Exploration of Medicine (EM) is a peer-reviewed, open-access online journal that publishes articles that provide substantial and novel insights into medicine. Under the leadership of Professor Lindsay A. Farrer (Boston University), the journal has continued to develop steadily, with its academic standing and scholarly influence showing consistent year-on-year improvement.

Since its launch in February 2020, EM has been indexed in major scholarly databases including Scopus, DOAJ, Google Scholar, and CAS, reflecting the journal’s continued visibility within widely used international indexing systems. As of 2025, EM has published 379 peer-reviewed articles, received 1,625 citations (Source: Dimensions), achieved a Scopus CiteScore 2024 of 1.8, and is supported by an international Editorial Board of 88 members, alongside 35 Special Issues covering a range of active and emerging areas in medical research.

In 2025, EM maintained relatively stable submission activity while recording a notable increase in publication output and citations. These developments were driven by the coordinated efforts of the Editor-in-Chief, editors, Editorial Board members, authors, reviewers, and readers, contributing to EM’s continued growth, visibility, and influence within the medical research community.

Key Highlights of 2025

The Editorial Office is pleased to present the following key highlights for the year 2025:

• Submissions: 232 manuscripts were received, including 97 original articles (41.8%).

• Publications: 110 articles were published, including 49 original research articles (44.5%).

• Citations: 837 new citations received in 2025, bringing the cumulative total to 1,625 citations (Source: Dimensions).

• Scopus CiteScore: EM achieved a Scopus CiteScore 2024 of 1.8, maintaining Q2 ranking in the category General Medicine.

• Special Issues: 4 Special Issues were launched, led by 6 Guest Editors from four countries.

• Editorial Board Updates: 15 new Editorial Board members joined, representing ten countries.

• Journal Promotion: 814 new followers across social media; 2 academic conferences promotion.

Submissions and Publications

In 2025, EM received 232 submissions and published 110 articles. Submission activity remained steady and sustainable throughout the year. Within this context, the journal recorded a notable increase in publication output, supported by manuscripts submitted both in 2025 and in previous years. A total of 110 articles were published in 2025, compared with 67 articles in 2024, representing an increase of 64.2% (Figure 1).

Over the past three years, both submission and publication volumes have remained relatively stable. In particular, the proportion of original research articles has consistently been between 40% and 45%. In both 2024 and 2025, original research articles represented the largest share among all published article types, ranking first and exceeding reviews and other categories. This trend reflects a sustained and stable contribution of primary research within the journal’s publication portfolio (Figure 2).

 Figure 1. Annual Submission Volume, Publication Volume

Figure 2. Distribution of Article Types

Author Profiles and Geographic Diversity

In 2025, the 110 articles were published in EM contributed by 543 authors. Among them, 65 authors had an H-index greater than 30, indicating strong participation from established and experienced researchers. The corresponding authors of the 110 published articles had an average H-index of 23.4, a substantial increase from 16.6 in 2024, representing a 41% year-on-year rise. These figures demonstrate the journal’s growing ability to attract contributors with solid academic profiles and sustained research impact.

From a geographic perspective, the 110 corresponding authors represented 39 countries and regions, underscoring the journal’s broad international reach. The United States accounted for the largest proportion of corresponding authors (15%), followed by contributions from a wide range of other regions (Figure 3). This diverse geographic distribution, together with the strong academic credentials of contributing authors, supports the quality and breadth of the journal’s published research in 2025.

Figure 3. Country Distribution of Corresponding Authors (2025 Publications)

Journal Impact

Scopus CiteScore

In June 2025, EM achieved a Scopus CiteScore 2024 of 1.8, ranking 267th out of 668 journals in the category General Medicine, placing the journal in the Q2 region. The CiteScore Tracker, updated on January 6, 2026, reached 2.7, indicating that the next official CiteScore may approach this level. These figures, based on Scopus data, objectively reflect EM's steady development and growing recognition within the medical research community. (Scopus preview - Scopus - Exploration of Medicine)

Figure 4. CiteScore Sources Details

Citation Performance

As of 2025, EM has received a total of 1,625 citations, with a mean citation per article of 4.29 (Source: Dimensions). Over the past three years, EM has experienced consistent growth: total citations increased from 452 in 2023 to 788 in 2024 (up 74.3%), and then to 1,625 in 2025 (up 106.2%), while mean citations rose from 2.24 in 2023 to 2.94 in 2024 (up 31.3%), and to 4.29 in 2025 (up 46.0%) (Figure 5).

This upward trend suggests that both total and mean citations are likely to continue growing, reflecting EM's gradual development and increasing recognition within the academic community.

Figure 5. Citation Metrics in Dimensions (Data as of January 4, 2026)

Article Metrics

Of the 110 articles published in 2025, EM demonstrated solid reader engagement and citation performance. Among these publications, 13 articles were viewed more than 5,000 times, and 2 articles were downloaded more than 100 times, highlighting particularly popular contributions that attracted significant reader attention (see Table 1 for the top 5 most viewed articles).

For articles published between December 2024 and November 2025, the average views per article were 2,930, with 33 downloads per article.

Overall usage also showed substantial growth compared with the previous year: total article views increased from 688,467 at the end of 2024 to 2,161,816 at the end of 2025 (+214%), while total downloads grew from 20,984 to 32,284 (+54%). The overall article citation rate reached 73.88%, based on data from Crossref and Web of Science.

These metrics highlight consistent engagement with published content and a strong upward trend in readership and usage, reflecting the journal’s growing visibility and influence in the medical research community.

Table 1. Most Viewed Articles of 2025 Publication (Data as of January 1st, 2026)

Peer Review

Reviewer Engagement

In 2025, 300 reviewers completed peer reviews for 99 manuscripts, with an average H-index of 22.5. These reviewers came from 52 countries and regions, reflecting the journal’s broad international reviewer base. The largest proportions of reviewers were from China (57 reviewers, 19%), the United States (45 reviewers, 15%), and Italy (30 reviewers, 10%) (Figure 6). In addition, during the first round of peer review, an average of 3.04 valid reviewer comments were received per manuscript, indicating active and substantive reviewer engagement.

EM sincerely thanks all reviewers for their contributions to the peer review process. Their expertise and time have played an essential role in improving manuscript quality and supporting the journal’s academic standards and reputation.

Figure 6. Country Distribution of Reviewers (2025)

Reviewer Recognition

To recognize and acknowledge reviewer contributions, EM provides a range of recognition mechanisms, including annual reviewer acknowledgements, Publons recognition (with review records verified upon request), downloadable Reviewer Recognition Certificates via the ARES system, ARES reward points redeemable for cash, and a 20% APC discount for each completed review.

EM warmly encourages reviewers to continue participating in the peer review process and contributing their expertise in the future. At the same time, the journal will continue to explore and expand meaningful and effective ways to recognize and support reviewers, acknowledging their vital role in EM's ongoing development.

Editorial Board

In 2025, we were delighted to welcome 15 new Editorial Board members from 10 countries, further enhancing the journal's international reach (Figure 7). These distinguished experts bring a wealth of knowledge across a range of fields, including oncology and cancer biology, metabolism, biochemistry, genome biologym, computational biomedicine, infectious disease, neuroscience, cardiovascular medicine, radiology, women's health, and nephrology.

As of 2025, the Editorial Board of the journal had grown to 88 members from 19 countries and regions, including 1 Chief Editor, 12 Associate Editors, and 75 Editorial Board Members, with an impressive average H-index of 53 (Figure 8).

We extend our heartfelt gratitude to all editorial board members for their invaluable contributions in 2025, including leading special issues, submitting papers, handling manuscripts, and promoting the journal at conferences. The unwavering support of our editorial board has been the driving force and foundation behind the journal’s rapid development and continued expansion. 

Figure 7. Newly Joined Editorial Board Members in 2025

Figure 8. Country Distribution of Editorial Board Members

Special Issues

In 2025, four Special Issues were launched across diverse medical fields, including cardiovascular imaging, oncology, artificial intelligence in diagnostics, and pediatric asthma. These issues were led by six international guest editors with an average H-index of 34, reflecting the high level of expertise guiding each issue. In addition, two Special Issues focusing on oral health and breast cancer were successfully completed, publishing 10 and 8 articles, respectively, which received over 40,000 and 30,000 views (Figure 10). We sincerely thank the guest editors for their leadership in organizing and coordinating these Special Issues, and we are grateful to the authors whose contributions made these collections possible and impactful.

Table 2. Special Issues Launched in 2025 (Open for Submissions)

Oral Health Interconnections and Multidisciplinary Approaches   Guest Editor: Dr. Giuseppe Minervini   Publications: 10 Total Views: 42,986 Total Downloads: 657 Total Citations: 28

Breast Cancer: Basic and Clinical Advances   Guest Editor: Dr. Andrea Nicolini   Publications: 8 Total Views: 36,505 Total Downloads: 344 Total Citations: 7

Figure 10. Special Issues Completed in 2025 (Data as of January 1st, 2026)

Journal Visibility and Promotion

Social Media Engagement

In 2025, EM expanded its presence on social media platforms including LinkedIn and X, gaining a total of 814 new followers. Through regular sharing of newly published articles, journal announcements, Editorial Board updates, and Special Issue highlights, the journal maintained active engagement with its audience and further increased its online visibility across platforms.

Conference Promotion

In 2025, with the support of Editorial Board member Professor Patricia Tai, EM increased its visibility through participation in two major conferences: the Canadian Association of Radiation Oncology (CARO) Annual Scientific Meeting and the Best of ASCO Vancouver Conference (Table 3). At these events, Professor Tai distributed materials introducing the journal and the Special Issue she edited, Practical Tips for Cancer Care, highlighting the journal’s growth and inviting contributions from oncology researchers. Her efforts effectively raised the journal’s profile and demonstrated the important role Editorial Board members play in promoting academic collaboration.

Table 3. Conferences Promotion in 2025

Figure 11. Prof. Tai Shares Promotional Flyers With Conference Attendees

Policy Updates

Publication Frequency

Since January 2025, EM has transitioned from a bimonthly issue-based publishing model to a continuous publication model. All accepted articles are published immediately upon completion of production, allowing readers to access new content without delay and enabling articles to be cited as soon as they are released.

Article Processing Charge (APC)

EM publishes under a gold open access model, ensuring that all articles are freely available without access restrictions. Following the conclusion of the five-year APC waiver period, an Article Processing Charge of USD 2,000 per article (excluding taxes) has been applied to accepted manuscripts submitted on or after February 1, 2025. The APC covers costs associated with peer review, editorial processing, production, archiving, and journal operations, supporting the long-term sustainability of the journal.

To support authors, EM offers APC discounts for manuscripts submitted during the waiver period, incentives for reviewers, and waivers or reductions for authors from low- and lower-middle-income countries. In addition, case-by-case APC support is available to ensure that high-quality research is not limited by financial considerations.

Conclusion

In 2025, EM demonstrated continued progress in publication performance, readership engagement, and academic impact. Submission activity remained stable throughout the year, while publication output increased substantially, supported by a growing and diverse manuscript pipeline. Article usage and citation indicators showed sustained growth, reflecting the journal’s expanding visibility within the medical research community.

These developments were made possible through the collective efforts of the journal’s authors, reviewers, editors, Editorial Board members, and readers. The expertise and commitment of reviewers ensured the rigor and quality of the peer review process, while the guidance of editors and Editorial Board members supported the journal’s academic direction and standards. At the same time, the trust and engagement of authors and readers continue to shape the journal’s content and relevance.

Looking ahead, EM remains committed to fostering high-quality medical research through transparent policies, efficient editorial processes, and close collaboration with the global research community, as the journal continues its steady and sustainable development.

Data note: All statistics presented in this annual report were compiled and analyzed by the Editorial Office of EM based on internal editorial records and publicly available indexing data.

Best Regards,

EM Editorial Office

Contact Us: emjournal@explorationpub.com

Website: https://www.explorationpub.com/Journals/em

Submission Link: https://em.aressystem.com/

Annual Report 2025.pdf