Etymologically, continuity comes from the Latin “continuitas”, which can be translated as the “quality of not being interrupted” or “duration or permanence of a thing with no interruption”. On the other hand, renewal is derived from the Latin “renovatio”, which means “to restore, modernize, or to renovate”.

These 2 words could perhaps appear to represent opposing situations, and one might be thought to prevent the development of the other. In fact, the current use of the saying “reinvent yourself or die” has become very popular in different circles. This refrain, which underlines the healthy necessity of carrying out usually radical changes in one's behavior, image, or at work - in short, in a professional or personal context, had its origin in the phrase “progress means change” attributed to the philosopher and writer Miguel de Unamuno.

Nevertheless, there is a state in which the concepts of continuity and renewal coincide: maturity. The Revista de Gastroenterología de México has reached maturity, understood as that stage in which a person or situation has attained vital plenitude and has not yet arrived at senescence. This year our journal celebrates its 80th year of publication. Without the continuity and renewal that has always accompanied it, this would not have been possible.

The new editorial committee of the Revista de Gastroenterología de México, which we have renewed, is simply the result of a process of continuity in relation to the former editorial boards. In 2009, Dr. Raúl Bernal-Reyes invited Dr. Max Julio Schmulson-Wasserman and myself to be associate editors, working together with the editors-in-chief, the physicians Ramón Carmona-Sánchez and Heriberto Medina. From that time, and thanks to the efforts of all the Editorial Boards that followed Dr. Bernal, a process of continuity was planned for the journal. During the last 6 years, the Revista de Gastroenterología de México has never ceased to renew itself, and as a result, today we have a journal that has achieved “professionalization” in many of its aspects.

Our journal is edited by Elsevier, which produces and publishes it regularly and uninterruptedly. The journal has greater visibility and now appears in repositories such as Scopus, which allows us to accurately measure its behavior and citability. For 6 years we have been up-to-date with and meeting all the requirements of PubMed, the main showcase for medical journals. Nevertheless, we have not yet achieved the much desired impact factor, but the process has begun and we hope our journal will soon be undergoing that rigorous evaluation.

All levels of the journal have reached the status of “professionalization” and therefore the reviews are carried out on an electronic platform through which the entire process is visible and monitored in time in such a way that a strict follow-up by the authors and editors is possible. We have decided to continue with a blind peer review system in an effort to guarantee quality and avoid bias. An unprecedented event took place 3 years ago when the Revista de Gastroenterología became a bilingual publication, and since then, there has been a significant increase in the number of original studies in English received. This investment and difficult task has been most rewarding, and the professional translators, Gusti Gould (Spanish-English) and Mónica Retchkiman (English- Spanish), have done an exceptional job. Six years ago, the birth of this project was witnessed by our administrative editor, Ma. de Lourdes Torres-Fuentes, and her extraordinary and invaluable work has been vital to its continuation.

Not only has this “professionalization” been achieved in the editorial process, but it also reached the bases and statutes of the Asociación Mexicana de Gastroenterología; during their terms, each of the presidents of our Association (the physicians Raúl Bernal-Reyes, Francisco Huerta-Iga, José Luis Tamayo, and Angélica Hernández-Guerrero) promoted the change that resulted in the president's no longer “appointing” the editors of the journal. Starting with Dr. Hernández-Guerrero's administration, pertinent modifications were made to the statutes of the Asociación Mexicana de Gastroenterología that have led to today's transparent process of filling the editorial positions, one that is open to all the associates. This process was given continuity during the terms of Dr. Francisco Esquivel-Ayanegui and Dr. Miguel Ángel Valdovinos, and with the support of the president-elect, Dr. Francisco Bosques-Padilla, the summons to and election of the editorial committee were carried out under this dynamic. As can be appreciated, the current 2015-2017 editorial committee is the result of many years of diligent work.

We have taken care to maintain continuity in relation to the renewal of the editorial committee and thus collaborators that were reviewers 6 years ago now have official positions in the committee; they are associate editors or even hold the position of editor-in-chief, as is the case of Dr. Mario César Peláez-Luna. We have retained almost 50% of the former editorial committee and this decision was based on multiple criteria that included availability, commitment, the rapid acceptance of carrying out a given task, the quality of the reviews, and experience in the area. We are forever grateful for the dedication and hard work of the former committee members - the journal doors are always open to them and our hope is that many will return. In regard to the selection of the new members of the editorial committee, we have attempted to meet the demands and requisites that are necessary for propelling our journal even further. For example, close to 50% of the committee is made up of active members of the Mexican National System of Researchers, their articles are published and cited in national and international repositories, they come from different parts of the Mexican Republic, and the majority work at prestigious universities or public academic entities. We are very hopeful that with these changes our journal will soon be recognized by the Mexican National Counsel of Science and Technology. In regard to the international committee, a renewal of 50% has been carried out, taking into account the majority of the points applied to the national committee.

And finally, I would like to take this opportunity to thank Dr. Max Julio Schmulson-Wasserman for his tireless work and dedication; our journal's transformation would not have been possible without his help, determination, sacrifice, and professionalism.

We extend a heartfelt invitation to all our readers, authors, reviewers, and editorial committee members to continue reading our journal, as well as contemplating and sending articles for publication, but above all, helping to maintain this project of continuity and renewal in relation to the Revista Mexicana de Gastroenterología.