Publication Guide
The JAMA Network is the journal portfolio of the American Medical Association (AMA), the largest physician association in the United States (founded 1847). Its flagship, JAMA (the Journal of the American Medical Association), has been published continuously since 1883 and is one of the most cited and most widely read general medical journals in the world. Around it sit ten specialty journals - JAMA Internal Medicine, JAMA Oncology, JAMA Cardiology, JAMA Neurology, JAMA Psychiatry, JAMA Pediatrics, JAMA Surgery, JAMA Dermatology, JAMA Ophthalmology, and JAMA Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery - plus two fully open-access titles, JAMA Network Open and JAMA Health Forum, for a total of 13 peer-reviewed journals.
Unlike the mega-publishers, the JAMA Network publishes in one field only: medicine. That focus shows in its editorial process - physician editors, statistical review of research articles, and AMA Manual of Style formatting throughout. This guide covers how to pick the right JAMA title for your manuscript, what open access costs, how peer review works, and how to submit.
Which JAMA Network journal fits your paper?
| You're most likely to... | Choose this route |
|---|---|
| Have practice-changing clinical research of broad interest (major RCTs, landmark cohorts, guidelines-relevant evidence) | JAMA - the flagship. Extremely selective, with fast desk decisions; acceptance rates for research are in the low single digits. |
| Have strong research aimed at one clinical specialty | A JAMA specialty journal - JAMA Internal Medicine, JAMA Oncology, JAMA Cardiology, JAMA Neurology, JAMA Psychiatry, JAMA Pediatrics, JAMA Surgery, JAMA Dermatology, JAMA Ophthalmology, or JAMA Otolaryngology. Among the top-ranked titles in their fields. |
| Want rigorous peer review with immediate open access across any medical or health topic | JAMA Network Open - fully Gold OA, broad clinical and health-services scope, $3,000 APC. |
| Work on health policy, health economics, or health-system research | JAMA Health Forum - fully Gold OA, policy-focused, $3,000 APC. |
| Were rejected by JAMA but the paper is solid | Ask about transfer: JAMA editors routinely offer referral of rejected manuscripts, often with reviews, to a specialty journal or JAMA Network Open. |
What the JAMA Network publishes
13 peer-reviewed journals, all in medicine and health:
- JAMA - general medicine flagship since 1883; original research, reviews, viewpoints, and clinical guidance with the widest reach in US medicine.
- 10 specialty journals - each a leading venue in its discipline; several (e.g., JAMA Internal Medicine, JAMA Oncology, JAMA Psychiatry) rank among the highest-impact journals in their categories.
- JAMA Network Open - launched 2018; a large, fully open-access general medical journal publishing across all clinical disciplines and health services research.
- JAMA Health Forum - fully open-access journal for health policy, economics, and health-system research.
All titles are indexed in PubMed/MEDLINE, with strong Scopus and Web of Science coverage.
Open access & APCs
The network runs a mixed model. APCs below reflect published 2025-2026 rates; always confirm on the journal's current fee page.
| Route | Cost | Applies to |
|---|---|---|
| Gold OA (fully-OA journals) | $3,000 per accepted research article | JAMA Network Open, JAMA Health Forum |
| Hybrid OA option | ~6,000 (e.g., JAMA Oncology lists 5,500) | JAMA and the 10 specialty journals |
| Subscription (no fee) | $0 | JAMA and the specialty journals - standard publication carries no page or submission charges |
| Green OA (self-archiving) | $0 | Accepted manuscripts may be deposited with an embargo (typically 12 months); NIH-funded articles are deposited in PubMed Central |
Waivers and discounts on APCs are available for eligible authors from Hinari Core Offer countries. Read-and-publish agreements are new for the JAMA Network: the first North American pilots (Vanderbilt University, UT Southwestern) took effect in January 2025 and cover APCs for affiliated corresponding authors in most network titles - ask your library whether one applies to you.
Peer review process
- Model: single-anonymized review - reviewers know author identities; reviewer identities are confidential.
- Statistical review: research articles at JAMA and the specialty journals routinely receive dedicated statistical review before acceptance.
- Speed: JAMA is known for fast desk decisions, often within days for manuscripts not sent to review; time to first post-review decision varies by title.
- Transfers: rejected manuscripts are frequently offered referral to another JAMA Network journal, which can substantially shorten total time to publication.
How to submit
- Pick the journal. Match scope and selectivity using the decision table above; read recent issues of the target title.
- Read the Instructions for Authors. Each journal posts detailed, title-specific instructions at jamanetwork.com.
- Format in AMA style. Numbered references per the AMA Manual of Style; structured abstracts for research. SciSpace templates for JAMA titles handle the formatting.
- Submit via the journal's manuscript portal. The JAMA Network uses its own online submission system (e.g., manuscripts.jama.com for the flagship); each journal's Instructions for Authors links to its portal.
- Complete authorship forms. ICMJE-based authorship criteria, conflict-of-interest disclosures, and (for trials) registration and data-sharing statements are required.
Ethics and integrity
The AMA/JAMA Network is a member of COPE, OASPA, and STM, and follows ICMJE recommendations - JAMA editors helped write them. Clinical trials must be prospectively registered; research articles require data-sharing statements. Corrections and retractions follow COPE guidance, and each journal publishes conflict-of-interest policies for authors, reviewers, and editors.
