Medical research is easier to discover, discuss, and build upon when it is organized around focused topics.
That is the idea behind Cureus Collections: curated groups of peer-reviewed medical research articles centered on specific themes. Similar to special issues, Cureus Collections compile related research in one place, making it easier for readers to find relevant work and for authors to contribute to focused scholarly conversations. Cureus describes Collections as article groupings organized by specific themes to simplify the process of finding relevant medical research.
For medical experts, Cureus Collections also create an opportunity to take a more active role in shaping scholarly discussion. Through the Guest Editor program, qualified clinicians, researchers, and subject-matter experts can propose and lead Collections that highlight important work within a focused area of medicine.
A Cureus Guest Editor Collection is a focused group of peer-reviewed Cureus articles proposed, created, and managed by one or more guest editors.
Guest Editor Collections are designed around a specific medical topic, clinical question, research theme, or emerging area of interest within a specialty. The goal is to bring relevant research together so readers can more easily explore a subject and authors can contribute to a meaningful, organized body of work.
The Cureus Guest Editor role is intentionally streamlined.
When authors submit research to Cureus, they may select a Collection that they believe is a good fit for their article. If the article is accepted for peer review and ultimately approved for publication, it is then queued for the designated Collection Guest Editor to make an include-or-exclude decision. Articles approved for the Collection appear within it; articles not selected for the Collection may still be published in Cureus if they have otherwise been approved for publication.
This means Cureus Guest Editors are not responsible for managing the full publication process. Cureus handles article processing and publishing, including preliminary quality checks, peer review management, and copy editing, so Guest Editors can focus on selecting relevant articles for their Collection and helping promote the Collection to the appropriate audience.
Serving as a Guest Editor can be a valuable way to contribute to your field while building visibility for a topic you care about.
Shape discussion in your specialty
A Collection gives you the opportunity to highlight research around a focused clinical or scientific topic and help bring attention to emerging areas of interest.
Curate relevant peer-reviewed research
Collections make it easier for readers to find related articles in one place, supporting more organized discovery across Cureus.
Support authors in your field
By leading a Collection, you help create a clear destination for authors publishing work in a specific area of medicine.
Build your academic and professional profile
Guest editing can demonstrate subject-matter expertise, scholarly leadership, and engagement with the broader medical publishing community. Cureus notes that serving as a Guest Editor can help medical experts position themselves as thought leaders and gain academic experience for their CV.
Promote collaboration and visibility
Collections can be shared with colleagues, institutions, departments, societies, and professional networks to help increase awareness of the research included.
Cureus Guest Editor applicants should have the expertise needed to lead a focused medical research Collection. According to the Cureus Guest Editor Guide, applicants must hold a medical degree or equivalent, demonstrate expertise in their specialty, and have a record of scholarly activity.
Strong Guest Editor candidates may include clinicians, researchers, educators, department leaders, society members, or other medical professionals with a clear topic idea and a connection to the audience that would benefit from the Collection.
A strong Collection topic should be focused enough to attract relevant submissions and clearly serve a defined scholarly audience.
Rather than proposing a Collection on an entire specialty or broad field, Guest Editors should propose a focused topic within or across a specialty. A strong Collection should feel more specific than a specialty homepage and more purposeful than a general subject category.
Strong Collection topics may focus on:
For example, a Collection should not be as broad as “Medical Education,” “Health Policy,” “Cardiology,” or “Psychiatry.” Instead, it should focus on a more defined area within or across those fields, such as simulation-based training in procedural medicine, resident wellness and burnout, access barriers in cardiovascular care, or emerging treatment approaches for a specific psychiatric condition.
The best Collection topics have a clear audience, a clear purpose, and enough current interest to encourage authors to submit relevant work.
Cureus provides Guest Editors with clear guidelines, training materials, and a streamlined dashboard. The Cureus team supports the journal’s peer review process, quality checks, and technical issues, allowing Guest Editors to concentrate on selecting the most relevant articles for their Collection.
Guest Editors are also encouraged to share and promote their Collection with colleagues, institutions, and relevant professional organizations to help increase engagement.
If you have expertise in a medical specialty or topic area and an idea for a focused research Collection, you can apply to become a Cureus Guest Editor.
Start by exploring current Cureus Collections to see how topics are organized. You can also learn more about the program in the Cureus Guest Editor Guide and review the About Collections page.
When you are ready, apply to propose a Collection. You may be prompted to sign in or create a Cureus account before beginning your application. The application link currently directs users to the Cureus sign-in/create account page.
Cureus Collections are designed to connect research, readers, and medical experts around meaningful topics. For Guest Editors, they offer a practical way to curate peer-reviewed work, support discovery, and help shape discussion within a focused area of medicine.
If you have a topic that deserves more attention, a Cureus Guest Editor Collection can help bring that research together.