Submissions

Author Guidelines

(1) Scope of the Journal

We welcome original contributions from medical students across all areas of medicine and healthcare. Acceptable article types include: 

• Original Research (clinical, translational, or basic science) 
• Even if there are findings that are statistically insignificant, we encourage your submission 
• Systematic Reviews & Meta-Analyses 
• Case Reports/Case Series (those with substantial educational value) 
• Non-Scientific Research (ex. Professional Development, Commentaries, Interviews, Perspectives) 

(2) Manuscript Preparation

Structure 

Original Research/Reviews/Case Reports/Case Series: 

     A. Title Page 

• • Concise title (≤15 words) without trade names full names of authors, affiliations, ORCID (if available), and highest-level degree attained 
    • Name of department(s) and institution(s) to which the work should be attributed
  • Corresponding author: name, email, mailing address (marked with asterisks* in list)
    • The corresponding author will be responsible for communication and revisions 
  • Word count, number of figures/tables 

     B. Abstract 

• • Structured abstract (≤250 words) for research articles: Background, Aim, Methods, Results, Conclusion 
  • Unstructured abstract (≤180 words) for reviews, case reports, perspectives 
  • No abbreviations 
  • 3–6 keywords (MeSH terms preferred) 

     C. Main Text 

• • Utilizes scientific writing 
  • Introduces all abbreviations upon first use 
  • Introduction: context, rationale, study objective 
  • Methods: detailed, reproducible, with statistical analysis section 
  • Results: clear, supported by tables/figures, avoid duplication 
  • Discussion: interpretation, limitations, implications, future directions 
  • Conclusion: concise summary of key findings 

     D. Acknowledgments (non-author contributors, funding, institutional support) 

     E. Conflict of Interest Statement 

• • Example: "The author(s) declare(s) no conflict of interest" 
  • Example: "Dr. Smith has received research funding from the [company], a company that may benefit from the findings in this manuscript" 

     F. Funding Statement 

• • Acknowledge the funding source (if any) for your research submission and the associated grant number (if applicable) 

     G. References 

• • We recommend using Zotero, EndNote, etc to easily reorder in-text citation numbers 
  • Number references consecutively in the order in which they are mentioned in the text 
  • Use Vancouver style for numbering in-text citations 
  • Use APA format for full references listed numerically at the end of each manuscript
  • Journal names abbreviated according to the ISSN List of Title Word Abbreviations 
  • Examples: 
    • Journal article: Smith J, Patel R. Title of article. N Engl J Med. 2022;387:123–31. 
    • Book: Brown A. Clinical Methods. 5th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill; 2019. 
  • Limits 
    • Meta-analyses/Reviews: 100 sources 

Commentary/Narrative/Artwork: 

The guidelines for commentary or narrative submissions are relatively loose, as they can differ highly based on the type (ex. interview or spotlight) and subject.  Please take a look at published narratives and spotlights in our previous issue to get an idea of what best suits the scope of the journal.  

(3) Figures, Tables & Supplementary Material

• Tables: should be self-explanatory and not duplicating text. Tables should be numbered in the order that they are referenced in the text. Place tables in the body of the text. For scientific submissions, the tables presented should be the work of the authors. For non-scientific submissions, you can utilize previously produced tables with appropriate citations. 
• Figures: high resolution (PNG or high-quality JPEG, minimum 300 dpi), with legends. Figures should be numbered in the order that they are referenced in the text. Figures should be placed in a separate document. For scientific submissions, the figures presented should be the work of the authors. For non-scientific submissions, you can utilize previously produced figures with appropriate citations. 

(4) Word Count Limits

• Original Research: ≤3,500 words (including references, tables, figures) 
• Reviews: ≤3,500 words 
• Case Reports: ≤2,000 words 
• Non-Scientific Research (ex. Commentaries, Interviews): ≤1,500 words 

(5) Data Transparency & Open Science

• Authors are encouraged to provide a data availability statement describing how editors and readers can access underlying data if it is available 
• Clinical images/data involving patients must be gathered with a consent form.

(6) Copyright & Licensing

• Articles will be published under a Creative Commons Attribution (CC Attribution Non-Commercial Share-Alike  4.0 license) 
• Authors must ensure permissions for any third-party material, such as figures and data 

(7) Submission & Peer Review

• Submissions are made through our online submission system 
• All manuscripts undergo double-blind peer review by at least two independent reviewers and a chief editor within three weeks of submission 
• A content expert outside the editorial board may be requested to review a submitted paper/manuscript to ensure appropriate peer review
• Final acceptance is at the discretion of the Editorial Board 

(8) Proofs & Publication

• Accepted manuscripts will be copyedited and typeset 
• The corresponding author will receive a proof to review for accuracy before final publication, but it is the responsibility of all the authors to review before resubmission 
• The corresponding author will sign off on final proofs before publication 

(9) Rejection

• Submissions may be rejected based on decisions from the editorial board for a number of reasons, such as journal already has published similar content, poorly written content, failure to follow author guidelines, plagiarism, and ethical violations.