Writing and publishing medical documents, especially your first medical publication, can make you anxious and cautious, but it is natural to feel this way. After all, you are venturing into uncharted territory, which is challenging but rewarding.
Working as a medical writer and researcher, I am often asked by my colleagues how and where to get their work published as a journal article, book chapter, or conference paper. While many of them have the skills and knowledge needed for writing scientific articles, most struggle with the process of getting their work published.
Even after repeatedly revising and submitting their medical articles, the rejection rate stays at 100%. It is estimated that more than 80% of authors who try to get their work published give up after several attempts. This struggle shows that the publication of your medical document is a goal that takes time and persistence to accomplish, but with the right strategy, it is doable.
In this blog post, we’ll cover everything you need to know about publishing medical documents as a stand-alone article or a chapter in a book. Let’s look at some common challenges people face when trying to get their work published and how you can address them.
Decide on your publication type
The very first step of getting your medical document published is to decide which type of article or book chapter you want to write. Several publication types are available, each of which serves a different purpose. Let’s take a look at the two most common types of medical writing:
1. Research papers: These articles describe the results of a scientific investigation, experimental or observational. They can be either experimental or observational papers that contain a description of the methods used, the analysis of the data, and the discussion and conclusions drawn from the results.
2. Review papers: These are particular types of articles that review and analyse existing research, data, and information about a specific topic. They provide a holistic overview of the issue at hand, covering its history and the current state of knowledge.
Set up a research log
As a medical writer, you might have collected many research materials in various file types over the years. Unfortunately, these materials usually aren’t in a suitable format for publishing a scientific article. To get your paper published, you need to organise, sort, and simplify your material.
I would recommend keeping a research log where you store all of your research notes, references, and information. This will help you stay organised and use your materials more efficiently.
Choose the right journal for your article and get familiar with the guidelines
The next step in how to publish your medical article is to select the right journal for your article. For many new researchers, this step is the most challenging part of the entire process. However, it doesn’t have to be.
When choosing a journal to publish in, consider reading recent articles published in your field of interest. Doing this will give you an idea of what articles are published in journals related to your field of study. You can also use online databases such as PubMed or Scopus to find and select relevant journals.
Confirm that your topic is suitable for a stand-alone article
Once you confirm that you want to publish your article as a stand-alone piece, your journal will send your manuscript for peer review. Once your manuscript has passed peer review and been approved for publication, you will need to find a publisher.
When deciding on the best journal to publish your article in, remember that you are the author and have complete control over your finished product. You are also responsible for your article’s distribution, marketing, and promotion.
Find out who will be in charge of your manuscript during the publishing process.
Knowing who is responsible for what is essential when working on a manuscript. The most common names of those involved in the publication of medical articles are listed below:
The Editor-in-Chief (EIC): A journal’s EIC decides what manuscripts are accepted or rejected for publication.
The Associate Editor (AE): The AE is the person who reviews all manuscripts submitted to the journal and decides whether or not to send them for peer review.
The editorial board: The board of editors consists of scientists who are experts in specific fields of study. They are in charge of reviewing revised and resubmitted manuscripts and assisting the EIC with editorial choices.
Decide on a title for your manuscript and write an abstract
The next step in publishing medical documents is to write a title for your manuscript. You can choose between an attention-grabbing title and a title that briefly summarises the content of your article. When writing the title, try to avoid using abbreviations and acronyms.
Once you’ve written a title, you can start writing an abstract. The abstract summarises your article at the beginning of your manuscript. It gives readers an overview of your paper and should be written so that it entices readers to read through your entire manuscript.
Write a quality editorial together with an introduction and conclusion
After you’ve written a title and an abstract for your article, it is time to write the actual manuscript. The main parts of a paper are the introduction, the methods, the results, and the discussion. These are also referred to as the “meat and potatoes” of your article.
The introduction is the part where you introduce your article and give the readers a brief overview of what you will discuss in the rest of the paper. You should present the problem you are trying to solve and why you chose the topic. You can also include a brief history of related research in the introduction section.
Ensure that all your references are accurate and up-to-date
References are an essential part of any scientific paper. It is the section where you credit the research and ideas of other scientists.
It is vital to ensure that all your references are accurate and up-to-date. This is especially important if you are publishing a review article. Your readers will check the references listed at the end of your article and will use them to research further. This is crucial if you’re publishing a review article. Readers will check the references you list at the end of the piece and use them to conduct additional research.
If your references are outdated or incomplete, you risk misinforming your readers.
Publishing medical documents – Finishing up
After you have finished writing your article and have gone through the editing process, it is time to send your article for review. This is when you find out if your paper meets the standards of a scientific journal.
The journal editor will send your manuscript to experts who will review it and provide constructive criticism. This might be challenging, but it is an essential part of the publication process. Read more tips here.
Conclusion
Publishing medical documents is an iterative process.
Now that you know how to publish your medical documents, you can focus on writing a high-quality article. Keep these insights in mind, and you will find that publishing your article is easier than you think.
