JAMA Network · Surgery

JAMA Surgery: acceptance rate, review time, and how to prepare

In 2025, JAMA Surgery received 3,321 manuscripts and accepted 9% overall and 5% of research manuscripts. The median first decision took 10 d without peer review and 40 d with it. Every figure below is quoted from the journal's own Year in Review editorials (2023–2025) and instructions for authors, captured 2026-09-12.

Submission requirementsJAMA Surgery at JAMA Network ↗
Sources: 3 annual editorials · instructions for authors · Scimago 2024
3,321
Manuscripts received, 2025
2,660 research
9%
Acceptance rate, 2025
5% research
10 d
First decision without review, median
2025
40 d
First decision with review, median
2025
Last verified 2026-09-12
Source: JAMA Surgery—The Year in Review, 2025
Acceptance rate

What is JAMA Surgery’s acceptance rate?

The journal publishes the answer itself. Its 2025 Year in Review editorial reports 3,321 manuscripts received, 2,660 of them research manuscripts, with an overall acceptance rate of 9% and a research acceptance rate of 5%. Across 2023–2025 the research acceptance rate moved from 7% to 5% while submissions rose 28%.

YearAll manuscripts receivedResearch manuscripts receivedAcceptance, overallAcceptance, researchSource
20253,3212,6609%5%JAMA Surgery—The Year in Review, 2025
20242,9622,42811%6%JAMA Surgery—The Year in Review 2024
20232,5942,11914%7%JAMA Surgery—The Year in Review, 2023
Timelines

How long does JAMA Surgery take to reach a decision?

Median days, as published by the journal. 'Without peer review' is the editorial-triage decision; 'with peer review' is the decision after external review.
YearFirst decision, no reviewFirst decision, with reviewReviewer turnaroundAcceptance to publicationReceipt to publication
202510 d40 d———
202410 d42 d10 d81 d148 d
202313 d47 d9 d94 d154 d
2025 Original Investigations received: 2,378; acceptance rate 4% · Research Letters received: 282; acceptance rate 10% · Submissions rose from 2,962 to 3,321, a 12% increase
JAMA Network peers, latest published year
JournalYearReceivedAcceptance, overallAcceptance, researchNo reviewWith review
JAMA Surgery20253,3219%5%10 d40 d
JAMA202511,52610.4%3.9%2.1 d25 d
JAMA Internal Medicine20254,17812%4%1 d35 d
JAMA Network Open202520,2339.9%—2 d49 d
JAMA Pediatrics20253,32510%5%3 d44 d
JAMA Dermatology20253,4137%7%3 d36 d
JAMA Cardiology20252,7939%5%8 d51 d
JAMA Neurology20253,2216%5%4 d35 d
JAMA Psychiatry20252,7258%5%2 d31 d
JAMA Otolaryngology–Head & Neck Surgery20251,73014%10%8 d50 d
Trend

How has it changed?

+28%
Manuscripts received, 2023 to 2025
2,594 → 3,321
7% → 5%
Research acceptance rate, 2023 to 2025
47 → 40 d
First decision with review, 2023 to 2025
Rejection

What gets papers rejected at JAMA Surgery?

The Year in Review editorials publish volumes, rates and timelines; they do not itemize reasons for rejection. This is the general evidence, cited.
statistics #1

In a content analysis of 151 medical-education manuscripts, the top reasons for rejection were inappropriate or incomplete statistics, overinterpretation of results, and inappropriate or suboptimal instrumentation. [12][14]

44–76%

Lack of new or useful knowledge was the most common reason for rejection at AJR, accounting for 44–76% of rejections in every country. [3]

2.58 of 9

BMJ reviewers found an average of 2.58 of nine major errors deliberately inserted into a test paper; training raised this only to about 3. [18]

Before you submit

What JAMA Surgery requires.

From the journal's instructions for authors, captured 2026-09-12. Instructions change; verify on the journal's page before submitting.
Original Investigation requirements
  • 3000 words of text (excluding abstract, tables, figures, acknowledgments, references)
  • Structured abstract, maximum 350 words
  • 50–75 references
  • No more than 5 tables and/or figures
  • Data Sharing Statement for all research articles
  • Clinical trials registered before submission; registry name, ID and URL in the abstract
  • Authorship form sent to all authors after submission
Reporting guidelines the journal names
  • CONSORT (randomized clinical trials)
  • STROBE (cohort, case-control, cross-sectional)
  • PRISMA or MOOSE (systematic reviews and meta-analyses)
  • STARD or TRIPOD (diagnostic and prognostic studies)
  • SQUIRE (quality improvement)
Cover letter: Required, with complete contact information for the corresponding author.
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Sources

Where every number on this page comes from.

  1. Kibbe MR. JAMA Surgery—The Year in Review, 2025. Published online March 18, 2026. JAMA Surgery—The Year in Review, 2025 (captured 2026-09-12).
  2. Kibbe MR. JAMA Surgery—The Year in Review 2024. Published online March 19, 2025; 2025;160(5):481–482. JAMA Surgery—The Year in Review 2024 (captured 2026-09-12).
  3. Kibbe MR. JAMA Surgery—The Year in Review, 2023. Published online March 20, 2024; 2024;159(5):479–481. JAMA Surgery—The Year in Review, 2023 (captured 2026-09-12).
  4. JAMA Surgery. Instructions for Authors. jamanetwork.com/journals/jamasurgery/pages/instructions-for-authors (captured 2026-09-12).
  5. Scimago Journal Rank, 2024 edition: SJR 4.125, Q1, H-index 214, ISSN 21686262, 21686254.

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