Healthcare News and Trends
50 Top Medical Journals by Medical Specialty
June 18, 2018
Updated June 7, 2023
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
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 200th 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.
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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