In 2025, many JSS authors make outstanding contributions to our journal. Their articles published with us have received very well feedback in the field and stimulate a lot of discussions and new insights among the peers.
Hereby, we would like to highlight some of our outstanding authors who have been making immense efforts in their research fields, with a brief interview of their unique perspective and insightful view as authors.
Outstanding Authors (2025)
Quinn T. Ehlen, University of Miami, USA
Takeshi Sasagawa, Toyama Prefectural Central Hospital, Japan
Mohamed Alhantoobi, McMaster University, Canada
Samuel Bartrom, Indiana University School of Medicine, USA
Outstanding Author
Quinn T. Ehlen
Quinn Ehlen was born and raised in Minnesota, where he then attended the University of Minnesota, graduated from Summa Cum Laude with High Distinction with majors in Chemistry and Finance. Upon graduation, he moved to Miami, FL, as an MD/MBA candidate at the Miller School of Medicine/Herbert Business School. He has got involved in both basic science and clinical orthopaedic research. His basic science work largely focuses on sports medicine and the effect of ACL tears on osteoarthritis pathophysiology. His clinical research spans across orthopaedic subspecialties with a variety of projects ranging from joint replacement to spine. In his free time, he loves skiing, floating on a lake, or playing hockey. He is applying to orthopaedic residency and looks forward to continuing his research while developing surgical skills. Connect with Quinn on LinkedIn.
JSS: From your point of view, what authors have to bear in mind during preparation of a paper?
Quinn: While preparing a paper, it is important that authors keep their audience in mind for whatever their target journal may be. When targeting an orthopaedic journal, try to understand what would be of most interest to orthopaedic surgeons and how it might draw their attention.
JSS: How to ensure one’s writing is critical?
Quinn: I think critical writing comes from a solid understanding of the respective scientific field. When one knows enough about a topic, they are able to synthesize meaningful conclusions, while also questioning claims that may be farfetched. Therefore, one can ensure critical writing through thorough literature review and then novel idea generation, which does not always follow the status quo.
JSS: From an author’s perspective, do you think it is important to follow reporting guidelines (e.g. STROBE, CONSORT, or PRISMA,) during preparation of manuscripts?
Quinn: Yes, it is important to follow reporting guidelines. These guidelines help standardize scientific literature, which can help researchers draw larger conclusions than individual studies can provide. Aggregating studies such as systematic reviews and meta-analyses offers the highest level of evidence. These studies are much more feasible and comprehensive when following reporting guidelines.
(by Masaki Lo, Brad Li)
Takeshi Sasagawa
Dr. Takeshi Sasagawa is the chief spinal surgeon at Toyama Prefectural Central Hospital in Japan. In 2002, he graduated from Kanazawa University and received certification from the Japanese National Board. After certification through 2007, he received training as an orthopaedic surgeon at five different institutes. Between 2007 and 2009, he participated in original research on metastatic tumors localized to the vertebra while under the mentorship of Prof. Tomita, who developed total en bloc spondylectomy for spinal tumors, and Associate Prof. Kawahara at Kanazawa University Hospital. Dr. Sasagawa received his PhD in 2011. From 2009-2012, he worked at the Spine Center, Japanese Red Cross Medical Center in Tokyo. At this institute, he received additional spinal surgical training for degenerative spine disease. Since 2012, he has been employed as a spinal surgeon at Toyama Prefectural Central Hospital and has been involved in clinical research, in particular on spinal trauma.
The quality and depth of a profession is enhanced by experience and academic inquiry. Of all academic inquiries, Dr. Sasagawa considers academic writing to be the most important. In academic writing, researchers read a number of articles to get background information, examine their own approach to an unsolved problem and discuss the results. The process has to be scientific and logical, and not self-indulgent. Through interaction with peer reviewers, universal conclusions can be drawn. It is, to him, a laborious process, yet enables him to develop scientific thinking skills. At the same time, it brings researchers closer to understanding the nature of the problem.
Science advances rapidly day by day. To ensure one’s writing is up-to-date, Dr. Sasagawa believes that it is important to keep questioning one’s own approach to disease. He constantly asks himself, “Does it make sense from diagnosis to treatment?” If there is any doubt, it is clinically important and needs to be investigated. Nowadays, literature from all over the world is easily accessible via the internet. If the issue is one that has not been explored and resolved, research into the issue may provide new insights.
(by Brad Li, Masaki Lo)
Mohamed Alhantoobi
Dr. Mohamed Alhantoobi is a final-year Neurosurgical resident at McMaster University, Canada. He completed medical school at United Arab Emirates University, UAE, and an MSc in Experimental Surgery and Surgical Education from McGill University. His research interest focuses on spine surgery and surgical education. Connect with him on LinkedIn.
Dr. Alhantoobi thinks that academic writing encourages critical thinking by requiring writers to evaluate evidence, consider various perspectives, and draw well-reasoned conclusions. This process is foundational to education and research, as it encourages questioning, analysis, and independent judgment.
In Dr. Alhantoobi’s view, good authors should possess several key qualities. They should have the drive to explore and question complex problems, which leads to engaging and original writing. Also, they should be able to gather, analyze, and synthesize information from multiple sources to support arguments with evidence. In addition, being honest, being able to meet deadlines, and maintaining confidentiality and credibility are also essential. Good authors should have the ability to work independently, manage feedback, and adapt writing styles to suit different audiences and purposes.
Dr. Alhantoobi believes balancing research, clinical duties, and writing can be challenging for scientists and doctors. Effective time management strategies include prioritizing key tasks, breaking projects into smaller tasks, leverage collaboration and support. By integrating some of these strategies, doctors can make steady progress on writing projects while attending to their professional responsibilities.
(by Sasa Zhu, Brad Li)
Samuel Bartrom
Samuel Bartrom graduated from IUPUI with a degree in biology, and he is currently a 4th year medical student at Indiana University School of Medicine in Fort Wayne, IN. He has been involved in clinical orthopedic research since his first year of medical school and has also undertaken smaller projects in other fields. In his free time, he enjoys playing the guitar, relaxing with his family, working out, and spending time outdoors. Connect with him on LinkedIn.
Samuel believes a good academic paper starts with a clear research question. The introduction should concisely communicate the background and objective of the paper. Including current literature and knowledge surrounding the topic is crucial to writing a good introduction. The methods should be reproducible, and the results should clearly and effectively convey the findings of the paper. It is important to discuss the findings in the context of existing literature and deliberate on what they mean for the field going forward.
From Samuel’s perspective, it is important for authors to understand the goals and style of scientific writing. Unlike traditional creative writing, it seeks to convey the results of a paper and its implications in a clear and concise manner. The most effective papers are ones that have a clear study design and answer their question succinctly.
(by Sasa Zhu, Brad Li)