In 2024, many APM authors make outstanding contributions to our journal. Their articles published with us have received very well feedback in the field and stimulate a lot of discussions and new insights among the peers.
Hereby, we would like to highlight some of our outstanding authors who have been making immense efforts in their research fields, with a brief interview of their unique perspective and insightful view as authors.
Outstanding Authors (2024)
Eva Oldenburger, The University Hospitals in Leuven, Belgium
Koji Ishii, Nagasaki University Hospital, Japan
Anna Kitta, Medical University of Vienna, Austria
Alison E. Cress, The University of Maryland, USA
Cindy T. Nguyen, MedStar Georgetown University Hospital, USA
Hiroshi Hamada, Tokyo Medical University, Japan
Julia Challinor, The University of California San Francisco, USA
Sara N. Davison, The University of Alberta, Canada
Outstanding Author
Eva Oldenburger
Dr. Eva Oldenburger, MD, is a radiation oncologist and palliative care specialist at the University Hospitals in Leuven, Belgium. In her daily practice, she focuses on the treatment of patients with gynecological cancers, skin cancers and (bone) metastases. She is currently finishing her PhD in ePROM implementation after palliative radiotherapy for symptom follow-up. Her areas of interest are treatment modalities for bone metastases as well as communication with patients during their cancer trajectory and integration of palliative care early in the treatment trajectory of patients with cancer. Connect with her on LinkedIn.
From Dr. Oldenburger’s perspective, academic writing is essential for sharing knowledge between colleagues, and so improving daily practices and scientific development. Academic writing allows one to improve their knowledge and expertise in a relatively fast and easy manner, by critically looking at papers written by others and analyzing how and why their ideas/conclusions differ from ones.
Dr. Oldenburger stresses authors should possess a lot of curiosity, enthusiasm and perseverance in order to make their research solid and thorough. On the other hand, authors should also have an ‘ethical antenna’ to make sure that the research they perform is not too burdensome for patients participating in their research and that the benefits outweigh any possible negatives associated with their study. Last but not least, as an author, one needs to be able to write down their complicated research in a clear and comprehensive manner so that others can benefit from the knowledge gained.
“Researching and writing an academic paper is indeed a significant investment of time and effort. Fortunately, I have the possibility to do research in areas that are of particular interest to me. I work as a clinical physician in a tertiary centre where one of my tasks is research and education, so I try to allocate some of this time to my own research. However, my biggest motivator is seeing my research benefit my patients,” Dr. Oldenburger says.
(by Sasa Zhu, Brad Li)
Koji Ishii
Dr. Koji Ishii serves as an Associate Professor at the Anesthesiology and Palliative Care Center at Nagasaki University Hospital, Japan. His research area is cancer pain control, especially malignant psoas syndrome (MPS). Although MPS is considered to be a single disease state, the intensity of pain presents individuality. He would like to focus on the location of the responsible lesion and create a new criterion to support MPS pain control. His recent project is to provide support to the areas where there are limited resources for palliative care, especially islands. He is building a network of palliative care staff between the city and islands to provide support as needed. More information of Dr. Ishii can be found here.
To Dr. Ishii, a good medical paper involves both basic research and clinical research. In any case, a good academic paper is one that is novel and original in terms of clinical research, and that can be quickly returned to patients. He believes that this is a basic research paper that can benefit as many patients as possible.
When it comes to biases in one’s writing, Dr. Ishii stresses that it is important for authors to be honest and take responsibility for their manuscript. To maintain the quality of a manuscript, it is necessary to read many academic papers to learn the adequate method to avoid biases and collaborate with expert collaborators.
“Writing clinical medical papers allows you to use your findings from your patient examinations to benefit patients all over the world, so write them with passion,” Dr. Ishii says.
(by Sasa Zhu, Brad Li)
Anna Kitta
Anna Kitta is pursuing a Ph.D. in Mental Health and Behavioral Medicine at the Division of Palliative Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine I, Medical University of Vienna (AT), and working as a resident in a rural general practice in Erdweg (GER). She holds a B.A. in Social and Cultural Anthropology (University of Vienna, AT) and a M.Sc. in Narrative Medicine (Columbia University, NYC, USA). She aims to provide preventive and evidence-based medicine, alleviate symptoms, and consider the social and psychological well-being of each person. As a qualitative researcher, her focus is on capturing patient perspectives and giving patients a voice in medical research to illuminate individual, social, and cultural aspects of living with illness. Her research interests include medical humanities, palliative care, illness experience, doctor-patient interaction and communication, medical didactics, and social justice in medicine. A list of her research can be found here. Connect with her on LinkedIn.
In Dr. Kitta’s view, a good academic paper addresses a topic that is both interesting and important. She is particularly attracted to papers that manage to formulate a title that communicates the main content or makes one curious to find out more. It is important that the research question is clear, and that the organization is easy to follow and understand. If a paper is concise and easy to read, it will reach a much wider audience and different readers, allowing other scientific teams to build on these findings. In addition, she appreciates the honesty of authors, whether it is publishing negative results, which is very valuable, or being open about limitations of the study or difficulties they encountered during their research and would do differently next time. This helps other researchers not to repeat the same mistakes.
Dr. Kitta stresses that writing up the results of a project can be a lengthy endeavor, as the author has often been working on a topic for many months. In her opinion, it is important to remember the passion that started the project when the author did not know what the results would be and how the data would answer the research questions. This can motivate and remind authors why their content is important to share and why they are writing the manuscript and articulating their findings clearly for the research community. Authors should be aware of potential biases, avoid them, or address them openly. Moreover, at the grassroots level, the most important thing is to plan the research project according to the resources and capabilities of the department and team, and to start with questions that make you curious and are important for the community.
“The scientific world can be a wonderful place to interact with other researchers and provide personal growth, learning, and knowledge generation. I think it is important not to be intimidated by the competitive culture that sometimes prevails. The best results can be achieved through curiosity, teamwork, and a creative approach! So I recommend being kind to each other and to other scientific teams and colleagues and being generous with your own learning and knowledge. As the author and poet Maya Angelou said, ‘When you get, give. When you learn, teach.’ In addition, it is worthwhile to see the ethics committee and approval not as an obstacle, but as a very important and valuable institution that helps to improve projects and prevent harm. Adherence to good scientific practice will lead to the best results for everyone,” Dr. Kitta says.
(by Sasa Zhu, Brad Li)
Alison E. Cress
Dr. Alison E. Cress is a certified palliative care nurse practitioner at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, and a student in the inaugural cohort of the Palliative Care PhD program through the University of Maryland, Baltimore, USA. Her research interests include the intersection of psychiatry and pediatric palliative care. She aims to provide education surrounding these topics to existing palliative care providers around the world.
Dr. Alison appreciates clear, concise, and down-to-earth writing. In her view, navigating the academic scene can be challenging due to the many hoops to jump through. This can lead to editing which has the potential to deter some away from their style. As a junior researcher, she reads as much as possible. She thinks that a good academic paper encapsulates a relevant, clinically-driven topic and its effect on a specific population from the honest perspective of a clinician in the field. A good paper provides statistically sound, patient-centered data that spur interest in multidisciplinary collaboration as well as suggestions for easily-implemented intervention for the betterment of patient/family outcomes.
“Clinical expertise is a gift. We get to be with these patients and do this work. It’s only natural to want to share what we learn with others. In the medical world, sharing happens through academic writing. I am motivated by the need of the vulnerable populations whom I am privileged to serve,” Dr. Alison says.
(by Sasa Zhu, Brad Li)
Cindy T. Nguyen
Dr. Cindy Nguyen, PharmD, MPH, MS, BCPS, is a distinguished inpatient and outpatient clinical pharmacy specialist in palliative care at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital in Washington, D.C., USA. Her academic journey includes earning her PharmD and MPH degree from Touro University California, followed by a Post-Graduate Year One Pharmacy Practice Residency at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center in San Jose, California, USA. She further honed her expertise with a Post-Graduate Year Two Pain Management and Palliative Care Residency at the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy and a Palliative Care Fellowship through the University of Maryland, Baltimore. Dr. Nguyen's exceptional qualifications also include being a Board-Certified Pharmacotherapy Specialist and an Associate Professor at Georgetown University School of Medicine. Her mission is to deliver high-quality, compassionate care for patients with serious illnesses, while also promoting resilience to enhance mental and general well-being and quality of life. Connect with her on LinkedIn.
Dr. Nguyen believes that a good academic paper should address a clinically significant question and contribute to advancing the field by influencing practice, policy, or the scientific community, in addition to having a rigorous research design. The paper should lead the reader through the research process and structure, presented clearly, concisely, and in an organized manner. Addressing previous findings in the literature should fill in gaps and tackle existing challenges or assumptions. Importantly, this paper will undergo a rigorous peer review by experts and specialists who can attest to the study's quality, significance, and validity. These essential elements of a good academic paper adhere to the scientific research community's high standards of integrity and credibility.
Dr. Nguyen thinks authors should consider several factors during the preparation of an academic paper. A thorough literature review is critical to evaluate existing scholarly work. This will help formulate an original and significant research question or problem that may identify or fill in gaps in the current literature. Then, when starting to design their research methods, outlining their research procedures and data analysis will help enhance reproducibility and replicability. This will help the author articulate the research methods clearly and concisely. Lastly, authors should seek feedback and be open to revisions throughout the research process and paper preparation to enhance the quality and impact of their manuscript.
Lastly, Dr. Nguyen would like to say a few words to encourage other academic writers, “Remain curious and collaborative! Curiosity in scientific research can facilitate conversations and discussions with other academic writers, cultivating a collaborative scholarly environment. Sharing scholarly research and findings can further enrich the scientific and academic field and promote professional development. Actively engage in educational forums and discussions to foster a supportive learning environment and create circles with other individuals with similar goals. This collaborative practice will help cultivate a culture that values academic development and advancement in the scientific field.”
(by Sasa Zhu, Brad Li)
Hiroshi Hamada
Dr. Hiroshi Hamada is a Professor in the Department of Anesthesiology and Palliative Medicine Anesthesiology, Palliative Care and Pain Management, Tokyo Medical University, Japan. While investigating the impact of aprepitant, an NK1 receptor antagonist, on hypercoagulability in cancer patients, Dr. Hamada and his team encountered a suspected drug interaction between aprepitant and opioids. More information about him can be found here.
In Dr. Hamada’s view, the key to good academic writing is accurately summarizing information in an easy-to-read manner. Besides, the title that entices readers to read is also an important element. On the other hand, he thinks it is essential for authors to have a passion for sharing information obtained from their research with other researchers. Moreover, being humble, avoiding being self-satisfied, and having the ability to communicate with others are also necessary.
“Writing a paper is important because it allows us to organize our thoughts, and to keep a record of our academic and clinical activities. In addition, we can learn a lot from what reviewers point out during the review process. We often get pointed out of what we didn’t notice while writing our paper,” Dr. Hamada says.
(by Sasa Zhu, Brad Li)
Julia Challinor
Julia Challinor, RN, PhD, MS Education, MS Med Anthropology, Associate Adjunct Professor of Nursing (volunteer) at the University of California San Francisco, USA, collaborates in multiple international pediatric oncology projects in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. She focuses on promoting and supporting nurses and healthcare professionals in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) to deliver the best care using available resources and to be acknowledged as specialists capable of advanced practice when given appropriate education and training. As a member of the International Society of Paediatric Oncology (SIOP), she contributes to SIOP’s strategic plan actions including SIOP’s role as a non-state actor in official relations with WHO and WHO Global Initiative for Childhood Cancer. Her areas of research include survivorship, nursing (e.g. workforce issues), and climate change in LMIC. Dr. Challinor also supports non-native English-speaking nurses and other health professionals in peer-reviewed publication manuscript writing.
In Dr. Challionor’s view, some essential elements of a good academic paper include a clear and logical structure, an avoidance of medical or common “street” jargon without explanation, and an up-to-date (no more than 5-7 years old unless seminal) references presented according to the journal guidelines. Additionally, recommendations for future research should not only state that more work is needed to explore the topic, it is better to give specific suggestions that build on the findings presented.
Speaking of the preparation work for manuscript writing, Dr. Challionor provides the following tips. First and foremost, all authors should read the journal’s author guidelines and adhere to them when writing their manuscript. This will significantly improve the chances of being accepted. Pay special attention to references that have been imported into reference managers and not reviewed. She points out often these have errors such as missing authors or incorrect order of the author’s first and last names, inappropriate capitalization of the title, or missing volume, issue, or page numbers. Moreover, reviewers and readers depend on references to judge whether the statement made in the manuscript is supported by the literature. Poor references should reflect badly on the authorship of the paper.
“Academic writing for peer-reviewed journals is not easy. If it was, everyone would do it. It takes support and time to revise and revise a manuscript until you have met the journal requirements and have a strong submission. Have colleagues/friends in your field read your early versions and make suggestions for improvement if needed. It certainly helps to find a mentor with an established track record of successful publications in your field of work. Be respectful of the mentor’s time, responsive to their suggestions and take their advice. Don’t be discouraged if you are rejected by the first journal you submit your manuscript to. Just read the comments from the reviewers and revise them according to what they recommend. Reviewers take a lot of time and thought in writing their responses and are experts in the field. Then, consider an alternative journal and send it a revised version. There is no shame in having a manuscript rejected—it happens to all of us sooner or later. You may find that the first journal you submitted to was not a good fit for your manuscript whereas another journal may welcome it,” Dr. Challionor says.
(by Sasa Zhu, Brad Li)
Sara N. Davison
Dr. Sara Davison is a professor, nephrologist, and bioethicist in the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Alberta, Canada. She is a health outcomes researcher and is an international leader in Kidney Supportive Care (KSC) and Conservative Kidney Management (CKM), an active treatment for people with kidney failure who are unlikely to benefit from or have no access to dialysis or transplantation. She is the Director of the KSC Research Group at the University of Alberta and Chairs the International Society of Nephrology’s KSC/CKM Workgroup. She is working to characterize the clinical phenotypes of complex symptoms in kidney failure, identify prognostic metabolomic biomarkers, and develop prediction models for progression and response to various care pathways as foundational steps to advance personalized and precise clinical interventions. Through her strong partnerships with government and international organizations, she is working to build global capacity for accessible, equitable, and sustainable KSC and CKM. Connect with her group on LinkedIn.
In Dr. Davison’s view, a good academic paper addresses an important gap in the literature and communicates a clear message. To her, the best academic papers, are those whose findings can be directly translated into clinical care. The writing also has to be succinct and well organized and the results easily interpretable with biases clearly articulated. She also greatly appreciates authors who incorporate and share more global perspectives that enable researchers and clinicians to better address the inequities that exist across and within regions.
Dr. Davison believes authors need to be able to articulate the relevance of their work. This typically requires a significant amount of time reviewing the literature and positioning their findings to address clear gaps rather than duplicating what is already known. This also requires authors to know their audience and align their work and findings with stakeholder priorities. Authors should also not be frightened to share negative results; these are equally important to move areas of enquiry forward.
“The quote attributed to Edward Livingston Trudeau in the late 19th century ‘To cure sometimes, to relieve often, to comfort always’ continues to inspire me, both in my clinical duties and my research. I focus my research on addressing suffering and aim to provide hope for people living with chronic illnesses and who experience debilitating symptoms. I use the voice of people with lived experience (e.g., patient stories start our meetings, patient videos/testimonials embedded in clinical pathways, extensive patient-partner involvement) to raise awareness of diverse perspectives, empower and motivate my research team, and to keep our research questions and activities aligned with and accountable to patients and their priorities for research and care,” says Dr. Davison.
(by Sasa Zhu, Brad Li)