CPA Bulletin: February 2003 Editorial

This issue of the Bulletin marks my last contribution before stepping down as its editor-in-chief. Over the last six years, I have had the privilege of shepherding the Bulletin to its present status. I had the pleasure of working with a dedicated editorial board and an excellent editorial staff, not only to change the Bulletin format and create a more cheerful look but also to enhance its content. It is gratifying to step down at a time when this publication is valued by its readers. My editorials, which covered varied topics of significance to members of our profession, have closely connected me to our readers’ aspirations and challenges. The various comments that have come my way from you, the readers, have assured me that the Bulletin is widely read.

What, then, should I leave in terms of advice to my successor?

Quality is a job that is never completed. To serve their readers’ needs, publications must continuously reinvent themselves—as must human beings. The Bulletin has to continue its mandate to serve front-line clinicians by providing them with information on the most important clinical and professional issues. It also must continue to serve as the forum for members to share their experiences and express their concerns.

Editorial integrity and independence has to be fiercely guarded to retain credibility among the readers. This is not an easy task and frequently requires a delicate balancing act. The Bulletin is published by the Canadian Psychiatric Association and, as such, is expected to present the views of the CPA. Yet at the same time, the Bulletin belongs in a broader sense to all CPA members and should also be the voice of the membership. Most of the time, this delicate balance works and serves the interests of both masters. However, it has to be understood by professional organizations that the best guarantee for avoiding tension between these sometimes differing voices is to grant editors-in-chief independence. A case in point is the recent conflict between the president of the Canadian Medical Association and the editor-in-chief of the Canadian Medical Association Journal, which spilled over the pages of the CMAJ and to some extent polarized the readership and the editorial board.

Publications like the Bulletin can be instrumental in providing continuing medical education, as clinicians become increasingly busy and have less and less time to sift through massive overloads of information. The Bulletin can play a major role in translating the important research findings that should be integrated into daily clinical practice. Such a role will not only enhance psychiatric practice but also alleviate some of the pressures affecting burdened psychiatrists, who need to count hours and minutes to satisfy requirements—whether for their clinical practice or for maintenance of certification.

Finally, I look forward to escaping the tyranny of editorial deadlines. My professional involvement is not going to be lessened, as I continue to serve in several international professional and scientific organizations. However, I will miss the thrill of seeing the first copy of every new issue almost as much as the arrival of a new baby. I very much enjoyed working with the editorial board and the editorial staff, to whom I express my thanks. As for the readers, it has been a privilege serving you.