In 2025, many authors make outstanding contributions to our journal. Their articles published with us have received very well feedback in the field and stimulate a lot of discussions and new insights among the peers.

Hereby, we would like to highlight some of our outstanding authors, with a brief interview of their thoughts and insights as authors. Allow us to express our heartfelt gratitude for their tremendous effort and valuable contributions to the scientific process.

Outstanding Authors (2025)

Alberto Parente, Reina Sofia University Hospital, Spain

Megan H. Hicks, Wake Forest University, USA

Heba Wagih Abdelwahab, Mansoura University, Egypt

Ho Tat Bang, University Medical Center Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Huyen Mai Duy Le, University Medical Center Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Yoshihito Sakanishi, Juntendo University Urayasu Hospital, Japan

Dr. Tori R. Van Dyk & Dr. Bhaktidevi Rawal, Loma Linda University, USA

Outstanding Author

Alberto Parente

Alberto Parente, PhD, is a consultant in Paediatric Surgery and Paediatric Urology at Reina Sofia University Hospital, Cordoba, Spain. His areas of interest include endourology and robotic surgery, of which he is Proctor for Spain and Portugal. Connect with him on Instagram.

In Dr. Parente’s opinion, a good academic paper must be written following several rules. First, it must be based on a reasonable hypothesis. Sometimes statistics can be misused to justify the unjustifiable. Second, it must have a correct method, well explained and without biases that may alter the results. Lastly, it must be useful for the clinical or experimental researchers who read the paper.

According to Dr. Parente, the most commonly encountered difficulty in academic writing is the use of academic language, which is different from the common language we use with friends or family. This includes statistical language, which many doctors are not used to. Likewise, the importance of using the exact words to convey the results of the study or knowledge is paramount.

“The most exciting thing in academic writing is being able to help another person, no matter how far away they are. Our knowledge, although small, can help others make progress in solving a problem. It can also be used to compare the symptoms of a disease with those of another patient, or to open a line of research or stimulate an idea in another part of the world,” says Dr. Parente.

(by Brad Li, Masaki Lo)

Megan H. Hicks

Dr. Megan Hicks is an Assistant Professor of Anesthesiology and a cardiothoracic and critical care anesthesiologist at Wake Forest University and Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center. She is active in medical education, serving as Associate Program Director of the critical care medicine fellowship. Her research focuses on continuous vital sign monitoring via wearable medical devices, specifically glucose monitoring devices in patients undergoing cardiac surgery.

The way Dr. Hicks sees it, academic writing is quintessential to the effective communication of research findings, guidelines, and reference material. Specifically, in medicine, this comprises “the evidence” on which researchers base clinical decision-making and is truly a foundational component of the practice of medicine.

In Dr. Hicks’ opinion, thoughtful, accurate, and reliable writing is absolutely essential to effective dissemination of medical information. Each publication written is a potential primary reference material for additional reviews and studies and thus even the smallest overstatement or misinterpretation could be magnified greatly. As such, she believes it is imperative that academic writers strive to construct the most accurate and true representation of what the data or literature demonstrates. This also mandates strict adherence to ethical research principles as well as scrupulous review by both the writers and qualified peers at all phases of publication.

From Dr. Hicks’ perspective, critical review of research plans and project conduct is imperative for the generation of accurate and replicable data. The institutional review board (IRB) is a reliable construct present in all research institutions which systematically reviews all proposed research to ascertain adherence to ethical research principles, comply with applicable regulations and policies, and importantly, protect human subjects, while also maintaining oversight throughout studies to ensure adherence. Omission of the IRB review process introduces the risk for bias, unreliable data collection, and other unethical or dangerous practices, which make resultant research fraught with concerns regarding reliability and applicability.

(by Brad Li, Masaki Lo)

Heba Wagih Abdelwahab

Heba Wagih Abdelwahab, MD, is an assistant professor of chest medicine at Mansoura university in Egypt. Also, she is a consultant in allergy. Her areas of interest include allergy and allergen immunotherapy.

Dr. Abdelwahab stresses that a good academic paper must be clear and concise, provide honest data, solve problems, and add new facts. It should aim to solve problems and introduce new information. She insists that unbiased writing must maintain appropriate levels of specificity, be evidence-based and objective, and utilize blind experiments when possible. She strongly encourages all researchers to enhance their writing skills, continue their efforts, and stress the importance of learning from both mistakes and successes.

(by Sasa Zhu, Brad Li)

Ho Tat Bang

Ho Tat Bang, MD, PhD, is a thoracic and vascular surgeon currently working at the Department of Thoracic and Vascular Surgery, University Medical Center Ho Chi Minh City, and serving as a lecturer in the Department of Health Management, Faculty of Public Health, University of Medicine and Pharmacy at Ho Chi Minh City. His clinical and academic interests focus on thoracic surgery, vascular surgery, and perioperative care, with a particular emphasis on quality of recovery, patient-reported outcomes, and Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) programs. Recently, his research has focused on assessing the effectiveness of ERAS implementation in thoracic surgery, particularly in lung cancer surgeries, and evaluating how protocol compliance affects clinical and patient-centered outcomes. He actively engages in interdisciplinary research that combines clinical medicine, nursing science, and health management to enhance healthcare quality and promote evidence-based practice in Vietnam.

Dr. Bang believes that academic writing is vital for conveying scientific knowledge clearly, reliably, and reproducibly. It helps transform clinical experience and research findings into evidence that can be evaluated, applied, and further developed by the scientific community.

In Dr. Bang’s view, academic writing demands both patience and persistence. Even small studies can be meaningful when conducted carefully and reported honestly. Continuous learning and collaboration are key to long-term academic growth. He believes that responsible data sharing enhances transparency and reproducibility while allowing research findings to create greater scientific value. This should always be conducted with careful attention to ethical standards and privacy considerations.

(by Sasa Zhu, Brad Li)

Huyen Mai Duy Le

Huyen Mai Duy Le, MD, is a senior radiologist in the Diagnostic Imaging Department at University Medical Center Ho Chi Minh City, a high-volume liver center in Vietnam. Her clinical and research interests focus on abdominal imaging, particularly hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and inflammatory bowel disease. She is actively involved in teaching and delivers regular lectures for Vietnamese radiologists on practical, guideline-based imaging interpretation. Her recent work centers on translating “real-world” preoperative imaging into clinically usable prognostic tools. In a cohort study using routine dynamic CT/MRI with extracellular contrast agents, her team identified four accessible imaging features—multiple tumors, non-smooth or ill-defined margins, the LI-RADS category, and intratumoral arteries—that independently predict early recurrence after curative-intent liver resection, supporting risk-adapted surveillance and management.

From Dr. Le’s perspective, a good academic paper starts with a clinically meaningful, well-defined question and a method designed to answer it without ambiguity. It should use precise terminology aligned with widely accepted standards, report methods in sufficient detail to be reproducible, and present results transparently without overstatement. Clear structure, sound statistical analysis, and an honest discussion of limitations are essential, along with a concise “take-home message” that helps readers understand how and whether the findings can be applied in practice.

Dr. Le believes that curiosity and clinical insight are fundamental for any author. Good research ideas often emerge from genuine problems encountered in clinical settings. Additionally, an author must possess strong critical reading skills, methodological discipline, and the ability to collaborate effectively within a multidisciplinary team. Effective scientific writing features clear logic, precise language, and transparency regarding uncertainties and limitations.

Dr. Le indicates that in Vietnam, HCC is highly prevalent because the country lies in a hepatitis B–endemic region, and many patients proceed to liver resection based on preoperative dynamic CT. Much of the published imaging literature on tumor biology and recurrence risk, however, comes from hepatobiliary contrast MRI—an approach that is not consistently accessible in resource-limited settings. This gap motivated their study. “We wanted to determine whether routine dynamic CT/MRI with extracellular contrast agents, without additional tests beyond guideline-based work-up, could still provide meaningful prognostic information. Our findings showed that a small set of practical imaging features could stratify early recurrence risk, reinforcing our belief that impactful research often begins with the challenges of real-world clinical practice,” says Dr. Le.

(by Sasa Zhu, Brad Li)

Yoshihito Sakanishi

Yoshihito Sakanishi, MD, PhD, is an ophthalmologist at Juntendo University Urayasu Hospital and Sakanishi Eye Clinic, Japan. His research areas are retinal vein occlusion and digitally assisted vitreoretinal surgery.

In Dr. Sakanishi’s view, the advancement of various fields, not limited to medicine, has been driven by the accumulation of numerous works of academic writing. This is because clinical experiences can be shared worldwide when they are not kept solely at an individual level but are disseminated in the form of scientific publications. To advance the field of medicine, it is crucial to continue writing and publishing research findings.

In addition, Dr. Sakanishi strongly believes that data sharing is essential in modern scientific research. Sharing research data enhances transparency, allows independent verification of results, and promotes reproducibility, which are fundamental principles of scientific integrity. It also enables other researchers to reanalyze data from different perspectives, generate new hypotheses, and accelerate scientific progress without unnecessary duplication of effort.

“Writing a scientific paper is a demanding task. However, the difficulty of this process is well understood, and as a result, the value of a single paper produced with such effort is widely acknowledged. All researchers should continue striving to contribute to the advancement of academic research,” says Dr. Sakanishi.

(by Sasa Zhu, Brad Li)

Tori R. Van

Dr. Tori Van Dyk is an Associate Professor and clinical pediatric health psychologist in the Department of Psychology at Loma Linda University in California. Her work focuses on modifiable health behaviors such as sleep, diet, and physical activity and the intersection between mental and physical health. Her recent projects have focused on the integration of psychologists and behavioral health providers into medical settings to enhance whole person care.

Bhaktidevi Rawal

Dr. Bhaktidevi Rawal obtained her PsyD in clinical psychology from Loma Linda University, completed internship at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA) and fellowship at CHOC Children’s, specializing in pediatric health psychology. She is a pediatric psychologist within CHLA’s Division of Pediatric Dermatology and Vascular Anomalies Center, where she provides psychological assessment, consultation, and treatment to youth with complex medical conditions. Interests include behavioral health integration, health behavior change, transdiagnostic interventions, medical traumatic stress, coping, and resiliency.

AMJ: What role does academic writing play in science?

Dr. Van Dyk and Dr. Rawal: Academic writing plays a crucial role in advancing and sharing scientific knowledge. Strong study design, advanced methodology, and appropriate statistical analyses are at the foundation of good scientific inquiry. However, without the ability to communicate the findings of these studies through academic writing, the impact of strong science is limited. Effectively communicating what is learned to our peers in the scientific community pushes the field forward and enhances understanding. Further, academic writing informs evidence-based clinical care and practice, ultimately improving the care our patients receive. Finally, academic writing contributes to education and training, ensuring the next generation of scientists and clinicians builds upon the most up-to-date information.

AMJ: Academic writing takes time and effort. What drives you to do it?

Dr. Van Dyk and Dr. Rawal: Our motivation to write is driven by several factors. First, we enjoy the process. It encourages reflection on what is known, what we seek to understand better, and how our research and the research of others inform our clinical practice. We are motivated by the desire to contribute to evolving research, which can hopefully benefit others on a larger scale. Given that we conduct human subjects research, we also feel we owe it to those who took time and energy to participate in our studies to disseminate what we learned. Finally, we are motivated by our scientific collaborators who make the writing process easier. Leveraging the strengths of each individual on the team and working together to produce a strong manuscript are rewarding. Essentially, motivation is not just internal but is driven by our patients, our participants, our collaborators, and the scientific community we feel proud to be a part of.

AMJ: How do you make sure your writing is current and offers new insights in your research field?

Dr. Van Dyk and Dr. Rawal: The first, and arguably, most important step to academic writing is reading. You must have a solid understanding of where your field stands to place your findings in the appropriate context. Staying up to date is a continual process. We attempt to accomplish this by subscribing to daily notifications of research published in our area and receiving the table of contents from journals when they are released. Engaging in the peer review process as a reviewer also keeps us at the edge of science. Additionally, each manuscript requires a thorough literature review to ensure all relevant studies have been considered. Beyond staying current with peer-reviewed publications, we stay active in our professional organizations, attending conferences, and communicating face-to-face with our peers. As scientist-practitioners involved in both clinical care and research, we rely on observations from practice to identify treatment gaps and explore potential novel approaches.

(by Sasa Zhu, Brad Li)