Canadian Journal of Surgery
A Canadian bimonthly, peer-reviewed, open-access medical journal covering surgery.
Last updated August 25, 2026
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Overview
The Canadian Journal of Surgery is a Canadian medical journal devoted to surgical research, clinical practice, education, and professional discussion. It is published on a bimonthly schedule and operates as an open-access, peer-reviewed publication, making its articles available to surgical professionals, researchers, trainees, and healthcare institutions without the access restrictions associated with many subscription journals. The journal was established in 1957 through a collaboration among Canadian university departments of surgery, the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, and the Canadian Medical Association. Its creation responded to a need for a national publication that could represent Canadian surgical scholarship and provide a formal record for the country's organized surgical community. The first issue appeared on 1 October 1957. The original editorial board was composed of the chairs of surgery at Canada's 12 medical schools, with the president of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada serving as chair. The Canadian Medical Association has remained the journal's publisher. The Royal College initially provided financial support, but withdrew that subsidy in 1991 as it developed its own publication, the Annals of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. Following that change, Jean Couture helped arrange for the Canadian Association of General Surgeons to become the journal's principal sponsor. The publication is also sponsored by the Canadian Society for Vascular Surgery, the Canadian Association of Thoracic Surgeons, and the Canadian Society of Surgical Oncology. Editorial leadership has included surgeons and academic physicians associated with Canadian medical education and research. Edward J. Harvey became editor-in-chief in 2011 and has served in that role alongside Chad Ball, who joined the editorial leadership in 2019. The journal's long publishing history includes contributions from multiple generations of Canadian surgeons and reflects changes in surgical science, specialist practice, medical training, and health-system organization. By the end of 2016, the journal had published 5,917 citable articles according to the Journal Citation Reports data cited in reference material. Its reported average citation rate was 6.9 citations per article, and its impact factor rose from 0.5 in 2006 to 2.544 in 2017. A reported h-index of 55 and normalized Eigenfactor score of 0.42 further indicate an established, if specialized, position within the surgical literature. The journal is notable for its continuity: reference material describes it as the longest-surviving Canadian journal of record devoted to surgery after six decades of publication.
History
The Canadian Journal of Surgery originated in a coordinated effort by Canadian surgical institutions and professional organizations to create a national journal for the country's surgical community. Before its establishment, Canadian surgeons and academic departments lacked a dedicated publication that could consistently document domestic research, clinical developments, and professional debate. In 1957, leading surgical groups asked the Canadian Medical Association to assume responsibility for publishing such a journal. The founding structure reflected the importance of medical education and professional representation. The first editorial board consisted of the chairs of surgery from the 12 Canadian medical schools then in existence. The president of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada chaired the board, linking the new publication to the country's principal postgraduate medical education institution. The first issue was released on 1 October 1957. The Canadian Medical Association became the journal's publisher, while the Royal College provided financial support during its early decades. That subsidy ended in 1991 when the Royal College withdrew in order to support its own journal, the Annals of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. The change could have weakened the journal's institutional base, but Jean Couture helped secure a new arrangement under which the Canadian Association of General Surgeons became its major sponsor. Over time, the journal developed from a primarily national professional publication into a continuing peer-reviewed record of Canadian surgical scholarship. Its subject matter has covered surgery broadly, including clinical research, operative practice, specialist disciplines, education, and commentary relevant to the profession. Sponsorship has expanded beyond general surgery to include the Canadian Society for Vascular Surgery, the Canadian Association of Thoracic Surgeons, and the Canadian Society of Surgical Oncology, reflecting the journal's connection to several surgical specialties. The publication has maintained a bimonthly schedule and an open-access model. Its long-running editorial succession includes Robert M. Janes, Frederick G. Kergin, Lloyd D. MacLean, C. Barber Mueller, Roger G. Keith, Jonathan Larmonth Meakins, James P. Waddell, Garth L. Warnock, Edward J. Harvey, Vivian C. McAlister, and Chad Ball. Harvey assumed the editor-in-chief role in 2011, McAlister served from 2013 to 2019, and Ball became an editor-in-chief in 2019; reference material identifies Harvey and Ball as the current editors-in-chief. The journal's bibliometric record demonstrates sustained scholarly output. By the end of 2016, it had published 5,917 citable articles. The cited Journal Citation Reports figures give an average of 6.9 citations per article and report growth in its impact factor from 0.5 in 2006 to 2.544 in 2017. A reported h-index of 55 and normalized Eigenfactor score of 0.42 provide additional measures of its influence. After approximately six decades of uninterrupted publication, the Canadian Journal of Surgery has been characterized as the longest-surviving Canadian journal of record devoted to surgery.
- 2019
Chad Ball joined the editor-in-chief leadership
[1]Chad Ball became an editor-in-chief in 2019 and is identified in reference material as a current co-editor-in-chief.
- 2017
Reported impact factor reached 2.544
[1]Reference material reports an impact factor of 2.544 for 2017, compared with 0.5 in 2006.
- 2011
Edward J. Harvey became editor-in-chief
[1]Edward J. Harvey began his tenure as editor-in-chief, later serving alongside Chad Ball.
- 1991
Royal College subsidy ended
[1]The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada withdrew its subsidy as it moved toward publication of its own journal.
- 1991
General surgeons became major sponsors
[1]Jean Couture arranged for the Canadian Association of General Surgeons to become the journal's major sponsor after the Royal College subsidy ended.
- 1957
Journal established
[1]Canadian surgical departments, the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, and the Canadian Medical Association collaborated to establish a national surgical journal.
- 1957
First issue published
[1]The inaugural issue was published on 1 October 1957. Its founding editorial board represented the chairs of surgery at Canada's 12 medical schools.
Products and positioning
A national, peer-reviewed, open-access scholarly journal serving Canadian surgery while publishing research and professional content for an international medical readership.
Open-access medical journal · 1957
Canadian Journal of Surgery
The journal's principal and defining offering is its bimonthly peer-reviewed publication covering surgery. It publishes research and professional content intended for surgeons, surgical trainees, researchers, educators, and healthcare institutions. Its broad surgical remit is supported by professional organizations representing general, vascular, thoracic, and oncologic surgery. The publication is available through an open-access model and serves both a Canadian audience and readers of surgical literature internationally.
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