Just before the International Congress in Sydney in September 2014, the MDS announced that it was seeking editors for a new journal the society intended to launch in partnership with Wiley, the publisher of the society’s flagship journal, the Movement Disorders journal. This announcement was made under the presidency of Matt Stern, with Christopher Goetz chairing the Publication Oversight Committee. From our standpoint, we had been given very little information in this call for editors; however, we both submitted our applications. In retrospect, we now realize we were largely unaware of what this opportunity entailed and how it would significantly alter both our academic and personal lives.
The Sydney International Congress was a remarkable meeting in a fantastic city. There was no official information about the candidates, the finalists selected for the interviews, or the panel conducting them. There was much gossip, but none of us were aware of each other's applications. The interviews were scheduled for 5:30 p.m. in a small room on a lower floor of the faculty hotel, with a mysterious list of candidates. Each of us was invited at different times, making it impossible to overlap; however, a group of outstanding colleagues and good friends crossed paths in the corridor. Both of us surely left with different expectations. The interviews were cordial yet very formal. It was impressive for us how a group of long-time friends could nevertheless objectively conduct these interviews with such a professionalism.
For the readers of this article, it would be nearly impossible to list, in hierarchical order, all the actions and decisions necessary to start a journal from the ground up. This includes everything from deciding the scope of the journal to seemingly superficial choices regarding color combinations, fonts, and cover designs, as well as the intricate architecture of article types, their proportions, writing the instructions for authors, creating templates for decision letters, selecting the editorial board, establishing its rules, and managing the paperwork required by governmental organizations. Last but not least, figuring out how the decision-making process will be handled with the participation of two editors and ensuring that the journal has a personality that all clinicians will want to read is likely the most challenging aspect.
The story from then to now is well known to us all. As of September 1, 2024, MDCP has received approximately 840 submissions, averaging about 105 submissions per month. This marks a significant increase compared to the same time frame last year, when the journal received 640 submissions, averaging 82 per month. The upward trend in submissions is encouraging, showing a 28% increase in just eight months compared to the previous year's total submissions. While the numbers have not reached the submission rates experienced during the pandemic, they indicate a continuing growth trajectory. If this trend persists, we are well on track to achieve a record of over 1,000 submissions this year.
Since its inception in 2014, the acceptance rate for MDCP has dropped and currently stands at around 30%. In terms of engagement, MDCP articles have achieved 1,000,000 full-text views in 2024, reflecting a significant increase of 51% from 2022. This increase outpaces the 17.5% rise observed across all Wiley journals in the neurology area. Additionally, MDCP articles have received a total of 622 mentions over the past six months, primarily across social media and news media platforms. Overall, these metrics demonstrate MDCP's growing relevance and impact in the field, underscoring its success in attracting both submissions and readership. It is hard not to see MDCP cited in every Movement Disorder meeting around the world, or to miss its iconic red tables in presentations.
After being listed in PubMed, the number of submissions skyrocketed, prompting us to decide whether to include associate editors or to increase our own workload to the limit, potentially compromising our clinical and research activities. We chose to continue as we were until new editors joined, so as not to lose the personality and scope of this still-young journal while maintaining a clear line regarding the types of articles that MDCP publishes. We felt it was essential to establish strong foundations before taking that step.
Working together has been incredible, marked by close, almost daily communication, hours of work each week, multiple calls, and in-person meetings—even receiving submissions on Sundays and Christmas Day. The publication wheel never stops.
We have always put ourselves in the shoes of both authors and readers. We have learned a great deal from reading the reviewers' comments. Above all, we have enjoyed this work and collected numerous anecdotes that we may want to compile someday. This journey has fostered a strong friendship between us.
We believe we are leaving the Movement Disorders community a journal that everyone wants to read—a journal that educates the younger generation, inspires clinical researchers, and informs experts. MDCP stands as a fair international journal committed to open correspondence and a space for constructive criticism.
The list of acknowledgments we owe over these ten years is vast, and while it is difficult to name individuals without being unfair, we cannot overlook our families for their support, as MDCP has been a consistent presence throughout our weekends and holidays.
We leave the MDCP in very good hands, and from now on, we will enjoy it from the other side of the desk as readers and authors.
We extend our heartfelt thanks to the Movement Disorders Society for granting us the opportunity to be part of this remarkable journey.