President and CEO Jay S. Feldstein, DO '81, was joined by Robert A. DiTomasso, PhD, ABPP, and Michelle Lent, PhD, on the PCOM Perspectives podcast to discuss the recently published Journal of Integrated Primary Care (JIPC). An open-access online journal, JIPC was spearheaded by both DiTomasso and Lent.
PLAY PCOM Perspectives: Exploring the Journal of Integrated Primary Care
The inaugural edition of PCOM's first-ever peer-reviewed scientific journal, the Journal of Integrated Primary Care (JIPC), was published in December of 2023.
The initial idea for the journal has been brewing for many years, but DiTomasso and Lent were the two people who finally made it happen.
“In my discussions with Dr. Lent, we thought it would be really great if PCOM had its own journal where we could capture cutting edge research and contribute to best practices being developed,” said DiTomasso. “We became very excited and now we're off and running and having fun.”
The journal covers primary care, internal medicine, family medicine, nursing, behavioral health, pharmacy, physical therapy, pediatrics, health education, healthcare administration and social work. The aim is to grow the evidence base related to integrated primary care professional education, practice and intervention.
“From my perspective, we have a tremendous opportunity for research and I think we could really be a leader in integrated primary care,” said Feldstein. “That's where the journal comes in.”
JIPC is meant to guide and inform the multidisciplinary clinical care of primary care patients with the hope of including at least one graduate student author in each issue. Unlike many other peer reviewed scientific journals, submission to JIPC is completely free.
“One of the benefits to students is being published while in graduate school,” said Lent. “This really strengthens applications to internships, residency programs and fellowships.”
JIPC is also free and available for whomever wants to read it, making it even more accessible. With one issue published so far, the journal had more than 175 full text downloads within the first two weeks.
Authors interested in submitting can log onto the JIPC site to enter information about their submission and load their manuscript. From there, an initial review will take place to ensure the submission aligns with the journal's mission before being sent to at least two peer reviewers. Authors can then expect to obtain feedback and a decision within just four to six weeks.
“The submission process for JIPC mirrors what's typically done in peer reviewed scientific journals,” said Lent. “We'd welcome any submission that would be of interest to professionals working in integrated primary care or those educating the future integrated care workforce.”
As clinical clerkships continue to emphasize the importance of students gaining basic research experience and developing an understanding of methodologies, research experiences are becoming critical for students to participate in.
“We want our students to be successful,” said Feldstein. “From clinical integration and primary care delivery, we can be the leaders in proving what works and what doesn't.”
To hear the full conversation or listen to past episodes of PCOM Perspectives, visit Spotify, Soundcloud or the Office of the President.
For the past 125 years, Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM) has trained thousands of highly competent, caring physicians, health practitioners and behavioral scientists who practice a “whole person” approach to care—treating people, not just symptoms. PCOM, a private, not-for-profit accredited institution of higher education, operates three campuses (PCOM, PCOM Georgia and PCOM South Georgia) and offers doctoral degrees in clinical psychology, educational psychology, osteopathic medicine, pharmacy, physical therapy, and school psychology. The college also offers graduate degrees in applied behavior analysis, applied positive psychology, biomedical sciences, forensic medicine, medical laboratory science, mental health counseling, physician assistant studies, and school psychology. PCOM students learn the importance of health promotion, research, education and service to the community. Through its community-based Healthcare Centers, PCOM provides care to medically underserved populations. For more information, visit pcom.edu or call 215-871-6100.
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