ASCO - JCO Journals Editorial Fellowship

Overview

The JCO Journals Editorial Fellowship is designed to introduce oncology fellows (or their local equivalent) to the peer review, editing, and publishing of medical research manuscripts in journals. Fellows get a direct and immersive experience into how a manuscript is handled, from submission to final decision. This will include the opportunity to critically review papers with the supervision of assigned editors who will serve as their mentors. This program is mostly virtual and can be done in conjunction with your professional fellowship.

Timeframe

2026 applications are open through COB Thursday, February 26, 2026.

Year 1

The fellowship begins in June 2026. Fellows will be paired with a mentor from one of JCO’s six journals. They will attend journal calls, peer review papers, shadow journal editors and staff and complete a final project. Year 1 will conclude at ASCO’s 2027 annual meeting.

Optional: Year 2

After the 2027 ASCO annual meeting, participants will have the option to take what they learned and teach early career professionals. With training, fellows will become mentors for the JCO Journals Trainee Reviewer Mentoring Program. Fellows who continue through Year 2 can also continue to record for JCO, JCO OP, or JCO PO podcasts or complete other special journal projects.

What to Expect

• Obtain insight into the peer review process

• Learn to recognize the characteristics of well-conducted research and written communication style that make a manuscript worthy of publication

• Learn to detect flaws in the design, statistical analysis, and data interpretation that compromise the quality of research and lead to manuscript rejection

• Learn the roles of editor, reviewer, and publisher to gain a broad understanding of the overall scientific publishing process

Activities Include

1. Completion of online reviewer training course

2. Shadow experienced journal editors

3. Review of selected manuscripts, in consultation with editors

4. Attendance at journal editors' meeting at ASCO in 2027 (registration paid for by ASCO)

5. Final project to demonstrate what was learned during the program (e.g., PowerPoint presentation, written summary, or progress report on a special project related to their editorial experience)

6. January – June: Optional podcast participation for Journal of Clinical Oncology, JCO Oncology Practice, and JCO Precision Oncology fellows.

7. Year 2: Optional extension to be a mentor in the JCO Journals Trainee Reviewer Mentoring Program, continue recording for JCO, JCO OP, and JCO PO podcasts and/or other special projects.

Eligibility

Applicants must:

• Be in the field of oncology

• Have some experience publishing papers

• Have specific ideas for what they hope to learn in the program

Applicants should fall into one of the following subcategories:

1. Clinical Oncology Fellows

• Be a clinical oncology fellow in training

• OR no more than 1 year out of training

1. Cancer Research Professionals

• Be no more than 4 years out of training.

AND meet one of the following:

• Have a Ph.D. in Biostatistics

• OR Work in a cancer research-related field, including, but not limited to:

  • Epidemiology

  • Health Policy

  • Health Services Research

  • Radiation Oncology

  • Genetic Counseling

1. Narrative Medicine Track

• Meet the criteria for subcategory 1 or 2

• AND want to gain narrative medicine experience with JCO’s Art of Oncology Editorial Board

Contact Us

Questions should be directed to ASCO Publishing.

Apply now through COB Thursday, February 26, 2026. Applicants will be notified of the final decision early April 2026.