According to The BMJ, Dr Clark has proven expertise and leadership in advancing action on the social determinants of health and climate change, gender equality, and delivering evidence-based content, policy, and strategy across international editorial environments.
Since March 2016, The BMJ added, Dr Clark has been an executive editor of The Lancet where she led the journal’s Comment section, helped set strategy for global health and commissioning, and was responsible for peer review and diversifying the journal’s commentary and research. Dr Clark also led #LancetWomen to advance women in science, medicine, and global health, which also saw the journal improve the gender and geographic balance of its reviewers, authors, and editorial advisors.
Previously she was executive editor (2013-16) at the global health research organisation icddr,b in Dhaka, Bangladesh, and from 2008-2013, she globalised journal content and strategy as senior editor at PLOS Medicine. Across her career Dr Clark has developed and edited content in areas including maternal and child health, sexual and reproductive health and rights, migration and humanitarianism, global oral health, and death and dying.
In 2019 she was elected to the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh and the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences for her role in advancing international perspectives and gender equity in health.
She is also an advisor to Global Health 50/50 and WomenLift Health, chair of the Governance Council of the Canadian Medical Association Journal, and a member of the WHO Research Group on Health Statistics.
For Dr Clark, this new role marks a return to The BMJ, where she was editorial registrar and assistant then associate editor from 2002-2007.
Dr Kamran Abbasi, editor in chief of The BMJ, welcomed Dr Clark's appointment: "We're delighted that Jocalyn is back at The BMJ as international editor. This is an important time for championing health and wellbeing globally by focusing on issues of equity and social justice. Jocalyn brings a wealth of senior editorial experience in those areas. Her standing in global health will be central to advancing The BMJ as an international journal in the years ahead. Jocalyn's new role at The BMJ is good news for us, for readers, and for authors."
Dr Clark said: "I believe passionately in the role of journals and editors to stimulate debate and drive positive change in clinical and research communities around the world. I strongly support The BMJ and Kamran Abbasi’s ambitious and vital vision to improve the health and wellbeing of people and the planet. Twenty years after starting my editorial career at The BMJ, I’m honoured and thrilled to be re-joining a team with such an impressive track record of publishing excellence and integrity.”
