Is it possible to become an editor of a reputable journal without a medical/postgraduate research degree?

Question

I am a final year medical student and an early-career researcher. I do not hold any medical/postgrad research degree yet (except for a Bachelor of Medical Science). Despite not having any formal education on health research, I have published tens of research articles, reviewed several articles in reputable journals (of course articles that fit my expertise), and became an editor-in-chief of a student journal.

I am currently aspiring to become an editorial board member of a reputable journal which submissions I have reviewed multiple times. I have reviewed a multitude of submissions for about 2 years now, and I thought about contacting the journal whether they have any opening for an editor or not. However, I was wondering whether the journal's editorial board would consider my request, as I know that invitations to become an editorial board are usually solicited. In addition, I am concerned that, if I ask the journal despite not being qualified (academic degree-wise), the journal won't consider my reapplications in the future. Should I contact the journal to find out if they have an opening for an editor?

Thanks in advance.

Answer 1

Ultimately, it will depend what they think. Degrees serve as gate-keepers. We assume that a degree certifies basic competencies. In your case, you might have these competencies without the degree yet, but who is to know.

Similarly, a track record evidenced through an academic position serves as a gate keeper, since a number of people looked at you and decided they liked what they saw.

If -- and in the era of predatory publishing, this is a genuine question -- you are applying to an editorial board of a good journal, then they would ask what do you bring to the board. Editorial boards have a supervising function and you do not have the experience for supervising. They lend credibility to the journal and you have not (yet) reached even a junior level in academia, whereas editorial board members are usually senior people. You can check this by going through the current board members. If you do not have their profile, then do not apply. Frankly, I'd be suspicious if the editorial board is not made up of people with hundreds of publications.

There are some journals such as those run by MDPI which assign major editing roles to people qualified with just a doctorate. You might be in a position to aspire to such a position, but again, any official role will be visible to outsiders, meaning that you can check out their accomplishments.