Everyone needs an editor. This is an old saying that has taken me five years to appreciate fully. When I assumed the editorship of CMAJ in January 2007,1 was given an amazing opportunity - the chance to learn about the inner workings of a scientific publication. As a clinician researcher, I had extensive experience with peer review, but I lacked formal editorial training and had a limited view of the editor's role. That quickly changed as I discovered that editors do much more than help fashion the content of articles.I was also astounded at the extent to which medical journals and their editorial teams influence public discourse. I believe it is because they are a safe space to debate ideas. To be effective in doing so, reputation and credibility are essential. As a collective, editors of major medical journals set high standards.Over the past years, I've learned a few things about the essential role medical editors play in disseminating "medical knowledge that matters" in this safe space.
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