1. Early Career Researcher Reviewer Award 🏆

Purpose:

To recognise and support Early Career Researchers (ECRs) who consistently deliver high-quality, timely peer reviews.  

Eligibility: 

• Must meet ECR criteria: first research publication within the last 10 years (verified via Scopus or, where this does not exist, Google Scholar) 

• Must complete 3 or more reviews in the calendar year 

• Each review must be:  

• • Submitted within 2 weeks of invitation 

• • Of good quality, meaning:  

• • It offers thoughtful, detailed and constructive editorial feedback on the manuscript’s clarity, structure, and scientific contribution 

• • It reflects professional integrity, with references used appropriately and a clear focus on enhancing the work 

Entry Process: 

• Review invitations are sent via our manuscript handling system, SNAPP, using the Reviewer Finder, which suggests relevant reviewers based on Clarivate’s Web of Science database 

• Editors will include a note about the award in the reviewer invitation 

• Reviewers cannot self-nominate but are more likely to be invited again after submitting a good-quality review 

Judging Process: 

• The publisher will identify the reviewers who have completed 3 or more reviews in the year. The publisher will determine which of these reviewers meet the Early Career Researcher criteria by using Scopus, or, where this does not exist, Google Scholar. 

• Eligible candidates will be ranked in descending order of the most reviews completed 

• Starting with the Early Career Researcher who reviewed the greatest number of manuscripts that calendar year, the Editors-in-Chief will assess review quality and efficiency 

• The ECR reviewer who submits the greatest number of good-quality, timely reviews over the calendar year will be announced as the winner 

• In case of a tie, consistent engagement across the year will be prioritised (e.g., reviews spread out over the year rather than clustered into one month) 

Rewards: 

• All entrants:  

  ⭐A digital Early Career Reviewer Achievement Certificate

  ⭐ Name featured in our end-of-year awards blog and on the journal website 

• Winner:  

  ⭐A digital winner’s Standout Early Career Reviewer Recognition Certificate

  ⭐ Q&A interview blog article with the Editors-in-Chief   

  ⭐Year-long mentorship with an Associate Editor or Editorial Board member (up to 3 meetings/year and support via email). Expand your network, receive manuscript feedback, gain editorial and career advice.

  ⭐ Opportunity to submit one pre-submission enquiry for direct assessment by the Editors-in-Chief, offering early guidance on manuscript suitability for Population Health Metrics

 2. Editorial Board Reviewer Award 🏆

Purpose:

To honour Editorial Board members (mid-to-senior career) who demonstrate exceptional commitment to the journal by delivering high-quality, timely peer reviews. 

Eligibility & Criteria: 

• Must be an Editorial Board member: apply here 

• Must complete 3 or more reviews in the calendar year 

• Reviews must meet the same quality and timeliness standards as the ECR award (above) 

Judging & Entry Process: 

• Follows the same process as the ECR award (see above) 

Rewards: 

• All entrants: 

  ⭐ A digital Editorial Board Reviewer Achievement Certificate

  ⭐ Name featured in our end-of-year awards blog and on the journal website 

• Winner: 

  ⭐A digital winner’s Outstanding Editorial Board Reviewer Certificate

  ⭐Q&A interview blog article with the Editors-in-Chief 

  ⭐Call with the Editor(s)-in-Chief: gain editorial and career advice

In addition to our public awards, we are proud to run a separate internal award that will also recognise excellence in manuscript handling by Associate and Guest Editors. Apply to be an Associate Editor here. While not publicly promoted, this initiative reflects our commitment to editorial quality across all roles. 

Note: This is a pilot scheme. Processes may evolve in 2026 based on feedback and outcomes.