Focus and Scope
The Puerto Rico Health Sciences Journal (PRHSJ) is the scientific journal of the University of Puerto Rico Medical Sciences Campus. It was founded in 1982 as a vehicle for the publication of reports on scientific research conducted in-campus, Puerto Rico and abroad. All published work is original and peer-reviewed. The PRHSJ is included in PubMed, SCOPUS, Latindex, EBSCO, SHERPA/RoMEO, and Journal Citation Reports (Clarivate Analytics). All papers are published both online and in hard copy. From its beginning, the PRHSJ is being published regularly four times a year. The scope of the journal includes a range of medical, dental, public health, pharmaceutical and biosocial sciences research. The journal publishes full-length articles, brief reports, special articles, reviews, editorials, case reports, clinical images, and letters arising from published material. Manuscript submission and other information regarding the journal are available online at https://prhsj.rcm.upr.edu.
Peer Review Process
The final decision regarding a submitted manuscript is based primarily upon the opinions of two reviewers, one associate editor, and the editor-in-chief. Invitations to review are emailed by the editors. Reviewers are asked to complete the manuscript evaluation and submit their comments by three weeks after accepting to review.
Reviewers’ comments should be as complete, detailed and helpful as possible. Reviewers rate the manuscript for originality, scientific relevance and presentation and make a recommendation about its suitability for publication. Comments are provided in two forms: as confidential comments for the editors and as open comments to be shared with the authors.
Comments to the editors should focus on whether the paper is (1) informative, interesting, important, novel, clear (carefully and well-written), and likely to be of interest to a substantial portion of the readership, and (2) valid in its methods and justified in its conclusions.
When preparing comments to the authors, assessment should be expressed in an objective and neutral tone. Reviews include an initial paragraph summarizing major findings presented and the reviewer's overall comments on major strengths and limitations of the manuscript. In the main part of the review comments should be numbered and separated into major and minor criticisms. The numbering of comments facilitates the editor's evaluation of the manuscript and the authors’ response.
Open Access Policy
This journal provides immediate open access to its content on the principle that making research freely available to the public supports a greater global exchange of knowledge.