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Who searches this and what they need: researchers, surgeons and students deciding whether to cite or submit to JAMA Surgery, who need its identity, stated metrics, article limits and open-access route in one place. Everything below comes from the journal’s own pages on jamanetwork.com and the National Library of Medicine (NLM) Catalog, read 2026-11-07.
JAMA Surgery: what the journal is
JAMA Surgery is a peer-reviewed surgery journal published by the American Medical Association (AMA) as part of the JAMA Network. Its about page describes it as an international peer-reviewed journal and the official publication of the Association of VA Surgeons, the Pacific Coast Surgical Association and the Surgical Outcomes Club. It publishes online weekly, on Wednesdays, and collects the content into 12 issues a year. The editor in chief named on the page is Melina R. Kibbe, MD, of UTHealth Houston. Its ISSN is 2168-6254 (print) and 2168-6262 (online).
Who runs it and how the dates reconcile
| Item | What the sources state | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Publisher | American Medical Association, Chicago | NLM Catalog; about page |
| Title and abbreviation | JAMA Surgery; NLM abbreviation JAMA Surg | NLM Catalog |
| Lineage | The about page states the journal began in 1920 | JAMA Surgery about page |
| Current title in NLM records | Starts at volume 148, issue 1, January 2013 | NLM Catalog |
| Frequency | NLM lists monthly; the journal page lists weekly online publication and 12 issues a year | NLM Catalog; about page |
| Indexing | Currently indexed for MEDLINE and PubMed | NLM Catalog |
The two dates are not a conflict: the journal page describes the long lineage of the publication, while the NLM Catalog records when the JAMA Surgery title itself began. When citing older articles, expect an earlier title on pre-2013 records. For what MEDLINE indexing means, see MEDLINE database.
Impact factor, acceptance rate and review timing
What is the JAMA Surgery impact factor?
The journal’s about page lists an impact factor of 15.6. The page gives no Journal Citation Reports year for the figure, so treat it as the journal’s own stated value and check the year in Clarivate’s Journal Citation Reports before quoting it in a report or application. For how the metric is computed and its limits, see how the journal impact factor is calculated, and for the network-wide picture see JAMA Network impact factor.
What is the JAMA Surgery acceptance rate?
The about page states an acceptance rate of 9%, and the for-authors page describes the journal as highly selective.
How long does a first decision take?
The for-authors page states a median time to first decision of 11 days for manuscripts decided without external review and 41 days for those sent for external review. It also describes expedited review for select trials and major studies.
Article types and word limits
From the journal’s instructions for authors (read 2026-11-07):
| Article type | Stated limit | Reporting requirement stated |
|---|---|---|
| Original Investigation | 3,000 words; structured abstract of 350 words; 50-75 references; up to 5 tables and figures; 3 Key Points | Data sharing statement; relevant EQUATOR reporting guideline |
| Research Letter | 800 words; no abstract; up to 10 references | None beyond general policies |
| Viewpoint | 1,200 words | None stated |
| Letter to the Editor | 400 words; due within 4 weeks of the article | None stated |
| Letter in Reply | 500 words | None stated |
| Narrative Review | 2,000-3,500 words; presubmission inquiry required | None stated |
| Systematic Review | 3,000 words | PRISMA |
| Meta-analysis | 3,000 words; subtitle “A Meta-analysis” | PRISMA or MOOSE |
| Clinical Trial | 3,000 words; subtitle “A Randomized Clinical Trial” | CONSORT; trial registry ID |
Manuscripts are submitted as Word documents, not PDFs. The instructions follow the AMA Manual of Style (11th edition) and/or ICMJE recommendations and point authors to EQUATOR Network reporting guidelines; see reporting guidelines and the CONSORT flow diagram for background. On artificial intelligence, the instructions say authors must verify AI-assisted content and take responsibility for it, and that AI may not be used to draft opinion pieces or letters.
How to find and submit
- Open the journal home page on jamanetwork.com and choose the About and For Authors pages from its menu.
- Read the Instructions for Authors for your article type, including the word limits above.
- Check the reporting guideline that applies to your design and prepare its checklist.
- Prepare the manuscript as a Word document.
- Submit through the journal’s manuscript system at manuscripts.jamasurg.com, the address given on the for-authors page.
Readers who only need to read or search articles use the journal’s issue and topic pages on jamanetwork.com; the sign-in is in the site header.
Open access, fees and repositories
The about page states that authors of research articles may pay for immediate open access on the day of publication, that all research articles are deposited in PubMed Central, and that the journal participates in HINARI access. The for-authors page states that the accepted version may be posted in a public repository on the acceptance date, provided it was not made public before publication. The author pages read do not state an article processing charge amount, so a fee figure should be requested from the journal rather than assumed. For terminology, see open access publishing fund.
Strengths and limits
- Strengths (stated by the journal): MEDLINE and PubMed indexing, deposit of research articles in PubMed Central, quick desk decisions (median 11 days), and clear per-article-type limits.
- Limits: a stated 9% acceptance rate means most submissions are declined; the 3,000-word cap for Original Investigations is tight for complex trials; the stated impact factor carries no year; and no APC amount is published on the author pages.
- CASRAI gives no verdict on journal quality; for how peer review works across the family, see Is the JAMA Network peer reviewed? and the sibling guide JAMA Pediatrics.
Alternatives
| Journal | Relationship to JAMA Surgery |
|---|---|
| JAMA Network Open | Same publisher (AMA) and network; a broader, multi-specialty open access journal. See its impact factor entry. |
| Annals of Surgery | A separate surgery journal outside the JAMA Network; check its own author pages for scope, limits and fees. |
| British Journal of Surgery | A separate surgery journal outside the JAMA Network; check its own author pages for scope, limits and fees. |
FAQ
What is the JAMA Surgery ISSN?
2168-6254 (print) and 2168-6262 (online), per the journal’s about page and the NLM Catalog.
Is there a JAMA Surgery publication fee?
Authors of research articles may pay for immediate open access; the author pages read state no amount.
Why do sources give both 1920 and 2013?
The about page states the journal began in 1920, while NLM records the JAMA Surgery title from January 2013 (volume 148). The first date is the publication’s lineage; the second is the current title.
Sources
- JAMA Surgery, About: jamanetwork.com/journals/jamasurgery/pages/about (read 2026-11-07)
- JAMA Surgery, For Authors: jamanetwork.com/journals/jamasurgery/pages/for-authors (read 2026-11-07)
- JAMA Surgery, Instructions for Authors: jamanetwork.com/journals/jamasurgery/pages/instructions-for-authors (read 2026-11-07)
- NLM Catalog, ISSN 2168-6254: ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/nlmcatalog (read 2026-11-07)
