Reflections from a Wellcome Committee Observer: A Model of Fair and Inclusive Peer Review
This started as a brief post on an interesting experience, but as I started writing it turned out I had more to say than I thought! As someone with extensive experience in peer review and panel processes, I was really grateful that I recently had the opportunity to observe a Wellcome Trust Medical Humanities advisory group meeting. The experience stood out not only for the quality of the discussion but for the integrity and inclusivity of the process itself. The panel was well selected, with deep expertise across disciplines relevant to the proposals under discussion. What impressed me most was the respectful and rigorous way in which feedback was delivered. Criticisms were thoughtful, clearly grounded in the published assessment criteria, and presented in a way that acknowledged the strengths of each application. It was a model of constructive peer review. The diversity of the panel itself was incredibly refreshing. It included researchers from the global South, minority scholars, a...