Asian Annals
HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced]


     

This Article
Right arrow Extract Freely available
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to Personal Folders
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow Permission Requests
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Mestres, C.-A
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow Articles by Mestres, C.-A
Asian Cardiovasc Thorac Ann 2000;8:1-2
© 2000 Asia Publishing EXchange Pte Ltd

EDITORIAL

The Growing Role of the Asian Annals in Cardiothoracic Education

Carlos-A Mestres, MD, PhD, FETCS

Department of Cardiovascular Surgery
Hospital Clínic
University of Barcelona
Barcelona, Spain
The world is changing at a very fast pace. The so-called "generation gap" is getting shorter and shorter. Technology plays a fundamental role nowadays in our daily lives and we are allowed to observe the strong influence of technological development on economic growth.1,2 Cardiothoracic and vascular medicine and surgery are no exceptions to this rule. In fact, they have paved the way for a number of achievements in combination with technology much more than any other specialty. However, technology is just a part of our profession. Cardiothoracic and vascular surgery combines, as it is well known, art and science and interweaves human relationships founded in the paradigmatic intimate patient-to-doctor contact with the basic need for communication and transfer of infor-mation and knowledge. In current times, communication is a requirement facilitating a global exchange of ideas and experiences. This globalization is a reality as was very clearly defined by Dr. Robert Replogle,3 former president of the Society of Thoracic Surgeons in a previous editorial. The cardiothoracic community owes him the recognition of having brought us from the past to the future and as Dr. Thomas B Ferguson4 who recently stepped down as Editor of The Annals of Thoracic Surgery has stated in his usual and extremely elegant way.

Improved communication, on the other hand, strongly depends on economic growth and this is only ensured by political stability and democracy. What we know today is that economic growth favors basic and extended education at all levels, learning enhances individual capabilities, and communication plays a fundamental role in the globalization of knowledge. The Asian Cardiovascular & Thoracic Annals was launched in 1993 in an attempt to become "The Voice of Cardiac Medicine in Asia." At that time, some would argue why publish another journal. The rationale for this scientific publication was proudly addressed in an editorial by Dr. Saw Huat Seong.5 We will see what has already happened since then.

In the words of Amartya Sen,6 Nobel Laureate for Economics in 1998, "Asia is a great source of under-standing and knowledge." As a vast region encompassing around 60% of the world's population, it is heterogeneous and eclectic but also young and energetic. Asia, again following the words of Sen, has had a "variety of good and bad experiences and achievements and is developing strategies because the assessment of the past will help in building the future." The Asian Cardiovascular & Thoracic Annals has given and will provide cardiothoracic doctors and scientists the means to communicate and by doing so, to strengthen the value of Asian medicine and surgery. The past eight years have shown us that this can be done although there still is much more to accomplish. The brief and recent history of the Asian Cardiovascular & Thoracic Annals can easily be reviewed and analysed just by reading the editorials written by prestigious colleagues in medicine and surgery (which may not be so in this issue). The identity of the journal as truly Asian, the need for focusing on cardiothoracic education, and a trend towards sharing experiences with non-Asian colleagues in a world that is currently much smaller than it used to be, have been addressed. This reminds us all that education, training, hardwork, and open communication lie behind a good quality product which our Journal has tried to be since the outset.3,7–9

This kind of near philosophic view of Asian medicine in the words of a practising European surgeon may sound intrusive from a foreigner. However, it is deeply supported by years of traveling, living, and sharing experiences with colleagues from the region who, in the end, have the same problems in any relationship with patients and with dreaded diseases. We should keep in mind that Asia has intrinsic values that make this huge region different from its western counterparts as it has been stressed by Sheridan10 in a very well-documented book. The Asian Cardiovascular & Thoracic Annals must serve as the vehicle to promote our relationships, to strengthen our knowledge, and to make the cardiothoracic world smaller. I strongly believe that those who contribute in any way to this Journal as editors, reviewers, authors, readers, or advertisers have the unique opportunity to face the new millennium (which incidentally I believe begins on January 1, 2001) in an extremely good position to improve our standards through communication. This is why I put my faith in the extremely important and functional role the Asian Cardiovascular & Thoracic Annals plays as an educational tool for Asians themselves, preserving the diversity of identities in today's and tomorrow's global world. It is, most assuredly, for the benefit of our patients, and this must of course be the ultimate goal of a physician.

References

  1. Kahn J. Do oil prices still matter to the new economies? The International Herald Tribune 2000 February 22; page 1.

  2. Schneider H. Iran reformists trend stays on track. The International Herald Tribune 2000 February 22; page 4.

  3. Replogle R. Globalization. Asian Cardiovasc Thorac Ann 1997;5:191–2.

  4. Ferguson TB, Blasberg CL. A farewell. Ann Thorac Surg 2000;69:9–10.[Free Full Text]

  5. Saw HS. Why another journal? Asian Cardiovasc Thorac Ann 1993;1(1):14A–6A.

  6. Sen AK. Beyond the crisis. Development strategies in Asia. Singapore: Institute of Southeast Asian Studies, 1999:3–20.

  7. Lim ASM. The coming age of Asian surgery. Asian Cardiovasc Thorac Ann 1993;1(2):13A–4A.

  8. Spencer FC. The importance and essential features of a scientific journal. Asian Cardiovasc Thorac Ann 1993;1(3):15A–6A.

  9. Prachuabmoh K. The trials and tribulations of starting a new journal. Asian Cardiovasc Thorac Ann 1993; 1(4):15A–6A.

  10. Sheridan G. Asian values, Western dreams. Allen & Unwin. St. Leonards, NSW; Australia, 1999:1–15.





This Article
Right arrow Extract Freely available
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to Personal Folders
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow Permission Requests
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Mestres, C.-A
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow Articles by Mestres, C.-A

HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
ANN THORAC SURG ASIAN CARDIOVASC THORAC ANN EUR J CARDIOTHORAC SURG
J THORAC CARDIOVASC SURG ICVTS ALL CTSNet JOURNALS