Reviewers

Policy Related to Reviewers- Gulf Journal of Medical Sciences

Reviewer Eligibility Criteria

Reviewers must demonstrate recognized expertise in medical, clinical, biomedical, or health sciences, including but not limited to medicine, public health, nursing, pharmacy, laboratory sciences, biomedical research, epidemiology, or related clinical and translational disciplines. Eligibility requirements include:

  • Authorship of peer-reviewed research with clear scientific, clinical, or translational impact in medical or health-related fields.

  • Demonstrated ability to critically evaluate study design, clinical methodologies, laboratory techniques, statistical analyses, data integrity, and interpretation of results.

  • Active involvement in academic research, clinical practice, healthcare delivery, or biomedical innovation within relevant domains.

  • Full independence from the submitting authors, with no academic, professional, or financial conflicts of interest.

Reviewer Selection and Appointment Process

Reviewer selection is selective, competitive, and strictly merit-based. Editors identify and assess reviewers based on subject-matter expertise, publication record, methodological competence, and relevance to the manuscript topic.

  • Reviewer appointments are made exclusively through direct editorial invitation.

  • There are no open calls, self-nominations, or standing reviewer pools.

  • Each appointment applies to a specific manuscript and a defined review period.

Reviewer Roles and Evaluation Responsibilities

Reviewers provide objective, rigorous, and constructive evaluations of submitted manuscripts. Their responsibilities include:

  • Assessing the originality, scientific merit, and clinical relevance of medical and biomedical research.

  • Evaluating methodological rigor, including study design, patient selection, interventions, outcome measures, laboratory procedures, and statistical analyses.

  • Reviewing ethical compliance, including institutional approvals, informed consent, patient safety, and data confidentiality.

  • Providing clear, structured, and evidence-based feedback to inform editorial decisions regarding acceptance, revision, or rejection.

Ethical Standards and Verification

Reviewers are required to uphold the highest standards of medical research and publication ethics, including:

  • Strict maintenance of confidentiality throughout the peer-review process.

  • Full disclosure of any actual or potential conflicts of interest.

  • Compliance with international guidelines for biomedical research and peer review ethics.

  • Formal documentation of reviewer appointments and completed reviews.

  • Issuance of official certificates and invitation letters reflecting verified and completed reviewer service.