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Onward and upward
In spring 1992 the BMJ gave birth to the first international journal written specifically for medical students. The Student BMJ was conceived as a result of research showing that most medical students would read such a journal and that deans supported the idea. The journal is now an established educational resource for students in Britain and the rest of the world.
The aims of the journal were described after its inception. 1 These included covering important international scientific developments via papers selected from the weekly BMJ; commissioning educational articles and editorials relevant to students, including practical tips for exams, job applications, and ward work; providing careers advice and medicopolitical information on issues concerning students, doctors, and the National Health Service; and generating lively debate among students through the publication of personal accounts and letters. The aim was not only to allow students to explore each other's ideas, but also to add to the strength of the student voice within the BMA and enable it to speak for students with authority.
How far the journal has succeeded in its aims is more difficult to judge. Four years...