In this article, I will explain the reasons why someone interested in the medical field would want to publish an article, the various types of articles, tips on how to publish based on my personal experience, and the shortcomings and difficulties that one can expect during the publishing experience.
Why Should I Get Involved in Medical Research?
There are myriad reasons to be involved in research if you are a physician, medical student, undergraduate, or someone who is otherwise interested in the field of medicine; following are just three:
Augment your CV
Having your name featured in a well-respected scientific journal allows people worldwide to know your name and read your work. This recognition can help you enter into highly competitive medical residencies, qualify for awards, present at international scientific meetings, and even get to know some of the most influential people in your field of interest. Learn how to list publications on your resume here.
Increase overall medical knowledge
This is the most crucial reason to do research. Knowledge in medicine should be ever-renewing and ever-expanding. There will always be better ways to diagnose and treat diseases, new procedures to discover, hypotheses to prove and disprove, and public health policies to promote. Contributing back to science is just as important as learning from what others have discovered.
Improve your medical education
No matter what type of research you’re doing, studying is always a constant. You will always need to take constant dives into what is already known in the literature, either to find gaps in knowledge or to help you gather enough information to design studies and discuss your results coherently. There is no better way to study than researching, except maybe teaching.
How Many Different Types of Publications Are There?
- Original articles: This is the most common type of publication you will find; it consists of a manuscript that presents research in a typical fashion, starting with an introduction explaining the gap in knowledge you’re researching and your current hypothesis, moving on to the methods you’ve designed to try to prove that hypothesis, the results that those methods produced, and finally the discussion and conclusions. The length of original articles is highly variable, and they are usually the most respected form of publication.
- Brief reports: These publications are “short versions” of original articles. They have straightforward designs and are generally used to demonstrate an exciting area of opportunity for more extensive and complex studies. They are short (800-1200 words) and don’t have the same merit as original articles.
- Case reports: This publication format is used when physicians encounter rare diseases, atypical presentations of common diseases, or unusual treatment strategies, and they consider that these experiences may offer learning opportunities for other medical professionals. Case reports are generally short manuscripts (fewer than 1500 words) that require relatively simple processing with journals, allowing for multiple publications in a short time. However, many prominent journals don’t accept case report submissions.
- Case series: These publications follow the same logic as case reports, except that they present more than a single case, therefore providing more reliable information. The length of these publications depends on how many cases are described.
- Expert opinions: Usually published by invitation only, the name of this publication type is self-explanatory. A group of well-known experts writes a manuscript detailing their views on particular aspects of a specific topic, usually based on a literature review. These publications are well-regarded because most readers know the authors must be highly respected to be invited.
- Meta-analyses: These studies provide some of the most compelling evidence to prove or disprove hypotheses. They consist of gathering as many studies as possible about a particular subject that comply with the inclusion criteria and then compare their results to reach a conclusion. If performed correctly, they are highly-regarded publications.
- Letters to the Editor: These publications are used to comment on other publications. For example, one may wish to critique some aspect of a study published in the journal or maybe provide additional information on an article you’ve published previously. They are short (fewer than 800 words) and provide minimal value to CVs unless they are written in highly regarded journals.
- Clinical trials: The studies that truly shape trends in medicine. These publications are designed to test new medications or new treatment strategies under the most stringent and controlled conditions. They are usually very long and written by large groups instead of by a few authors, the most highly-valued type of publication in this list.
- Abstracts: On the cover page of scientific articles, the authors write a short summary of the most relevant points in their research, called an abstract. Abstracts are commonly presented in large scientific meetings in the form of posters, and they are a great way for medical students and residents to add to their CVs and present their work in respected forums. They can later be published in their complete form in journals.
Summary table: Types of medical publications
| Type of publication | Description |
| Original articles | Most common type of publication, usually the most respected |
| Brief reports | “Short versions” of original articles |
| Case reports | Used when physicians encounter rare diseases, atypical presentations of common diseases, or unusual treatment strategies |
| Case series | Same as case reports, except that they present more than a single case |
| Expert opinions | Usually published by invitation only |
| Meta-analyses | Gathering as many (high-quality) studies as possible about a particular subject to reach a conclusion |
| Letters to the Editor | Used to comment on other publications |
| Clinical trials | Designed to test new medications or new treatment strategies |
| Abstracts | Commonly presented in large scientific meetings in the form of posters; can later be published in their complete form in journals |
The Long Road to Publication – Tips and Difficulties
During my career, I’ve had the enormous privilege of being involved in many fantastic research projects, and the fruit of my efforts has resulted in 12 official research publications.
By saying this, my intent is certainly not to show off but to illustrate a point; beyond those 12 publications, there are probably over 20 projects that I’ve tried to publish.
In this next section, I’ll describe some tips that I hope you can find useful, as well as some of the difficulties I’ve encountered:
1. Find a great tutor
This is the most important tip I can give you. First of all, a great tutor actually publishes research. Many people have a bunch of projects but don’t actually do the necessary follow-up to publish, or simply don’t have the time. You want to be with somebody who can manage to finalize a project. Also, tutors should always be willing to allow you to form part of their team in a real and respectful manner, even if that means finding somebody who may not necessarily be the most famous researcher in the world.
2. Choose wisely
There are many research projects out there, but once you decide to work on one, you’re in it for the long run. So your projects should always be ethically accepted, approved by institutional review boards, achievable, and that realistically contribute to medical knowledge.
3. Organization is vital
Keep a daily research log so that you can track what you have already done, what you still need to do, and the hiccups you encounter.
4. Never bite off more than you can chew
The last thing that you want to do is take on more projects than you can finish. It’s stressful, it’s non-productive, and it will just make you look bad to your tutor. There will always be a great temptation to take on ambitious projects, but make sure that you have the time and mental space for more.
5. Create your format
If you’re going to be writing manuscripts, it’s very helpful to have your own personalized format so that you never lose track of all the important components in an article. This will also be of tremendous assistance when you review your work and will help your speed and precision.
6. Find the best journal for your project
Everybody wants their work to be published in the most prestigious journals possible; but the most important thing to keep in mind is that publishing is a laborious process, and it’s probable that the first journal you apply to will not accept your manuscript. That’s why you should always check the journal’s requirements on its website, so you can make sure that your work fits with their scope. I find that the best way to accomplish this is by downloading a recent issue and trying to find published articles that fit your work’s design.
7. Try going from high to low
Once you find a list of journals that accept manuscripts similar to yours, try to rank them from most to least prestigious, and then apply to the number one on your list first. If that journal doesn’t accept you, then you can go in sequential order. I’ll leave a website here that ranks journals by subject and that has always worked for me.
8. Pay attention to the reviewers
Even if a journal is interested in publishing your work, you will never get just a straight “yes.”
Reviewers who are assigned to you will comment on your manuscript. These comments might be kind, but they might also feel harsh. However, the most important takeaway is to pay attention to them, accepting constructive criticism is one of the best ways to improve. There is no room for arrogance in medical research.
9. Don’t be discouraged
I don’t want to lie to you, there will be many failures if you’re involved in research. But that’s ok, because failures help you grow. Always try to learn as much as possible from every single project that doesn’t get published, every journal rejection letter, and every disappointment.
Because in the end, it’s always worth it.
