JO

Journal of the American College of Surgeons

Journal of the American College of Surgeons is the official scientific journal of the American College of Surgeons. It is a monthly peer-reviewed journal publishing original contributions on all aspects of surgery, including original clinical studies, review articles, and experimental investigations with clear clinical relevance.

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Subject Surgery
Impact Factor 3.4
Quartile Q1
Open Access Type Hybrid
ISSN 1072-7515
eISSN 1879-1190
Invitation Only No
Cost Range Hybrid open access publication fees vary by journal and license, with examples shown from $1,590 to $5,096 excluding taxes.

Submission Instructions

Journal of the American College of Surgeons accepts the following article types. Click on an article type to view submission instructions.

Original Scientific Articles

Cover Letter A cover letter is required. Cover letter must briefly state the main research question, principal findings, direct significance to surgical practice, patient care, or surgical science, and why the manuscript is a strong fit for JACS in terms of novelty, impact, and mission alignment.
Abstract A structured abstract is required. Abstract must be structured. Structured abstract must use the headings Background, Study Design, Results, and Conclusions.
Manuscript Manuscript must not exceed 4,000 words. Manuscript must include a clearly stated research question or hypothesis and use the sections Introduction, Methods, Results, Discussion, and Conclusions. Manuscript must include a 1 to 3 sentence précis of 50 words or fewer, up to 6 keywords after the structured abstract, and a dedicated AI disclosure statement in the Methods or Acknowledgements section if AI tools were used.
References References must use AMA style. References must be cited in numerical order, and references with 5 or more authors must list the first 3 authors followed by et al.
Figures & Tables A maximum of 5 tables and figures combined is allowed. Tables must be placed at the end of the manuscript in Word format, and figures must not be embedded in the manuscript but submitted separately. Figure parts must be labeled A, B, and so on, and legends must be provided at the end of the manuscript.
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Meta-Analysis

Cover Letter A cover letter is required. Cover letter must be addressed to Thomas K. Varghese Jr. MD, MS, FACS, briefly state the manuscript's main research question, principal findings, and direct significance to surgical practice, patient care, or surgical science, and explain its novelty, potential impact, and fit with the journal.
Abstract A structured abstract is required. Abstract must be structured. Abstract must use the headings Background, Study Design, Results, and Conclusions.
Manuscript Manuscript must not exceed 3,000 words. Manuscript must use the sections Introduction, Methods, Results, Discussion, and Conclusions and include the research question in PICO format, the search strategy, the method of combining results and statistical analysis, results, a critical appraisal of the synthesized evidence with implications for practice or policy, knowledge gaps, future research priorities, and limitations of both the included studies and the review process. Up to 6 keywords must be included after the structured abstract, and a dedicated Funding section and an AI disclosure statement in the Methods or Acknowledgements section must be included.
References References may not exceed 25. References must use AMA style. References must be cited in numerical order, and references with 5 or more authors must list the first 3 authors followed by et al.
Figures & Tables A maximum of 3 tables and figures combined is permitted. Tables must be placed at the end of the manuscript in Word format, figures must not be embedded in the manuscript, and legends must be provided at the end of the manuscript. Figure parts must be labeled A, B, and so on, and forest plots should be included.
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Systematic Review (Without Meta-Analysis)

Cover Letter A cover letter is required. Cover letter must be addressed to Thomas K. Varghese Jr. MD, MS, FACS, Editor-in-Chief, and briefly state the main research question, principal findings, direct significance to surgical practice, patient care, or surgical science, and why the manuscript is a strong fit for JACS in terms of novelty, impact, and mission alignment.
Abstract A structured abstract is required. Abstract must be structured. Abstract must use the headings Background, Study Design, Results, and Conclusions.
Manuscript Manuscript must not exceed 3,000 words. Manuscript must include the research question in PICO format, the search strategy, results, a discussion critically appraising the synthesized evidence with implications for clinical practice or policy, knowledge gaps, and future research priorities, and limitations of the included studies and the review process itself. Up to 6 keywords must be included after the structured abstract.
References Manuscript may include up to 25 references. References must use AMA style. References must be cited in numerical order, and references with 5 or more authors must list the first 3 authors followed by et al.
Figures & Tables Manuscript may include a maximum of 3 tables and figures combined. Tables must be placed at the end of the manuscript in Word format, while figures must not be embedded in the manuscript and legends must be provided at the end of the manuscript.
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Scoping Reviews

Cover Letter A cover letter is required. Cover letter must be addressed to Thomas K. Varghese Jr. MD, MS, FACS and briefly state the main research question, principal findings, their direct significance to surgical practice, patient care, or surgical science, and why the manuscript is a strong fit for JACS in terms of novelty, impact, and mission alignment.
Abstract An abstract is required. Abstract must be unstructured.
Manuscript Manuscript must be 2,500 to 4,000 words. Manuscript must use the sections Introduction, Methods, Results, Discussion, and Conclusions. A dedicated Funding section and a dedicated AI disclosure statement in the Methods or Acknowledgements section are required.
References References are limited to 25. References must use AMA style. References must be cited in numerical order, and works with 5 or more authors must list the first 3 authors followed by et al.
Figures & Tables A maximum of 3 tables and figures combined is allowed. Tables must be placed at the end of the manuscript in Word format, while figures must not be embedded and legends must be provided at the end of the manuscript. Figure parts must be labeled A, B, and so on.
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State-Of-The-Art Reviews (Focused Updates)

Cover Letter A cover letter is required. Cover letter must be addressed to Thomas K. Varghese Jr. MD, MS, FACS, briefly state the manuscript's main research question, principal findings, and significance, and explain its fit, novelty, potential impact, and alignment with the mission of Exceptional Science for the House of Surgery.
Abstract An abstract is required. Abstract must be unstructured. Up to 6 keywords must be included after the unstructured summary.
Manuscript Manuscript must be 1,500 to 2,000 words. Manuscript must cover recent developments, critical appraisal, and future investigation. Up to 6 keywords must be included after the unstructured summary, and a dedicated statement disclosing any use of Artificial Intelligence tools must be included within the Methods or Acknowledgements section.
References References are limited to 25. References must use AMA style. References must be cited in numerical order, and references with 5 or more authors must list the first 3 authors followed by et al.
Figures & Tables A maximum of 3 tables and figures combined is permitted. Tables must be placed at the end of the manuscript in Word format, figures must not be embedded in the manuscript, and legends must be provided at the end of the manuscript. Figure parts must be labeled A, B, and so on.
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Research Letter

Cover Letter A cover letter is required. Cover letter must be addressed to Thomas K. Varghese Jr. MD, MS, FACS and briefly state the main research question, principal findings, and their direct significance to surgical practice, patient care, or surgical science, and explain the manuscript's novelty, potential impact, and fit with the journal.
Abstract A structured abstract is required. Abstract must be structured. Abstract must use the headings Background, Study Design, Results, and Conclusions.
Manuscript Manuscript must not exceed 800 words. Research Letter must include the research question, methodology, results, implications, and limitations. Up to 6 keywords must be included after the structured abstract, and a Data Availability Statement must be included at the end of the manuscript text before the References section.
References References are limited to 15. References must use AMA style. References must be cited in numerical order, and references with 5 or more authors must list the first 3 authors followed by et al.
Figures & Tables Research Letters may include a maximum of 2 tables and figures combined. Figures must not be embedded in the manuscript, tables must be placed at the end of the manuscript, and legends must be provided at the end of the manuscript. Tables must be provided in Word format only, and figure parts must be labeled A, B, and so on.
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Surgical Innovations (Brief Technical Reports)

Cover Letter A cover letter is required. Cover letter must be addressed to Thomas K. Varghese Jr. MD, MS, FACS and briefly state the main research question, principal findings, their direct significance to surgical practice, patient care, or surgical science, and why the manuscript is a strong fit for JACS based on novelty, potential impact, and mission alignment.
Abstract A short unstructured summary is required. The summary must not exceed 150 words. The summary must be unstructured. No mandatory headings are specified for the summary.
Manuscript The manuscript must not exceed 1,000 words. The report must describe a novel surgical technique or technology in a how-to-do-it format and include indications and contraindications, step-by-step procedural details, necessary equipment or instrumentation, comparison to existing methods if applicable, preliminary outcomes focused on feasibility, safety, and effectiveness, and a clear articulation of impact on care, unmet surgical needs, or technical advantages. Up to 6 keywords must be included after the unstructured summary, and a dedicated Funding section and an AI disclosure statement in the Methods or Acknowledgements section are required where applicable.
References The manuscript may include up to 15 references. References must use AMA style. References must be cited in numerical order, and references with 5 or more authors must list the first 3 authors followed by et al.
Figures & Tables Null Figures must not be embedded in the manuscript, tables must be placed at the end of the manuscript, and figure files must be submitted separately. High-quality illustrations demonstrating the technique are required, and tables must be provided in Word format only.
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Clinical Practice Guidelines

Cover Letter A cover letter is required. Cover letter must be addressed to Thomas K. Varghese Jr. MD, MS, FACS and briefly state the main research question, principal findings, direct significance to surgical practice, patient care, or surgical science, and why the manuscript is a strong fit for JACS in terms of novelty, impact, and mission alignment.
Abstract Abstract requirements are not specified.
Manuscript Manuscript must not exceed 3,000 words. Clinical Practice Guidelines must identify the source, assess the level of evidence, summarize key recommendations, and analyze clinical implications. A dedicated Funding section must be included, and any use of artificial intelligence tools must be disclosed in a dedicated Methods or Acknowledgements statement identifying the specific tool, version, and use.
References References are limited to 25. References must use AMA style. References must be cited in numerical order, and references with 5 or more authors must list the first 3 authors followed by et al.
Figures & Tables A maximum of 3 tables and figures combined is allowed. Tables must be placed at the end of the manuscript in Word format, and figures must not be embedded in the manuscript. Figure parts must be labeled A, B, and so on, and legends must be provided at the end of the manuscript.
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Expert Consensus Documents

Cover Letter A cover letter is required. Cover letter must be addressed to Thomas K. Varghese Jr. MD, MS, FACS and briefly state the manuscript's main research question, principal findings, direct significance, and why it is a strong fit for JACS.
Abstract Abstract requirements are not specified.
Manuscript Manuscript must be 1,800 to 2,200 words. Manuscript must describe the panel, present consensus statements, and acknowledge uncertainty. A dedicated Funding section must be included in the manuscript, and any use of Artificial Intelligence tools must be disclosed in a dedicated Methods or Acknowledgements statement.
References References are limited to 25. References must use AMA style. References must be cited in numerical order, and references with 5 or more authors must list the first 3 authors followed by et al.
Figures & Tables A maximum of 3 tables and figures combined is permitted. Tables must be placed at the end of the manuscript in Word format, and figures must be submitted separately rather than embedded in the manuscript. Figure parts must be labeled A, B, and so on, and legends must be provided at the end of the manuscript.
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Letter To The Editor

Cover Letter A cover letter is required. Cover letter must be addressed to Thomas K. Varghese Jr. MD, MS, FACS, Editor-in-Chief, briefly state the manuscript’s main research question, principal findings, and significance, and explain its fit, novelty, impact, and alignment with the journal mission.
Abstract Abstract requirements are not specified.
Manuscript Letter to the Editor submissions must not exceed 800 words. Letter must begin by briefly explaining its purpose and connection to the published article, present 2 to 4 focused points, and conclude with a concise summary and specific constructive suggestions or recommendations for future research or practice. A clear title different from the original article title is required.
References Letter to the Editor submissions may include up to 10 references. References must use AMA style. References must be cited in numerical order, and references with 5 or more authors must list the first 3 authors followed by et al.
Figures & Tables Letter to the Editor submissions may include a maximum of 2 tables and figures combined. Tables must be placed at the end of the manuscript and figures must not be embedded in the manuscript. Tables must be provided in Word format only, and legends must be provided at the end of the manuscript.
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Recent Publications

Reframing Margin Adequacy in Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma: Role of Tumor Size

Hassan Aziz, Faisal S Jehan

10.1097/xcs.0000000000002003
View Publication

Oncologic Impact of Margin-to-Size Ratio for Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma

Jun Kawashima, Kota Sahara, Miho Akabane, Yutaka Endo, Federico Aucejo, Shishir K. Maithel, Bas Groot Koerkamp, Yuki Homma, Itaru Endo, Timothy M. Pawlik

10.1097/xcs.0000000000002062
View Publication

Self-Reported Flourishing Among U.S. Surgeons: A National Physician Survey

Kevin Ig-Izevbekhai, Felix R. De Bie, Kathryn Radulovacki, Hannah Johnston, Allan D. Kirk, Julie A. Freischlag, Tait Shanafelt, Jon C. Tilbert, Ryan M. Antiel

10.1097/xcs.0000000000002061
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Short-term outcomes of laparoscopic hiatal hernia repair with consecutive transoral incisionless fundoplication (cTIF): a prospective multicenter cohort study

Jennifer M. Kolb, Marcia Irene Canto, Brett Parker, Michael Murray, Olaya I. Brewer Gutierrez, Reem Z Sharaiha, Jason Samarasena, Nirav C. Thosani, Barham K. Abu-Dayyeh, Peter Janu, Kenneth J Chang, Ninh T. Nguyen

10.1097/xcs.0000000000002059
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Indocyanine Green Fluorescence for Intraoperative Tumor Identification During Resection of Pediatric and Adolescent Intra-Abdominal Malignancy: A Prospective Multi-Institutional Observational Study

Sophia MV Schermerhorn, Stephen J Hartman, Roshni Dasgupta, Todd M Jenkins, Timothy B Lautz, Zachary Kastenberg, Marcus M Malek, Jennifer H Aldrink, Nelson Piché, Erin G Brown, Jonathan P Roach, Daniel S Rhee, Stephanie F Polites, Dave R Lal, Eugene S Kim, Hau D Le, Elisabeth T Tracy, Dafydd A Davies, Chloé Boehmer, Alexander J Bondoc

10.1097/xcs.0000000000002056
View Publication

Frequently asked questions

How long does it take to publish?

Submissions are screened by editors before peer review. Authors must return page-proof corrections within 24–48 hours. Accepted articles may be published Online First before assignment to a print issue.

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Is a cover letter required?

A comprehensive cover letter is required. It should be addressed to Thomas K. Varghese Jr, MD, MS, FACS, Editor-in-Chief, and briefly summarize the main research question, principal findings, significance, fit for the journal, originality, ethical adherence, any preprint posting, key patient-centered outcomes or surgical innovation considerations when central, and any prior communication with editors.

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What are the publication costs?

Hybrid open access publication fees vary by journal and license and are charged upon acceptance; fees shown exclude taxes.

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Research Topics

Cardiac, Anesthesia and Surgical Outcomes Diversity and Career in Medicine Pancreatic and Hepatic Oncology Research Trauma and Emergency Care Studies Colorectal Cancer Surgical Treatments Surgical Simulation and Training Gallbladder and Bile Duct Disorders Hernia repair and management Hepatocellular Carcinoma Treatment and Prognosis Organ Transplantation Techniques and Outcomes Esophageal and GI Pathology Gastric Cancer Management and Outcomes Minimally Invasive Surgical Techniques Bariatric Surgery and Outcomes Appendicitis Diagnosis and Management Abdominal Trauma and Injuries Enhanced Recovery After Surgery Abdominal Surgery and Complications Breast Cancer Treatment Studies Pancreatitis Pathology and Treatment Trauma, Hemostasis, Coagulopathy, Resuscitation Innovations in Medical Education Cholangiocarcinoma and Gallbladder Cancer Studies Esophageal Cancer Research and Treatment Healthcare Policy and Management

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