英國醫學期刊

英國醫學期刊 (British Medical Journal，簡稱BMJ)，是一份在全世界廣受歡迎及閱讀的同行評審性質的綜合醫學期刊。本期刊由BMJ出版集團公司(BMJ Publishing Group Ltd)(屬於英國醫學協會(British Medical Association))所發行，其它相關出版的刊物包括有廣受歡迎的附屬期刊諸如：神經學、神經外科學與精神病醫學期刊(The Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry)，心臟醫學期刊，胸腔醫學期刊(Thorax)，其它的還有，如：學生BMJ期刊(Student BMJ) 主要是為全球醫科學生而發行。

The BMJ is an emphatic advocate of 循證醫學, and publishes original 研究, clinical reviews, news, editorial perspectives, personal views and career focus articles to mention a few. Recently, its readership has witnessed a surge in the number of articles focussing on medical 倫理 and health in developing nations.

The Journal also releases a number of 'theme issues' every year, when it publishes research and review articles pertaining to the theme addressed. Some of the popular theme issues in recent years include 'Health in 非洲', 'Management of Chronic Dieseases' and 'Global Vocies on the 艾滋病 Catastrophe'. Apart from these, a special two-week 'Christmas Issue' is released every year, on the Friday preceding the year's Christmas.

本期刊創刊於1840年為一分地區性的醫學與外科期刊，不過經由其刊出高影響因子的研究論文及獨特的臨床案例報告(case reports)，很快地獲得全世界醫生的青睞。長久以來，它的唯一競爭者是柳葉刀醫學期刊 (同樣是在英國出版)，不過隨著全球化的興起，BMJ已經面臨從其它醫學期刊來的嚴苛競爭，尤其是新英格蘭醫學期刊與JAMA。

BMJ被視為主要的綜合性醫學期刊之一，其它同樣性質的醫學期刊為新英格蘭醫學期刊 (N Engl J Med)，美國醫學協會期刊 (JAMA)及柳葉刀醫學期刊。一些權威機構也把加拿大醫學協會期刊 (CMAJ)及內科醫學年鑒(Annals of Internal Medicine)含括在"核心的"綜合醫學期刊選列裡面，縱然後者只是月刊的發行而不像前者為周刊出版方式。

在2003年本期刊的影響因子為"7.209"。本期刊長久以來不斷的在批評影響因子被濫用，特別是在學術機構於研究人員的聘用上以影響因子作為評選條件之不當。

BMJ目前的編輯為"芬娜·戈里"，在前任編輯李查·史密斯(Richard Smith)於2004年7月退休后她接著繼任。"芬娜·戈里"於2005年2月被任命，而在過渡間期的代理編輯為肯倫·阿貝西(Kamran Abbasi)。

BMJ有四種的文章編輯組織(內容相同不過廣告不同):

一般實習 針對一般實習來編輯。

臨床研究 針對醫院醫師。

國際編輯 針對外國訂戶。

衝擊編輯 針對BMJ的退休人員。

有一些國際編輯也是地區語言版的編輯。

Submission of manuscripts to the BMJ is done via a completely online manuscript processing system called 賓齊出版系統(BenchPress) (史丹佛大學海威出版部(HighWire Press)提供的一種服務). Several authors have welcomed this all-online system, as it removes several cumbersome procedures employed by several other general medical journals while submitting a manusript.

The BMJ has an open 同行評審 system, wherein the authors will be informed who reviewed their manuscripts. About 60 to 65% of all the submissions to the journals are rejected without a peer-review. The acceptance rate is less than 7% for original research articles. Articles chosen for peer-review are first '裁判'(refereed) to experts, who comment on their importance and suitability for 出版 before they are sent for external review.

Decisions for those manuscripts sent for external review are usually reached within eight weeks. If not, the decisions are usually reached within two weeks.

於1995年BMJ全面進行網路發行，並且將1994年開始已發行的期數檔案也全面置於網際網路上。In addition to the print content, supportive material for original research articles, additional news stories, and electronic letters to the editors are its principal attractions. The BMJ website has a remarkable policy of publishing most e-letters to the journal, called 'Rapid Responses', and is shaped like a fully moderated internet forum. However, concerns remain, even among the web-editors of the journal, that this feature may be abused by correspondents who might not want to contribute anything substantial to the topic under discussion. A Firefox/Greasemonkey killfile filter obtainable from 1956 was developed for this reason, to avoid annoyance, by some British doctors.

In the past all content of the BMJ was freely available online; however, it recently (2005年) changed to a subscription model. Original research articles shall continue to be available freely; however, from January 2006, all other contents, including clinical reviews and editorials, shall require a subscription to the website. All access restrictions will be lifted a year after the publication of an issue.

The BMJ, like 新英格蘭醫學期刊, allows complete free access for visitors from economically disadvantaged countries. Of the major general medical journals, only the 加拿大醫學協會期刊(CMAJ) is available under complete open access (i.e. no registration/login is required). The 臨床研究期刊 (J Clin Invest), though not a general medical journal, is a notable biomedical research journal whose entire archive (dating back to 1924年) is available freely online.

BMJ在2004年由英國網路衛報評選為國際網際網路上5大最聲名卓著的健康醫學網站。