Are you looking to make your mark in the world of medical publications? The Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland Student Medical Journal (RCSIsmj) is excited to announce that we are now accepting applications for several key positions. As a prestigious publication run by students, for students, we’re seeking passionate individuals who are ready to contribute to the success and growth of our journal.

Why Join RCSIsmj?

– Contribute to a reputable medical journal.

– Enhance your CV with a distinguished extracurricular role.

– Network and socialise with your fellow students and professionals in the field of medicine.

– Develop valuable skills in writing, editing, peer reviewing, and more.

– Be at the forefront of sharing medical knowledge and research with your peers.

How to Apply:

Interested candidates should submit their application by sending the required document(s) relating to the role(s) as below specified in the individual job description’s .docx file.

Open Positions:

Assistant Peer Review Director

The Assistant Peer Review Director is a vital part of the RCSIsmj peer review process. This position offers a student the exciting and challenging opportunity to help develop and shape the peer review process for years to come. The process of navigating a journal’s peer-review system is one of the most important and challenging aspects of getting one’s work accepted to a leading medical journal. In keeping with this, a key aim of the RCSIsmj peer review process is to provide students with a realistic peer review experience upon submission of their work to the journal. It is our aim that this experience gained by our prospective authors is something the student can draw upon in future years when submitting their work to leading medical journals.

Important functions of the Assistant Peer Review Director are to:

Note to applicants: the Assistant Peer Review Director has a responsibility of providing valuable feedback not just to the authors, but also to the peer review team. The Assistant, together with the Peer Review Director, will work with the executive staff to streamline the peer review process, which includes expanding and revising the existing peer review framework.

Application restrictions: The position is open to students who are currently in the following years:

This is to facilitate transition to take over the role of Peer Review Director in the subsequent year.

Number of positions available: 1

Application Document: Assistant Peer Review Director

Assistant Web Master

The Assistant Web-master is a two year post, as the first year the student will assist and learn from the Web-master how the website works, and take over as Web-master the following year. The Web-master team will be in charge of uploading staff applications, submission guidelines, blog posts, and any other important information to the SMJ website.  

Important functions of the Assistant Web-master are to:  

Application restrictions: The position is open to students who are currently in the following years:

This is to facilitate transition to take over the role of Web-master in the subsequent year.

While no experience is required, the Assistant Web-master should have some familiarity with IT and web design. They are also a representative of the student body and ambassadors of RCSI, as the quality of their publications reflect the distinction of RCSIsmj. This is a competitive position that allows for progression within the RCSIsmj. 

Note: student of all disciplines are encouraged to apply, regardless of experience.

Number of positions available: 1 

Application Document: Assistant Web Master

Bahrain Representative

The RCSIsmj is looking for a dedicated and enthusiastic student to fulfil the role of Bahrain Student Liaison. This position is one that will facilitate collaboration between the RCSI Dublin and RCSI Bahrain student bodies for the journal. Although the RCSIsmj is primarily run through the Dublin campus, collaborating with the Bahrain campus will allow for increased promotion of student research, academics and writing.

Important functions of the Bahrain Student Liaison are to:

Applicants must fulfil the following requirements:

Please email a copy of your CV and a short paragraph (4-5 sentences) explaining why you feel like you would be best suited to the role (e.g., how you will facilitate inter-campus collaboration, etc). Applications can be sent to submissionssmj@rcsi.ie.

Number of available positions: 1

Application Document: Bahrain Representative

Blogmaster

The Blog-master will be in charge of creating a plan and schedule for the blog and editing posts for publication. Additionally they will work closely with the PR team to generate interest within the student body and other SMJ committee members.  

Important functions of the Blog-master are to:  

The Blog-master should be a student who has the confidence to be an editor and help students to produce blog posts of a high standard. They are also a representative of the student body and ambassadors of RCSI, as the quality of their publications reflect the distinction of RCSIsmj.

Note: no editing experience is required, students in all disciplines in all years are encouraged to apply.

Number of positions available: 1 

Application Document: Blogmaster

Graphic Designer Application

The graphic designer is a new role at the RCSIsmj. This person will be in charge of finding or creating graphics for the journal’s annual publication, in addition to any other projects that require creative input throughout the year. This position will be great for students looking for a creative outlet. It will also be an opportunity to develop communication skills and have artwork published in a prestigious student medical journal (though artistic skills are not required).

Important functions as a graphic designer are:

As this is a new role at the smj, the graphic designer should be a student that will take initiative to find and execute artistic projects throughout the year. They will be able to work independently, but will also be working closely with the public relations team, as well as the editorial and education team to give creative input on advertisements, educational materials, and the annual publication.

Note: this position is open to students in all disciplines in all years. Artistic skills are not required, students with any interest in curation or graphic design are encouraged to apply.

Number of positions available: 1-2

Application Document: Graphic Designer Application

Peer Reviewer

The peer review process is an important part of all scientific publications. Holding true to its name, the RCSIsmj believes that student articles should be reviewed by their student peers. In this way, authors can receive meaningful feedback from their colleagues, and peer reviewers can gain valuable experience in the critical appraisal of articles. A career in medicine requires one to evaluate the literature and make critical decisions based on the evidence presented. As a Peer Reviewer, you will be getting a head start, learning how to hone your skills as a critical appraiser of medical discourse.

Important functions of the Peer Reviewer are to:

A peer reviewer should be a student with the confidence to approach scientific writing in a critical manner and provide constructive feedback to the authors. There are many peer review positions available and we feel this is an excellent opportunity for students of any age, year or background to gain valuable experience in scientific literature and improve their medical resume.

Note: this position is open to students in all disciplines in all years. We encourage all students to apply, irrespective of experience.

Number of positions available: 20-25 (variable from year to year)

Application Document: Peer Reviewer

Public Relations

The success of the RCSIsmj depends entirely on whether students, staff, and peers are involved with the journal. Members of the public relations team will work together to help deliver the RCSIsmj to fellow students, staff and colleagues.

Important functions of a Public Relations Team member are to:

A Public Relations Team member should be a team player interested in marketing and advertisement with the creative skills to develop effective promotional campaigns. This position offers a unique opportunity to build a dynamic medical resume and earn valuable organisational and marketing skills. You will be integral in representing RCSIsmj both within RCSI and the medical fraternity.

Note: this position is open to students in all disciplines in all years. We encourage all students to apply, irrespective of experience.

Number of positions available: 3

Application Document: Public Relations

Senior Editor

The RCSIsmj executive staff is looking for a dedicated and enthusiastic student to take up the position of Senior Editor. The journal needs talented students to create a strong foundation from which it can grow and develop for years to come. This position offers not only the opportunity to gain valuable experience and improve your portfolio, but also a chance to shape the future of the RCSIsmj.  

 Important functions of the Senior Editor are to:  

1. Be the primary point of contact with staff writers to provide guidance as needed and finalise articles for publication (ideally during the summer months) 

2. Work directly with the Editor-in-Chief in the selection of articles for publication  

3. Be the primary text editor of all selected articles  

4. Communicate with selected authors to finalise their submissions for publication  

5. Develop their editing skills to take over as Editor-in-Chief for next year’s edition  

The Senior Editor should be comfortable with the tasks required of them, but need not have a background in editing. In fact, we would like to encourage all students who are interested to apply, regardless of experience. This coveted position with the RCSIsmj is a unique opportunity to be part of the creative core of the journal as well as build a competitive and dynamic medical resume.  

 Additionally, please note that this is a three-year post, as the second year the Senior Editor ascends to Editor-in-Chief, and then to Director in the third year. 

 A cautionary note to applicants: this position requires a considerable amount of effort and a significant time commitment. The Senior Editor should be prepared to commit several hours a week to their duties. Ideally this student would be available to devote significant time to work with the staff writers during the summer months. Later, the workload increases again during the winter months in order to finalize the journal for publication.  

 As it is very competitive, we encourage you to also apply for a second staff position.  

Application restrictions: The position is open to students who are currently in the following years:  

• Year 1 of 5 year programme (JC2)  

• Year 2 of 6 year programme (IC1)  

• Year 1 of GEM programme (JC2)  

This is to facilitate transition to take over the role of Editor-in-Chief and Director of the SMJ in subsequent years.  

Number of positions available: 1 

Application Document: Senior Editor

Senior Staff Writer

The Senior Staff Writer has the same responsibility as the Staff Writers to write and polish a review article on a topic of their interest during the summer that will be published in the annual edition of the SMJ. Additionally, the Senior Staff Writer will also have other roles in providing content for the journal. These include carrying out an interview with an individual of interest to the student body, reviewing a book on a topic of interest to healthcare, and helping to guide the theme for the year’s edition.  

 Important functions of the Senior Staff Writer are to:  

1. Formulate a topic that fits the theme of the journal and write an article to be published  

2. Use their expertise as authors to ensure the continued quality of RCSIsmj content 

3. Carry out an interview with an individual of interest to the student body 

4. Review a book on a topic of interest to healthcare 

The Senior Staff Writer should be a student who has the confidence to be a medical author and produce an article of a high standard. The Staff Writers are a vital part of the RCSIsmjproduction and are integral in developing the theme for our journal. They are also a representative of the student body and ambassadors of RCSI, as the quality of their publications reflect the distinction of RCSIsmj.  

 Note: this position is open to students in all disciplines in all years. Preference will be given to those who were staff writers in previous years, but all applications will be considered. We encourage ALL students to apply, irrespective of experience.  

 Number of positions available: 1 

Application Document: Senior Staff Writer

Staff Writer

Each year, the RCSIsmj selects a few applicants to join our team as staff writers. Each Staff Writer will then have the opportunity to select a topic of their choosing and have the summer to write a comprehensive article for publication, with support and guidance from the Senior Editor and Editor-in-Chief. Each Staff Writer have the outstanding opportunity to be published in a distinguished medical journal and be a part the of the RCSIsmj team.  

 Important functions of a Staff Writer are to:  

1. Formulate a topic that fits the theme of the journal  

2. Work closely with the editing team to write a polished review article for publication  

3. Use their expertise as authors to ensure the continued quality of RCSIsmj content 

A Staff Writer should be a student who has the confidence to be a medical author and produce an article of a high standard. Staff Writers are a vital part of the RCSIsmj production and are integral in developing the theme for our journal. They are also representative of the student body and ambassadors of RCSI, as the quality of their publications reflect the distinction of RCSIsmj. We encourage all students with an interest in writing to apply for the position, as it is a fantastic opportunity to develop and improve your writing skills with guidance from our editorial team.  

 Note: this position is open to students of all disciplines in all years. We encourage ALL students to apply, irrespective of experience.  

 Number of positions available: 7-8 

Application Document: Staff Writer

Director of Education

RCSIsmj as an organization has become increasingly interested in expanding beyond a medical journal publication, with a growing interest in the promotion of knowledge and excellence in scientific writing. The position of Director of Education is an integral part of our mission in this respect. It is the responsibility of the Director of Education to create learning opportunities for the student body and the RCSIsmj staff in innovative ways.

We would like to host events that focus on the development of scientific writing for the student body, including an academic research workshop, and a statistics competition.  

Important functions of the Director of Education are to:  

The Director of Education should be a student with a keen interest in the fields of scientific writing and biostatistics. Importantly, the applicant should have strong interpersonal skills (as they will be in contact with students, faculty and possibly other experts), be creative in finding ways to advertise workshops and lectures, and inspire their peers to take a more active interest in topics surrounding scientific writing – from robust experimental design to the particulars of the peer review process.  

Note: this position is open to students in all years and disciplines. We encourage ALL students to apply, irrespective of experience.  

Number of positions available: 1 

Application Docuemnt: Director of Education

Education Officer

RCSIsmj as an organization has become increasingly interested in expanding beyond a medical journal publication, with a growing interest in the promotion of knowledge and excellence in scientific writing. The position of Education Officer is integral to our mission in this respect.

We would like to host events that focus on the development of scientific writing for the student body, including an academic research workshop, and a statistics competition.  

It is the responsibility of the Education Officer to create learning opportunities for the student body and the RCSIsmj staff in innovative ways. Important functions of the Education Officer are to:  

Importantly, the applicant should have strong interpersonal skills (as they will be in contact with both students, faculty and possibly other experts), be creative in finding ways to advertise workshops and lectures, and inspire their peers to take a more active interest in topics surrounding scientific writing – from robust experimental design to the particulars of the peer review process.  

Note: this position is open to students in all years and disciplines. We encourage ALL students to apply, irrespective of experience.  

Number of positions available: 2 

Application Document: Education Officer

Executive Secretary

The Executive Secretary is an exciting position on the RCSIsmj executive staff. This position provides an excellent opportunity for a student to be involved with the production of the journal, gain valuable experience in editing, position themselves for senior positions in future years at the journal and help build a competitive and dynamic medical resume.

Important functions of the Executive Secretary are to:

The Executive Secretary should be an individual with excellent organisational and communications skills and who is capable of managing the RCSIsmj submission portfolio.

Note: this position is open to students in all disciplines in all years. We encourage all students to apply, irrespective of experience.

Number of positions available: 1-2

Application Document: Executive Secretary