Do doctors still read medical journals? Yes, they do. But they may not be reading a printed journal from cover to cover like in years past. Just as medical science and practice continue to evolve, so has the delivery of clinical research and other medical content.

Physicians now have more choices to access peer-reviewed research than ever before. Many medical journals have become specialized, while publishing houses and medical societies have expanded their notion of what a journal can and should be. 

In addition to print issues, today’s top medical journals include comprehensive websites with digital storehouses and downloadable apps for easier access to the information. Videos, webinars, podcasts and other elements have also been added to illuminate the research findings or focus on key topics.

So, with thousands of medical journals continuing to pump out original research, reviews and opinions, which journals should physicians be reading?

The following lists highlight some of best medical journals across specialties, based on impact factor, citations and other measurements of influence.¹ 

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50 Leading Journals Across Medical Specialties

5 Top Medical Journals - General/Multiple Specialties

These prestigious journals have been publishing clinical research and practice articles for decades—or even centuries. Many now have “spin-off” journals on specific topics relating to medical specialties, with some highlighted in the lists below.

• New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) (since 1812) – The flagship of the NEJM Group, owned and published by the Massachusetts Medical Society.
• JAMA - Journal of the American Medical Association (since 1883) – Published by the American Medical Association, and headlining the JAMA Network of journals.
• The Lancet (since 1823) – Celebrating its 200^th year of publication in 2023. Published by Elsevier, with 24 journals across The Lancet Group.
• The BMJ - British Medical Journal (since 1840) – Published by BMJ, a wholly owned subsidiary of the British Medical Association. 
• Nature Medicine (since 1995) – Part of the Nature Portfolio, published by Nature Publishing Group.

See Also

Artificial Intelligence in Medicine: A 2023 Update for Physicians

5 Top Internal Medicine Journals

• Annals of Internal Medicine – American College of Physicians 
• The Lancet Diabetes and Endocrinology – Elsevier 
• JAMA Internal Medicine – American Medical Association 
• Journal of Internal Medicine – Wiley, on behalf of the Association for Publication of JIM 
• Hypertension – Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, on behalf of the American Heart Association

5 Top Family Practice Journals

• Annals of Family Medicine – Annals of Family Medicine, Inc. 
• BMC Primary Care – BioMed Central 
• Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine – American Board of Family Medicine 
• BJGP - British Journal of General Practice – Royal College of General Practitioners
• Family Medicine – Society of Teachers of Family Medicine (Official Journal)

5 Top Pediatrics Journals

• JAMA Pediatrics – American Medical Association 
• The Lancet: Child and Adolescent Health – Elsevier
• Pediatrics – American Academy of Pediatrics (Official Journal) 
• Journal of Adolescent Health – Elsevier, Official Journal of the Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine 
• The Journal of Pediatrics – Elsevier

5 Top OB/GYN Journals

• Human Reproduction Update  – Oxford University Press 
• American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology – Elsevier
• Human Reproduction – Oxford University Press 
• Obstetrics & Gynecology – Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; Official Journal of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists 
• Ultrasound in Obstetrics & Gynecology – Wiley; Official Journal of the International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology 

5 Top Gastroenterology Journals

• Gut – BMJ Publishing Group 
• Gastroenterology – W.B. Saunders, Official Journal of the AGA Institute 
• American Journal of Gastroenterology – Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, on behalf of the American College of Gastroenterology (ACG) 
• Nature Reviews Gastroenterology & Hepatology – Nature Publishing Group 
• Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology – Elsevier, on behalf of the American Gastroenterological Association

5 Top Oncology Journals

• CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians – Wiley, for the American Cancer Society
• The Lancet Oncology – Elsevier 
• Journal of Clinical Oncology – Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, for the American Society of Clinical Oncology 
• Nature Reviews Clinical Oncology – Nature Publishing Group
• JAMA Oncology – American Medical Association

5 Top Psychiatry Journals

• JAMA Psychiatry – American Medical Association 
• World Psychiatry – Wiley; Official Journal of the World Psychiatric Association
• American Journal of Psychiatry - American Psychiatric Association Publishing, Inc. 
• The Lancet Psychiatry – Elsevier 
• Alzheimer’s & Dementia – Wiley, Journal of the Alzheimer’s Association

5 Top Cardiology Journals

• Journal of the American College of Cardiology – Elsevier, for the American College of Cardiology
• Circulation – Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, for the American Heart Association
• JAMA Cardiology – American Medical Association
• Nature Reviews Cardiology – Nature Publishing Group
• European Journal of Heart Failure – Wiley, for the Heart Failure Association of the European Society of Cardiology

5 Top Surgery Journals

• Annals of Surgery – Lippincott Williams & Wilkins
• JAMA Surgery – American Medical Association
• International Journal of Surgery – Lippincott Williams & Wilkins
• Journal of Vascular Surgery – Mosby, for the Society for Vascular Surgery
• Journal of the American College of Surgeons – Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, for ACS

¹Source: SJR (Scimago Journal and Country Rank)

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