It is crucial to distinguish between being indexed in the (WoS) and having an Impact Factor . As of late 2024, PAMJ is not listed in the Web of Science Core Collection. WoS has a highly selective evaluation process that considers timeliness, citation activity, editorial rigor, and international diversity. While PAMJ has applied for inclusion in the past, it remains outside this exclusive club.
For researchers looking to make a tangible impact on health outcomes in the region, PAMJ remains one of the most strategic and influential venues for publication.
In the ecosystem of global academic publishing, the Impact Factor (IF) remains the most controversial yet influential metric of journal prestige. For researchers across Africa—from Cape Town to Cairo—publishing in a "high-impact" journal is often a prerequisite for promotion, grant funding, and institutional recognition. Within this landscape stands the , a fully open-access, peer-reviewed publication dedicated to African health research. A recurring question among early-career African researchers, librarians, and policymakers is: What is the Pan African Medical Journal’s impact factor? pan african medical journal impact factor
0.34 , placing the journal in the Q3 quartile . CiteScore: 0.78 .
A growing movement in scholarly communication argues that the Impact Factor is a poor proxy for research quality, especially in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). For PAMJ, focusing on the IF could be counterproductive for several reasons: It is crucial to distinguish between being indexed
While PAMJ publishes in English and French, Clarivate has historically favored English-dominant journals. Multilingual publications suffer because citation tracking tools struggle with non-Latin scripts or French-language references.
Several structural factors explain why many excellent African journals, including PAMJ, are excluded from Clarivate’s JCR: While PAMJ has applied for inclusion in the
The Impact Factor, calculated by Clarivate Analytics (Web of Science), measures the average number of citations received in a particular year by papers published in the journal during the two preceding years.
Before diving into the metrics, it is important to understand the journal's mission. Launched in 2008, the Pan African Medical Journal (PAMJ) is an open-access, peer-reviewed journal dedicated to publishing research relevant to the African continent.