriculum, apart from being required for applications for senior residency, fellowships, scholarships and teaching positions, and to build a strong resume. Publications are also an important criterion for selection for IADVL academic activities/projects such as research grants/ Special Interest groups and academy membership//editorship/awards/orations.

Submissions in IJPGD are however not restricted to residents, and we encourage medical college faculty as well as practitioners to contribute to the growth of the journal. The scope of the journal has been kept broad and medical education is an important component of it. IJPGD encourages submission of manuscripts covering all aspects of dermatology, venereology and leprology, including dermatosurgery and procedural dermatology. Different sections included in the journal are the postgraduate thesis section, original research section, research methodology and ethics, medical education, teaching-learning methods, innovations, ideas, etc. We have made a special section for residents (Resident’s forum) and one for faculty (Faculty’s forum) which invite specified contributions (Please see author instructions at https://ijpgderma.org/). The best articles published in categories of postgraduate thesis section, original article, resident’s forum, review article and case report/series will also be awarded during Dermacon each year.

A quick peer review and decision-making process are a priority for the journal and an accepted article will be put up on the journal website within 2 weeks of acceptance. We hope to get the journal indexed on PubMed and other relevant indexing sites within the next 2 years, and till then, the articles published in the journal shall be given equal weightage for IADVL grants/scholarships/observerships, etc., as decided by IADVL Executive Committee 2022.

We have on board with us an excellent team of faculty from medical colleges across the country to guide the progress of the journal and uphold high standards. The journal is in a nascent stage, and we look forward to valuable contributions from the fraternity for its growth. Finally, we hope that IJPGD fulfils the objectives envisioned and provides a platform for postgraduates to learn and hone their publication skills.

‘Let us create brilliance together!’