What is the impact factor of JAMA?

JAMA has an impact factor of 55.0 (2024). This places it among the top-tier journals in its field with JAMA published by the American Medical Association is one of the most selective general medical journals.

How long does JAMA take to review?

JAMA typically takes ~60-90 days median. The full review process involves 6 main stages: manuscript preparation, pre-submission query (highly recommended), and peer review.

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JAMA Impact Factor 55.0: Publishing Guide

Q: What is the acceptance rate of JAMA?

JAMA has an acceptance rate of ~3-5%. A common reason for rejection is addressing trivial or incremental clinical questions. JAMA expects studies of major clinical importance. Studies of marginal clinical significance are almost certainly rejected. Focus on questions that meaningfully change practice.

Q: Is JAMA peer reviewed?

Yes, JAMA is fully peer reviewed. All submissions undergo rigorous peer review by Editor assesses clinical importance, methodological rigor, and potential impact. Extremely competitive with <5% acceptance. Quick rejection possible for insufficient methodologic rigor. Accepted papers go to intensive peer review..

Clinically important research with broad implications for medical practice

55.0

Impact Factor (2024)

~3-5%

Acceptance Rate

~60-90 days median

Time to First Decision

What JAMA Publishes

JAMA published by the American Medical Association is one of the most selective general medical journals. With JIF 55.0 and Q1 ranking in Medicine General & Internal, JAMA emphasizes rigorous clinical research with direct impact on medical practice. The journal publishes high-quality clinical trials, observational studies, and systematic reviews addressing major health conditions. Critically: JAMA has extremely competitive acceptance rates. Research must address clinically important questions with rigorous methodology and generalizable findings. Small studies, single-center research, or incremental findings have minimal chance. The journal seeks papers that change clinical practice.

Randomized controlled trials: treatment efficacy and safety
Observational studies: epidemiology, outcomes research, real-world data
Systematic reviews and meta-analyses: evidence synthesis
Diagnostic studies: test accuracy, clinical utility
Public health and prevention: population health interventions
Health services research: healthcare delivery, quality, outcomes
Bioethics: research ethics, informed consent, vulnerable populations
Clinical decision-making: treatment algorithms, clinical guidelines

Editor Insight

“JAMA publishes research that changes medical practice. We seek rigorous studies addressing clinically important questions with potential to influence how physicians care for patients. Methodological rigor and generalizability are non-negotiable. Studies must be powered to provide definitive answers.”

What JAMA Editors Look For

Clinically important research question with major health impact

Address questions mattering to physicians and patients. Does treatment work better? Are there serious side effects? Does this diagnostic test help? How should we manage this condition? Trivial or incremental questions are not competitive.

Rigorous study methodology with appropriate statistical analysis

Randomized trials require proper randomization, allocation concealment, blinding. Observational studies need appropriate comparison groups and confounder control. Statistical analysis must be pre-specified. Methodologically flawed studies are rejected regardless of findings.

Large and representative study populations with adequate power

JAMA expects studies with sufficient size to detect meaningful clinical effects. Single-center or small studies generally lack adequate power. Multi-center enrollment and nationally representative samples strengthen papers significantly.

Sustained follow-up with complete outcome data and low loss to follow-up

Long-term outcomes matter clinically. Adequate follow-up duration and complete outcome ascertainment are essential. Loss to follow-up >20% typically results in rejection.

Generalizable findings applicable to diverse populations

Studies should enroll diverse populations. Race, gender, and socioeconomic diversity in enrollment increases generalizability. Results applicable only to narrow populations have limited clinical relevance.

Why Papers Get Rejected

These patterns appear repeatedly in manuscripts that don't make it past JAMA's editorial review:

Addressing trivial or incremental clinical questions

JAMA expects studies of major clinical importance. Studies of marginal clinical significance are almost certainly rejected. Focus on questions that meaningfully change practice.

Methodologically weak study design or incomplete reporting

Methodological rigor is non-negotiable. Poor randomization, inadequate blinding, high loss to follow-up, or unmeasured confounding are fatal flaws.

Underpowered studies or small sample sizes

JAMA expects adequately powered studies. Small n with trending but non-significant results will be rejected. Run studies large enough for definitive answers.

Single-center, selective enrollment without diversity

Narrow populations limit generalizability. JAMA expects multi-center enrollment and demographic diversity. Results from homogeneous populations are less compelling.

Short follow-up period or substantial loss to follow-up

Clinical outcomes matter over adequate time. Short follow-up or >20% loss to follow-up substantially weakens papers and often results in rejection.

Does your manuscript avoid these patterns?

The quick diagnostic reads your full manuscript against JAMA's criteria and flags the specific issues most likely to cause rejection.

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Insider Tips from JAMA Authors

Pragmatic trials addressing real-world clinical decisions have competitive edge

Trials comparing actual treatment options clinicians face daily, enrolling diverse populations, and measuring patient-centered outcomes increasingly competitive at JAMA.

Studies addressing health equity and disparities increasingly valued

Research examining treatment disparities, health inequities, or testing interventions in underserved populations increasingly receives editorial interest.

Large registry and electronic health record studies increasingly acceptable

High-quality observational studies using EHR data and large registries, properly analyzing confounding, increasingly competitive as big data matures.

Multi-center collaborative trials with strong statistical support

Large multi-center trials with independent data monitoring committees and rigorous statistical oversight demonstrate trial quality.

Study registered prospectively and published protocols increase credibility

Pre-registration on ClinicalTrials.gov and published study protocols significantly increase editorial credibility and reduce bias concerns.

The JAMA Submission Process

Manuscript preparation

Prep

Limited: JAMA uses strict word limits (up to 3,000 for research articles). Include clinical importance justification, rigorous methods section, results clearly presented, discussion addressing clinical implications and generalizability. Complete supporting information required for transparency.

Pre-submission query (highly recommended)

Before submission

Contact editor describing study before full submission. JAMA encourages pre-queries to assess fit. High-quality pre-query responses dramatically increase acceptance likelihood.

Submission via JAMA system

Day 0

Submit at https://jama.jamanetwork.com/. Required: manuscript following strict format, supplementary appendix with detailed methods, conflict of interest and funding disclosures, clinical trial registration.

Editorial assessment and review

1-3 weeks

Editor assesses clinical importance, methodological rigor, and potential impact. Extremely competitive with <5% acceptance. Quick rejection possible for insufficient methodologic rigor. Accepted papers go to intensive peer review.

Peer review

60-90 days

3-4 expert reviewers assess every aspect: study design, statistical analysis, conflicts of interest, generalizability. Extremely thorough review. First decision 60-90 days.

Revision and publication

Revision: 4-12 weeks if revise-and-resubmit

Revisions often substantial, requiring additional analyses or clarifications. But acceptance rate after review still <5%. Accepted manuscripts published within 2-4 weeks.

JAMA by the Numbers

2024 Impact Factor	8.9
5-Year Impact Factor	9.2
Acceptance rate	~3-5%
Desk rejection rate	~80-90%
Median first decision	~75 days
Manuscript limit	3,000 words
Publisher	American Medical Association
Founded	1883

Before you submit

JAMA accepts a small fraction of submissions. Make your attempt count.

The pre-submission diagnostic runs a live literature search, scores your manuscript section by section, and gives you a prioritized fix list calibrated to JAMA. ~30 minutes.

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Article Types

Research Article

3,000 words

Rigorous clinical trial or observational study

Systematic Review

4,000-5,000 words

Comprehensive evidence synthesis (invited or exceptional)

Viewpoint

1,500 words

Commentary on healthcare issues (usually invited)

Landmark JAMA Papers

Papers that defined fields and changed science:

Major cardiovascular trials (various) - changed treatment practices
Hormone replacement therapy studies (2002) - reversed medical practice
Diabetes prevention program (2002) - lifestyle vs medication debate
COVID vaccine trials (2020) - emergency response trials
Healthcare delivery system studies - improving quality and equity

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Primary Fields

Clinical TrialsEpidemiologyHealth Services ResearchInternal MedicinePublic HealthHealth Outcomes

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