Probably the most important reason is that medical science, once a rather straightforward and simple affair, has become complex. There are a multitude of fields and specialties now, from bioethics to molecular genetics. A single editor, or even a flock of editors, cannot possibly possess the necessary breadth and depth of expertise needed to guide the Journal. The Editorial Board will give us that breadth and depth. A second reason is competition.
Journals compete for manuscripts.
With the age of electronic journals just around the corner, that competition will get even fiercer. We expect that our illustrious Editorial Board will encourage authors to submit their manuscripts to CMAJ and that authors will respect their advice. The Journal needs the glitter and pizazz of this Board. Finally, we need the advice of folks who are at the forefront of Canadian science, research and publishing. The future direction of CMAJ will be determined by the interests and strengths of our scientists, researchers and practitioners.