About the Journal

Focus and Scope

Revista Medica Electronica is a specialized scientific publication, conceived for researchers, academics, students and other social actors that integrate the professional sector or remain linked to areas related with the health field, both in Cuba, Latin America and the rest of the world, to publish and share the results of their researches and other documents related to their scientific work. It is published by Matanzas University of Medical Sciences, (Universidad de Ciencias Médicas de Matanzas), in collaboration with the Medical Sciences Publishing House (Editorial  Ciencias Médicas), Cuba, and is registered under ISSN 1684-1824 and RNPS 1819.

Mission

To manage the quality publication of Revista Médica Electrónica, of Matanzas, having a hard-working, competent and responsible human capital, which contribute to satisfying the scientific information and dissemination needs of the professionals of the health system and others, applying advanced technologies that contribute to the sustainable development of the nation.

Vision

We are Revista Médica Electrónica, from Matanzas, which combines quality and excellence in carrying out the information and dissemination processes to the national and international community. Its human capital stands out for its high performance, commitment and for the responsible application of the new technologies that contribute to the sustainable development of the country and positively impact on the health of the population.

Scope and objectives

The journal has a broad publication profile and considers those papers that are related to basic biomedical sciences, clinical and pathological sciences, surgical sciences, epidemiologic and health sciences, technological sciences related to human health, dentistry, nursing, human capital formation for health, historical sciences and social sciences related to health, and also medical sciences and bibliometric and scientometric studies, among other areas and disciplines that are linked to health and health services.

The article must conform to the standards established for the typologies accepted by the journal, which are: original articles, short communications, review articles, opinion articles; presentations of cases, letters to the director or letters from the director and editorials.

Among its main objectives, the publication aims to present an academic space, of national and international repercussion, which allows the dissemination and promotion of research on health-related topics, and also the scientific criticism, reflection and debate about these issues.

 

Peer Review Process

Initial review

Once the submission is received, it will undergo an initial review, in which the assigned editor will evaluate whether it responds to the thematic profile of the journal, its relevance and adjustment to the publication standards. The quality of the metadata and the functional ORCID identifier (complete data of all authors) will also be taken into account as well as the presence of the complementary files (Publication Authorization Letter, Originality Form and WAME Manuscript Checklist).

Peer review

The editor, after approval of the proposal to initiate the editorial process, will assign the review to a pair of referees, under one of the following modalities selected, according to the authors’ statement:

  • Double-blind: the evaluators ignore the identity of the authors and vice versa
  • Open: the evaluators know the identity of the authors and vice versa, being able of exchanging each other. This review will only be done if the authors give their approval.

The arbitration of articles has two proposals: first, to decide whether or not to publish the evaluated article; and second, to ensure that adequate scientific critique is carried out. The authors must evaluate, in terms of recommendations, several opinions on the research results they present.   For this purpose, there are reviewers with experience in the different specialties and topics, who will determine both, the validity of the ideas and the results, and their impact on the world of the medical sciences.

After the article has been evaluated, the editor of the journal will send a communication to the authors about the acceptance of the work for its publication in the journal.

Rejection decisions are final and the author is free to submit the work to the criteria of another publication.

Accepted papers may require clarifications during the editing process, which will be requested directly by the Editor.

About the evaluation system

Once the initial review of the paper is performed, this is accepted and goes to reviewers

or is rejected, or initial modifications are asked. In the latter case, the paper is reviewed again, accepted and passed to reviewers, or it is rejected. This initial review and   acceptance or rejection must be done in a term of 4 to 6 weeks.

If the work is accepted and passed to reviewers, these will have a term of 1 week to accept the review. If they have not responded within a week, the application is sent again.  If a week later there is not response, the application is canceled and a first application is sent to other referee.

Once the request has been accepted, the referee will have 3 weeks to review and make a suggested editorial decision. If after 3 weeks he/she has not responded, a reminder is sent. If one week later he/she has not responded, the request is canceled and it is send to another referee.

In order to carry out the arbitration, the elements indicated in the guidelines for the evaluation of articles according to their typology must be taken into account. These guidelines are made up of two parts: one, related to the quality criteria of the evaluated article; and the other, referred to the final opinion of the referee. In the comments, the referee may reflect both, the arguments on the evaluation of each question and incorporate some recommendations about the content.

The results of the review process will be evaluated by the editor, who will prepare the opinion (conclusions) based on the opinions issued by the selected referees, or, if necessary, will decide to send the work to another specialist. Any duly justified decision will be communicated in writing to the author as soon as possible and may consists of:  a) accepting the paper without modifications; b) approving the work subject tominor changes (publishable with modifications); c) returning the work for major changes and new revision (re-evaluable); d) not accepting it for publication (unpublishable).

When major or minor changes to the work are requested, if the author agrees to continue the process, he/she must comply with the requested modifications in a term of two weeks; if he/she does not agree, he/she must scientifically justify the reasons. In these cases, the authors are obliged to respond with the requested speed. The lack of response by the authors may result in the article being removed from the editorial process and archived. 

Accepted papers may require clarifications during the editing process, which will be requested directly by the editor. Non-response by the authors may result in the exclusion of the article from the issue for which it was scheduled. If it is maintained, the authors should also correct the first proofs within a maximum period of 1 week from the request, otherwise it is understood that they accept the corrections made by the editorial staff. After this stage, Revista Médica Electrónica is entitled to make any editorial adjustments and modifications it deems appropriate to ensure the highest quality of the publication.


Deadline for publication of submissions

Revista Médica Electrónica must publish the accepted manuscript within a period of less than one year from the date of submission to the journal, although the result of the first evaluation will be made whiting a period of no more than 60 days.

Final clarification

The composition of each ordinary issue will be based on to editorial criteria, in order to balance the relevance and originality of the contributions with the variety of contents addressed.

Publication Frequency

Revista Médica Electrónica follows a continuous publication model, that is, it adds articles to the volume throughout the period.

Open Access Policy

This journal DOES NOT APPLY CHARGES FOR PROCESSING OR PUBLICATION OF ARTICLES. This journal does not offer subscription. It complies with the declaration of open access to information and its texts are available on its website. This journal provides immediate free access to its content under the principle of making freely available the research results and other scientific articles included in its sections to readers, in addition to supporting the flow of information necessary for a greater exchange of global knowledge.

The journal uses the CC BY-NC 4.0 license.It allows: 

  • Copy and redistribute the published material in any medium or format.
  • Adapt the content.

This will be done under the following terms:

  • Assign the  credits to the authors and indicate if changes were made, in which case it must be in a reasonable manner.
  • Non-commercial use.
  • Acknowledge the journal where it is published.
The copyrights of each article are maintained, without restrictions.

Journal History

On July 1, 1921, the “Monthly Journal of Medicine and Surgery”, MÉDICA, from Matanzas, was published for the first time, a monumental periodical publication that constituted the main exponent of the medical development of the province of Matanzas, Cuba, in the last century. MÉDICA has had four publication periods: 1921-1930, 1942-1954, 1984-1990 and from 1997 to the present, when it exists in electronic format through the "Electronic Medical Journal".
The history of the Journal began long before the first edition was born in 1921, when a group of its founders made a first attempt to bring together scientific articles when they barely dreamed of becoming doctors, the "Medical Student Association Journal".  This publication, directed by Dr. Mario Emilio Dihigo y Llanos (1895-1978), appeared when he was studying Medicine back in 1916. It was published monthly and its twelfth issue became an extraordinary 150-page medical publication with numerous cartoons, photographs and satires, as they later appeared in MÉDICA, mainly in its first two periods.
The first issue of MÉDICA appeared on July 1, 1921 with Mario E. Dihigo as director, Dr. Oscar Forest and Díaz as assistant director, and Manuel de J. Ponte as editor-in-chief. In subsequent issues, its Editorial Board changed, leaving Dihigo and Forest as directors, Manuel de J. Ponte remained as editor-in-chief, Gustavo Loredo became administrator and the Editorial Committee was integrated, among others, by Drs. Julio Ortiz Coffygni , Florencio de La Portilla, Antonio Font Tió , Filomeno Rodríguez Acosta, Pascual Gispert, Luis A. Cuní , Armando Estorino and Carlos Trelles.
It is beautiful the introduction that Dihigo made to the magazine with the article "Profession of Faith" appeared on the first page of Volume 1, Issue 1 and that has served as a banner for all MÉDICA editions after its first period. Just with the fragments: "/.../ MÉDICA is not ours, it is yours, its pages open to every noble cause, it will be more honored the greater the number of its collaborators/..././.../Guide its steps along the path of companionship, convinced that it is not always the worst enemies of the same profession. Aspires to make the relationships between doctors more than pure etiquette and aims to serve as a pretext for greater and broader intelligence to exist among all...," of a profound humanistic ethos, Dihigo revealed the aim of the magazine and the certainty that its appearance would help to strengthen the human and professional relations between the doctors of the city.
Its redaction and administration headquarters were at Milanés 19 and the prices for the annual subscription throughout the republic were $3.00 and $4.00 abroad.
Between 1921 and 1930 it was published monthly, highlighting in this first stage the quality of its scientific works, the advertisements and the very illustrative and humorous caricatures of Dr. Oscar Forest (“Oskar”). In general, 216 scientific papers, 284 advertisements, 119 articles on personalities, four articles on contests and prizes, 14 anecdotes and 94 cartoons appeared up to 1926, as it is known from an excellent Index that was made in our province in 1987.
In Vol. 8 Issue 5 of 1928, Dr. Oscar Forest, who had accompanied Dihigo in the direction and founding of the magazine since 1921, appeared as the only director. Forest decided to continue with his student dream of keeping the magazine alive and had the support of Dr. Manuel de J. Ponte who continued as Editor-in-Chief and now also as administrator.
In Vol. 9 Issue 1 of 1929, Dr. Filomeno Rodríguez Acosta appeared as co-director, Dr. Manuel de J. Ponte continued as Editor-in-Chief and Dr. A. Soler Prats became the Administrator.
Dr. Rodríguez Acosta remained until Vol. 10 Issue 9, ending Dr. Forest the last issues of 1930. In these last four years, 351 advertisements, 52 scientific papers, 28 articles of general information, 11 cartoons, 9 notices and 7 stories were published.
MEDICA’s second period began in 1942 as the "Official Organ of the Society of Medicine and Surgery", with Dr. Oscar Forest as editor-in-chief, Dr. Manuel de J. Ponte as administrator, and on the Editorial Committee: Guillermo Caballero, Lorenzo Haza Grasso, Juan Flor Jorganes, and Mario E. Dihigo.
It was decided that the first issue of this second publication period were Vol. 1 and on pages 2 and 3 of the issue appears the speech that Dihigo made as President of the Society of Medicine and Surgery on May 11, 1941 in the inaugural session of the same.  In this phase, 208 scientific papers, 1 011 advertisements, 9 articles on contests and awards, 9 on congresses, 14 anecdotes and 22 cartoons were published. In 1954, after the six issues of the year came out, it stopped being published.
In 1984 MÉDICA reappeared with Vol.14, as an expression of the magazine's continuity, but now as the "Official Organ of the Council of Scientific Societies". It had a bimonthly frequency and more than 1 800 copies were published in each issue. Its director was Dr. Armando González Capote, assistant directors, Alejo Sagols Rubiños and Rubén Martínez Pichardo, the administrator Dr. Manuel de Bien Fernández, and the Editorial Board was headed by Drs. Silvia García García and Teresa Rosado Lima.
The editorial and direction of the journal was in Río No 21, between Jovellanos and Matanzas, headquarters of the Provincial Center for Medical Sciences Information.
In 1985 and 1986 it was not published due to printing difficulties and the first issue of 1987 came out as Vol. 15 Issue 1, already with an International Standard Serial Publication Number (ISSN), 0864-0890, which allowed it to offer legal protection to the author and the publisher, as well as to enter the national and international network. A new section "Culture and Medicine" appears in this period, with topics related to local and universal medical history.
Dr. Ariel Nodarse Tápanes was its new director, Dr. Rubén Martínez Pichardo, assitant director and Dr. Amada Abad Marrero the editor in chief. The editorial committee was made up of Drs. Miguel Urbizo Cañón, Pedro Rodríguez Domínguez, Ubaldo Llanes Lorenzo, Alberto Rionda Sánchez and Ramón Madrigal Lomba. The secretary was  Mayra Enríquez Valdés and the translator Migdalia Benito Miralles.
The editorial committee was enriched by renowned doctors from Matanzas who tried to keep the journal alive until the arrival of the so-called Special Period in Cuba, when the journal ceased to be published after the first two issues of 1990.
In this period, 227 scientific articles, nine history papers in the "Medicine and Culture" section, two case presentations and four letters to the editor were published.
In December 1997, MÉDICA began to be published in electronic format with Vol. 19. Issue 1. Its direction was in charge of Dr. Esther Báez Pérez, dean of the Faculty of Medical Sciences; Executive Director, Dr. Santiago Almeida Campos; Scientific Director, Dr. Arturo Vidal Tallet ; President of the Editorial Committee, Bach. Sonia Fuentes García and Informatics and Computing, Bach. Gabriel Cabrera Rodríguez. It was published every three months by the Faculty of Medical Sciences of Matanzas and began to publish in electronic format: original and review articles related to health issues, short notes and letters to the editor, texts in Spanish, indexes, abstracts in English, as well as programs for the development of the medical specialty and diagnostic and therapeutic updates.
In 1998, the new dean of the Faculty of Medical Sciences, Lic. Cristóbal Mesa Simpson, became General Director; Executive Director, Dr. Santiago Almeida Campos; Scientific Director, Dr. Arturo Vidal Tallet ; and in the Editorial Committee,  Bach. Sonia Fuentes García, Bach. Gabriel Cabrera Rodríguez and Bach. Hendrik Toboso López. The presentation of the journal began to change, becoming more and more beautiful. This year, in addition to the four ordinary issues, a special supplement related to the Provincial Workshop "15 years of present and future of family medicine" was published.
The Journal began to be registered in the Collective Catalog of Cuban Serial Publications, edited by the Cuban Book Institute and its content was disseminated to all Information Centers in the country.
In Vol. 25 Issue 4 of 2003, the Editorial Board changed again and the journal returned to a bi-monthly frequency, disseminating itself through a website. The Section “Medicine and Culture” also reappeared and the ISSN was changed, now being 1684-1824. Its Editorial Board was formed by Dr. José Fernández Morín as General Director, Bach. Sonia Fuentes García in the Editorial Committee and Migdalia Benito Miralles continued to lead the Translation Service.
In 2007, Dr. Judit Martínez Abreu, a stomatologist, assumed the direction of the journal, and the editorial and direction of the magazine began to be based at the central headquarters of the Matanzas University of Medical Sciences, in Carretera Central Km 101.
Since 2021, the direction of the journal passes to Dr. C. Santiago Almeida Campos, who had served as executive director in previous stages, with Silvio Faustino Soler Cárdenas as Scientific Editor and Beatriz Ferreiro García as Main Editor.

BIBLIOGRAPHIC REFERENCES

  1. Pérez-Ortiz L. La Revista “Médica”. Apuntes para su historia. Revista Médica Electrónica [Internet]. 2006 [citado 7 Dic 2022]; 28 (3): [aprox. 1 p.]. Disponible en: http://revmedicaelectronica.sld.cu/index.php/rme/article/view/284
  2. Landa Pérez M. La aurora de Matanzas: Príncipe de los periódicos cubanos del Siglo XIX. Revista de la Biblioteca Nacional José Martí. La Habana.1993; No 1: 61-63.
  3. Castro Bachiller B. Índice biográfico de los Miembros de la Academia de Ciencias Médicas, Físicas y Naturales de La Habana. La Habana: Editora de libros y folletos; 1942.
  4. Fernández EM, García L, Falcón E, Alonso J, Gómez G, Díaz ME, et al. Índice de la Revista Médica. 1921-1926; 1942-1954. Matanzas: Centro Provincial de Información de Ciencias Médicas;1987-88
  5. Revista MÉDICA. Revista Mensual de Medicina y Cirugía. Matanzas 1921- 1930.
  6. Revista MÉDICA. Órgano Oficial de la Sociedad de Medicina y Cirugía. Matanzas 1942 -1954.
  7. Revista MÉDICA. Órgano Oficial del Consejo de Sociedades Científicas. Matanzas 1984 -1990.
  8. Montes de Oca S De la Tejera del Pino I. Primer Director de la Revista MÉDICA: Dr. Mario E. Dihigo Llanos, médico y educador. Matanzas. MÉDICA 1989; 17(2): 111-7.
  9. Dihigo Llanos ME. Recuerdos de una larga vida. Cuad hist salud pública 1974; 60(3): 48-51.