Seasons of Growth: Reflections on the <scp> <i>CPT</i> </scp> Editor‐in‐Training Program

Much like the unseen roots that anchor a tree, editors quietly sustain the scientific enterprise of a journal. Although they are rarely visible in the array of publications, through the review process, they decide the content of the journal and provide the stability, nourishment, and resilience that allow the journal’s science to grow. In 2019, Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics (CPT) launched its Editor-in-Training (EiT) program as a bold experiment to develop future reviewers and editors for scientific journals and in particular for CPT. With each cycle, the program has matured, leaving its mark on the journal, the broader field it serves, its editors, and the EiTs themselves. From the outset, the vision of the EiT program has been twofold: to cultivate the next generation of editorial leaders and to enrich the perspectives and skill set of the editorial team. The EiT role is a practical apprenticeship in the craft of scientific publishing, where early-career researchers learn by doing, guided by experienced editors. In return, the journal benefits from their fresh perspective, energy, and willingness to experiment with new ideas. Each cohort joined for 1 year on average (the initial cohorts remained longer, reflecting the program’s pilot phase), stepping into the daily work of an Associate Editor in the second half of the tenure: triaging manuscripts, selecting reviewers, synthesizing feedback, and shaping manuscript recommendations. Beyond manuscript management, EiTs have contributed to strategic planning for special issues, stepped in as reviewers for time-critical manuscripts, developed social media strategies, written and coauthored editorials,1-14 hosted webinars and podcasts, and engaged in discussions on publishing ethics and policy. Beyond their daily responsibilities as EiTs, each cohort has also undertaken independent projects, stepping back from the manuscript queue to examine broader questions in scientific publishing. One recurring theme has been the pursuit of how to best define and measure the impact of published work. Early trainees explored whether the first ripples of engagement, such as Altmetric scores and social media mentions, might be linked to later citation patterns. A subsequent cohort revisited the question from a different angle, examining whether manuscript features, such as title, number of authors, and other metadata (e.g., type of submission and open access status) could influence the scientific impact of a manuscript. While these explorations were not designed to provide definitive answers, they highlight a sustained curiosity across cohorts: what helps research not only be published but also endure in the scientific ecosystem? If one question was how science leaves its mark, another was how the journal maintains its own. Excellence in scientific publication requires an editorial team and policies that support transparency and ethical collection of data, and provide advice to authors about emerging areas of interest of the journal. For clinical trials, open access of all patients to the trial’s information through public registries is critical. One initiative undertaken by a cohort of EiTs was to introduce systematic checks for clinical trial registration,6 aligning CPT with international standards and leading to updates in author guidelines. Clinical trials published in our journal must be registered in appropriate trial registries, which allow potential subjects to learn about and enroll in the trial. Another project of an EiT cohort was to compare CPT’s content portfolio with that of peer journals, mapping therapeutic areas, article types, and importantly, identifying emerging fields. By examining trends in topics published in CPT over time, an EiT cohort was able to identify growing fields in clinical pharmacology, such as real-world data, pharmacogenomics, and novel therapeutic modalities.8 Another cohort examined how editorial leadership and authorship could stimulate areas of research within clinical pharmacology by coauthoring an editorial that highlighted where progress was needed and how the field could respond.9 Taken together, these projects reinforced the journal’s core principle that research should be innovative, transparent, representative, and trustworthy. Successive cohorts helped CPT extend its voice beyond the journal’s pages. EiTs experimented with new ways of connecting research to its audience, testing approaches for online visibility, monitoring how readers engaged with content, and considering how different platforms might extend the journal’s reach. They also played a role in shaping the journal’s direction by helping identify themes of high interest and working with senior editors and paragons of research to bring those collections to life. In some cases, EiTs led projects examining the rise of artificial intelligence and machine learning in the scientific literature, investigating how such tools might influence publishing practices in the years ahead. International engagement also deepened, with webinars designed to connect directly with authors across regions and languages. Through these outward-facing efforts, the program’s reach extended, offering visibility and connection well beyond the journal’s core readership. Beyond the benefits that the EiT program clearly gave to the journal are the benefits that participation in the program gave to the EiTs. Immersion in the editorial process gave trainees a new perspective on science, seeing manuscripts as not only potential publications but also works-in-progress that required careful judgment and constructive guidance. Many reflected on how this sharpened their own writing and reviewing (Figure 1), giving them a deeper appreciation for what strengthens a paper and what weakens it. Beyond the mechanics, the experience fostered skills that are harder to quantify but no less vital: leadership, strategic thinking, communication, and professional networking. One trainee described the trust placed in them to join difficult editorial conversations as “both inspiring and invaluable.” Another emphasized how being immersed in the decision-making process made them a more confident and critical evaluator of science. But growth rarely comes without strain. Balancing the demands of a full-time job with the responsibilities of an EiT is not without its challenges. Weekly social media posts, sustained for a year or more, tested the creativity of even the most energetic cohorts. And then, there were the steady reminders of responsibility in the form of automated emails titled “Overdue Associate Editor Task(s).” These arrived with clockwork regularity in the inbox of the more laissez-faire EiT, including on weekends and holidays, a reminder that science waits for no one. The experience was both rewarding and rigorous, as it offered an authentic immersion into what it truly means to sit on the editorial side of the desk. The impact of the program extends well beyond its 1-year cycles. Alumni have taken their editorial experience into a wide range of environments: academia, industry, regulatory agencies, and beyond. Some began as postdoctoral fellows and now hold Assistant or Associate Professor positions, bringing lessons from CPT into their own mentoring and research programs. Others transitioned from post-graduate entry-level positions into artificial intelligence, clinical pharmacology, medical, and advisory director roles in industry, drawing on the judgment and confidence built during their time as EiT. A few have crossed countries and continents in the process, reflecting the global reach of both the field and the program. What unites these paths is not where alumni are now, but what they carried with them: balanced judgment, sharper skills in writing and editing, a deeper appreciation for peer review, and a sense of belonging to the community of science from the inside out. One former trainee described the experience as a “front-row seat to the decision-making that drives the journal.” Another emphasized how it “opened doors to leadership and service opportunities” that might not have appeared otherwise. Each story reinforces the same message: the program has never been just about manuscripts; it has been about cultivating people who now contribute to the field from new positions of strength and perspective. Five cohorts on, the EiT program has become part of CPT’s landscape and that of its sister journals. But like any living system, it continues to evolve. The next years will bring opportunities to expand its global reach, as the program, already enriched by participants from outside the United States, continues to invite EiTs from a wide range of regions and backgrounds. The journal will also be confronted by new frontiers in publishing, such as artificial intelligence, open science, and novel modes of communication, that EiTs are uniquely positioned to explore with fresh perspectives. Another branch still forming is the alumni network: connecting past trainees more intentionally so their collective insights can continue to nourish the journal and its community. The goal remains unchanged: to ensure that early-career researchers are not only trained in the craft of editing but also empowered to carry those lessons into the many places where clinical pharmacology takes root. Editors are not born but made, nurtured through practice, mentorship, and trust. Over five cohorts, the EiT program has strengthened and extended the journal into new directions. EiTs now thrive across academia, industry, and regulatory science. Each season has left its own ring of growth, and together they form a living record of how early-career researchers can be shaped into leaders in their field. Yet this is not the final harvest. The seasons ahead will bring new growth that will carry the program forward. No funding was received for this work. The authors declared no competing interests for this work.