The Sports Physical Therapy Podcast · Mike Reinold

Behind the Scenes of JOSPT with Clare Ardern - Episode 34

May 30, 2023·27 min·2 clips

Clare Ardern shares the three key questions that determine if your research gets published in JOSPT.

This episode features host Mike Reinold interviewing Clare Ardern, the editor-in-chief of the Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy (JOSPT). Ardern discusses her career path and the inner workings of the prestigious journal. She credits her mentorship under Professor Karim Khan, former editor-in-chief of BJSM, for accelerating her editorial career. Ardern highlights several JOSPT initiatives, including the JOSPT Insights podcast and the newly launched open-access journal, JOSPT Open. She also details the journal's rigorous submission process, which receives about 1,000 manuscripts annually with an acceptance rate of only 7-9%. The editorial team prioritizes research that offers a true advance to the field, uses robust methods, and has immediate clinical impact. Ardern expresses frustration with systematic reviews whose sole conclusion is "we need more research," arguing they lack clinical utility for JOSPT's audience. A key insight is Ardern's emphasis that manuscript rejection is common and not necessarily a reflection of research quality. She reveals the editorial team's three guiding questions for evaluating submissions: Is the research new, is it true, and will it change clinical practice tomorrow? Personally, Ardern recently completed an Oxford University course on women's leadership and has embraced indoor cycling on Zwift following a knee injury. She advises early-career professionals that career growth is normal and imposter syndrome is common. The tone is conversational and educational, blending professional insights with personal anecdotes. Listeners gain a clear behind-the-scenes look at academic publishing. This episode is ideal for sports physical therapists, researchers, and students interested in publishing or understanding JOSPT's editorial direction. Those with no interest in academic research or sports medicine might find the content too niche.

As heard by us

A grounded look at JOSPT from inside the journal.

Claire Ardern offers a clear look at how JOSPT works, and that is the real pull here. The discussion moves past standard journal talk and into submission volume, acceptance pressure, editorial choices, and the simple point that a rejection does not mean the research is bad.

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Why you'd press play

See how JOSPT decisions get made, and what editors want from authors.

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