Whenever the JMIR Publications team travels to conferences—like APHA or the American Medical Informatics Association (AMIA)—we are inevitably asked one question more than any other: "How can I become a peer reviewer for JMIR, and what qualifications do I need?"
| How to Join: To become a JMIR reviewer, researchers should link their ORCID to their JMIR account and list specific Reviewer Interests in their profile to be discovered by editors. |
| Karma Reviewer Rewards: The merit-based Karma program launched on February 4, 2026, allowing reviewers to earn credits (valid for 24 months) toward publication fees for quality peer review. |
| Formal Recognition: JMIR Publications offers multi-channel recognition through Web of Science, ORCID, and annual Lifetime Achievement digital badges for hitting review milestones (15–400+ reviews). |
Today, we’re answering that question in detail and highlighting how we recognize the vital work our reviewers perform.
Peer review is the cornerstone of scientific integrity. To maintain our high standards, we look for reviewers with demonstrable expertise in the specific subject matter of a manuscript.
What are the qualifications? While a PhD is not a strict requirement, you must possess the academic or professional background necessary to critically evaluate the methodology and content of the work. Typically, our reviewers have:
A record of prior publications in a relevant field.
A strong foundation in research methods.
We believe in training the next generation. We encourage mentorship in peer review, where trainees can contribute under the guidance of a qualified mentor. In these cases, credit can be shared, provided the mentor takes ultimate responsibility for the review’s integrity.
Furthermore, we value diverse perspectives. We welcome insights from patients and caregivers in areas where lived experience is relevant, provided their background is clearly disclosed for transparency.
Create an account or Login: Create a new account or access your account at JMIR Publications. We recommend using an institutional email and linking your ORCID identifier.
Edit Your Profile: On your user homepage, select "Edit Profile."
Enter Review Interests: Under the "My Profile" tab, enter keywords describing your expertise in the Reviewer Interests box. This automatically registers you as a reviewer in our database, allowing editors to find and invite you when a relevant paper arrives.
Peer review is an essential service to the global scientific community, and at JMIR Publications, we believe that service should be formally recognized. We have established four key programs to celebrate your impact:
To honor the critical expertise needed to ensure the integrity of scientific discovery, JMIR Publications is excited to introduce the new Karma Reviewer Rewards Program. This merit-based system is designed exclusively to recognize the rigor and professionalism of peer review contributions.
The new Karma program focuses on the depth of reviewer feedback. Here is how the process works:
Earn Points: You earn Karma points for reviews that meet JMIR Publications’ quality standards. To ensure rewards reflect scholarly excellence, points are awarded once an editorial decision is reached, based on the quality of your feedback rather than the outcome of the manuscript.
Automatic Conversion: These points convert directly into redeemable Karma credits.
Redeem: Credits are valid for 24 months and can be applied toward your future Article Processing Fees (APFs) or other JMIR services.
Why Participate? Beyond the formal recognition of your expertise, participating in the Karma program allows you to support your own research by offsetting future publishing costs. Moreover, your insights directly foster scholarly excellence; the edits and feedback provided by our reviewers significantly improve the clarity and impact of the research we publish. For a full breakdown of the program, visit our Karma Reviewer Rewards page.
We’ve integrated with ORCID to allow you to seamlessly add your review activity to your ORCID profile. This provides a verified, permanent record of your contributions to the scholarly ecosystem while maintaining the necessary anonymity of the review process.
Through our partnership with the Web of Science Reviewer Recognition Service (formerly Publons), you can effortlessly track, verify, and showcase your peer review history. This service allows you to display the scale of your editorial contributions on a global stage.
To celebrate long-term commitment, we issue Digital Badges and Certificates of Accomplishment for lifetime review milestones. These awards are issued annually for the following tiers:
Milestones: 15, 25, 50, 100, 200, 300, and 400+ lifetime reviews. These badges are designed to be proudly displayed on your LinkedIn profile or personal website, showcasing your dedication to scientific excellence.
Your expertise is what drives the quality of evidence-based medicine. Whether you are an established researcher or an emerging voice in digital health, we invite you to help us shape the future of the field.
Ready to learn more? Visit our Peer Review Hub for in-depth guides on writing high-quality reviews, ethical guidelines, and further details on our recognition programs.
Looking for more peer review insights? Check out our other Peer Review blog posts here: