Reimagining The Journal Local Feel with Global Appeal.

Mohit Bhandari

FRCSC, PhD

Distinguished University Professor, Chair of Surgery, McMaster University

View More

Marc Swiontkowski

MD, FAOA

Professor, University of Minnesota

In this OrthoJoe episode, the discussion pivots from clinical evidence to editorial strategy, as Mark Swiontkowski interviews Mo Bhandari about reimagining JBJS for a more complex, global, attention-constrained era. Bhandari outlines a structural shift from subspecialty deputy editors to a tiered model—executive editors focused on cross-cutting strategy, senior editors linking strategy to operations, and associate editors anchoring peer review—aimed at improving coordination and “stress testing” decisions through frequent, candid feedback loops. He frames globalization as essential to claiming leadership in musculoskeletal evidence: a journal cannot be “global” without globally representative editors, authors, and lived engagement, drawing parallels to multicenter trial building where trust is earned by showing up. The conversation also introduces a renewed approach to special issues, prioritizing themes every orthopaedic clinician should track (e.g., infection, AI) to sustain relevance across subspecialties, paired with visual/branding choices designed to compete in an “attention economy.”