Publishing in top-tier medical journals directly affects the career of medical researchers, influencing their professional development and recognition, and serving as a significant validation, enhancing their reputation within the academic community. This is particularly crucial for early-career researchers who aim to secure promotions. Moreover, publishing in high-rated journals leads to increased visibility and citation of their research, which is also critical for developing academic profile and securing future research funding. However, publishing in high-rated journals comes with challenges, including intense competition and rigorous peer review processes. All of this necessitates meticulous manuscript preparation and strategy for responding the feedback. Our guide is aimed to help you to grasp the tips and hints for successful creation and submission of a proper medical related paper.

The field of medicine has strict standards regarding writing a scientific article. A significant aspect of these types of papers is the fact that they rely heavily on using precise and unbiased scientific language. Another important characteristic of these journals is that they typically include human subjects or participants. As a result, they are subject to quite strict ethical guidelines.

 

 

There are hundreds of journals that fall within the category of medical journals. If you are a medical practitioner or researcher who is looking to publish in a medical journal, you should aim for reputable journals that are indexed in prestigious repositories such as Web of Science and Scopus. The format and type of medical paper you publish will depend on the journal that you are aiming for.

To write a proper research article in a medical journal indexed in Web of Science and Scopus, you should be aware of the current research mainstream. It is only broad and deep familiarity with your specific field of study that would allow you to be in a position to launch a medical research or experiment that would qualify for publication in the most prestigious medical journals.

 

1. Tips for choosing a good journal for publication

 

a) Aim for higher tier

A high-rated journal is characterized by its extensive history of publishing top-notch research, implementing a meticulous peer-review system, drawing in a wide readership from the global medical community, and prioritizing groundbreaking discoveries that will greatly influence medical practices. Consequently, medical research papers featured in these high-tier journals typically outline sturdy and well-supported proof-of-concept or hypothesis-testing studies pertaining to pharmaceutical treatments or other interventions that address significant gaps in medical care.

The primary advantage of submitting research to a prestigious journal lies in the validation it provides, confirming the excellence and significance of the study and its potential to make a significant difference in human well-being. This validation, combined with the extensive readership that high-tier journals attract worldwide, increases the likelihood that the article will be read, acknowledged, and acted upon by key figures in the medical field, such as doctors, insurers, policymakers, and funding organizations. Nonetheless, it is important to acknowledge the difficulties associated with publishing in such journals, as they often have rejection rates up to 95%.

b) Impact-factor

The most versatile metric to identify the journals’ credibility is the impact-factor. It reflects the frequency with which the average article in a journal has been cited in a particular two-year period. High impact-factor indicates high journal visibility as citing a particular journal exposes its articles to different publications and expands its audience base. Impact-factor is calculated separately for Scopus, Web of Science and other databases, but usually only one database matters for the researcher during particular project, so the value of IF is not diminished by that. Overall, the greater journal’s impact-factor is, the more prestigious is that journal.

c) Timeframe

When choosing the right journal for their manuscript, authors must take into account the element of timing. It is crucial to consider factors such as the duration required for manuscript development and the estimated time from submission to publication. This becomes even more significant when targeting a high-tier journal, as there may be a specific publication date to meet or the need for expedited peer-review timelines, often involving a larger number of authors. To put it simple, the more prestigious journal you choose, the more time it is expected to take for reviewing, accepting and publishing your manuscript. It may be critical for the authors’ funding approval, if it is limited by certain deadline. Or even worse, the actual problem that is resolved I research may decrease its relevance after a year passed during submission – and a year is more than realistic timeline for high-rated medical journals

 

2. Strategy for Publishing in Top-Tier Medical Journals

Publishing in a medical journal is the final stage of a scrupulous process which is centered on your experiment. To ensure that your paper is good enough to be published in a top-tier medical journal, you need to bear in mind several points about the research that you have conducted. For the majority of journals, medical paper has the most chances to be published if it demonstrates the following:

• Novelty and originality
• Relevance to ongoing trends
• Validated genuine research
• Relevance to ongoing medical or social problems.

 

Keeping these in mind, you should ask yourself certain questions about the research that you want to publish.

 

1. Is your research novel and noteworthy? Your research should add something new to the field instead of focusing on topics that have been analyzed exhaustively. Still, you should not choose an obscure topic – most of the journals evaluate articles depending on the actual relevance of the made research.
2. Are you updated with the latest knowledge in your field? To be acknowledged as a medical researcher you are supposed to create a literature review that reflects the latest findings in your area of research. Your knowledge of the current literature should help you fully understand the topic and identify gaps in the literature regarding your new research. Besides, fresh and relevant literature sources are a common expectation from any research article aimed for publication in a proper journal.
3. Are your findings valid, significant, and based on accurate analysis? Research results must be valid and able to be approved by peer reviewing. However, the factual correctness of research analysis may be not enough for research to be approved and accepted; the study must also be significant. In other words, what value does it have to the wider scientific/medical community or the wider public?
4. Does your work tie in with a relevant topic area? Journals tend to have a closer attention towards certain topics depending on the world context. For example, during the pandemic, Covid-19 was extremely relevant topic, that has slowed down in terms of interest. You should try to keep up with the most demanded current research topics for your publication material.

 

Publishing a medical paper in a prestigious journal indexed in the WoS or Scopus is not a matter of luck or happenstance. The entire process should be backed up by a deep and broad knowledge of your field, including the latest trends and topics.

 

3. Types of Scientific Medical Publications

There are four types of research papers (applicable not only to medical ones): 1. Original articles; 2. Short Communications; 3. Case studies; and 4. Review papers. Each of these types is described below.

Original articles investigate fundamental biological processes and mechanisms underlying health and disease, often using laboratory experiments. This type includes basic medical research and clinical research. Basic medical research involves experiments on animals, studies of cells, as well as biochemistry, physiological, and medical reports. In addition, it also refers to investigations that determine drug properties. These experiments are defined by the fact that they typically have at least one independent variable that is varied while observing the effects on the dependent variable.

Clinical research is primarily defined by the criterion of includinghuman participants. These studies are usually performed on humans to investigate the clinical or pharmacological effects of drugs to verify the efficacy or safety of new or current drugs. Such studies include:

• Experimental studies
• Clinical studies of various phases (e.g., Phases I, II, II, and IV)
• Observational studies
• Drug trials

 

Case studies refer to a detailed outline of individual cases being reported by medical professionals. This can include a surgical procedure or case that was unusual, or it could be a new procedure, whose success needs to be reported on.

Short communications. These are brief reports that are much shorter than original articles or review papers. A short communication can be a heavy re-analysis of a medical article already published in a medical journal. It could also be that may not represent standard research but is nevertheless something that the public might be interested in. Lastly, it could be a standard report, but shorter than normal, that fits the scope of the journal.

Review papers. Review papers are reviews of the latest medical research on a specific topic or area. They are often high-quality papers that have rigorous criteria for selection. Moreover, they are meant to represent the most cutting-edge developments and current issues in a specific field of research.

 

4.     How to Publish a Scientific Medical Article

What to do before you start writing a Scientific Medical Article?

Step 1: Looking back on your research work

1. Is your research novel and interesting for potential readers?
2. Have you compared your work with the latest results in the area?
3. Did you verify your findings and their significance by a proper analysis?
4. Are the methods/measurements valid and reliable?
5. Can you describe the strong points and limitations of your work?
6. Does the research utilize a relevant topic?
7. Does it provide solutions for any modern problems?
8. If you answered “yes”, then you are good to go.

 

Step 2: Thinking about your goals

1. What is the type of your manuscript? Is it original research or a review article?
2. Who is your target audience? Experienced scholars from narrow research areas, or graduate students?
3. Are you aiming for a specific respectable journal dedicated to a certain research discipline, or will it be fine for you to publish in a multidisciplinary journal with lower rating?
4. The last point brings us to a journal selection concern. This step should be analyzed deeply.

 

Step 3: Select a proper journal.

You should start with looking through major databases:

• Scopus
• Web of Science
• Pubmed

When choosing a journal, there are several metrics that you should take into account, such as:

• Time period between submission and publication
• Impact-factor

Scopus relies on CiteScore, whereas WoS uses impact factor. The higher the value is, the more prestigious the journal. Unlike WoS and Scopus, providing range of metrics for journals and authors, PubMed is simply a convenient repository of abstracts and links to published articles. In general, Scopus and WoS are the most important and versatile databases in all the academic publishing sphere, while Pubmed, much less significant in general, is relevant for us since it specifically includes medical related journals.

First, you need to estimate the value of your results. If your research is indeed significant and relevant, then you should aim for journals with higher impact factor or CiteScore.

 

Step 4. Formatting and submission

1. Find and utilize the “guide for authors” section of the journal’s website
2. Ensure that you use the correct:

• Layout
• Sections’ volume (word limit)
• Nomenclature (abbreviations)
• Referencing format
• Figures and tables placement
• Statistics and data presentation

 

Example of a submission guide page:

 

 

Proper formatting of your manuscript will increase your chances for successful reviewing. Not only due to formal reasons, but also because it will demonstrate your respect towards reviewers and their time.

 

5.     Common challenges faced by authors of medical research papers while submission

When submitting to peer reviewed medical journals, authors of medical research papers should be aware of several common pitfalls to avoid.

One major issue is the failure to adhere to the specific guidelines and scope of the chosen journal, which can lead to immediate rejection. Authors should select an appropriate journal early in the process and align their manuscript accordingly to avoid unnecessary reformatting and delays.

Another critical pitfall is the lack of clarity and coherence in writing, which includes poor language, spelling, and grammar, as these can detract from the manuscript’s message and lead to rejection. Additionally, authors must avoid submitting poorly designed studies with methodological flaws, such as inadequate sample sizes, lack of control groups, or inappropriate statistical analyses, as these are common reasons for rejection during the internal review process.

Ethical issues, such as plagiarism, simultaneous submissions, and unethical authorship practices like honorary or ghost authorship, must also be strictly avoided to maintain the integrity of the research and the trust of the journal editors. Authors should ensure that all contributors meet the authorship criteria and that their contributions are accurately documented and acknowledged.

Furthermore, the manuscript should present a novel and relevant research question, as studies that do not offer new insights or fail to pass the “so what” test are often rejected.

The presentation of figures and data is another area where authors can falter; figures should be of high-resolution, clearly labeled, and organized logically to support the narrative of the manuscript. Additionally, authors should be prepared for the peer review process by anticipating potential critiques and responding thoughtfully and comprehensively to reviewers’ comments during revisions.

Finally, authors must avoid predatory journals, which can exploit researchers and diminish the credibility of their work. By addressing these common challenges, authors can enhance their chances of successful publication in top-tier medical journals and contribute valuable knowledge to the field.

 

6.     Examples of Medical Journals Indexed in Scopus and Web of Science

As mentioned above, Scopus and WoS databases are journal indexes that include the most respectable journals. Here are examples of well-known medical journals indexed in Scopus and WoS:

The Lancet. A prestigious medical journal covering a wide range of medical fields. It has one of the most impressive impact factors and CiteScores, namely, 72.2 and 202.731, respectively.

New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM). This is one of the most influential and prestigious medical journals. It focuses on mainly publishing research articles, reviews, and clinical reports.

Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA). This is a journal that publishes original research, reviews, and editorials on various medical topics.

British Medical Journal (BMJ).A leading general medical journal that focuses on the publication of research articles, reviews, and other medically related documents.

Annals of Internal Medicine. This is a journal that focuses on internal medicine and publishes original research, reviews, and guidelines.

The table below shows the Scopus CiteScore and WoS impact factor for these mentioned journals.

 

Journal	Scopus CiteScore 2023	WoS Journal Impact Factor 2023
The Lancet	148.1	98.4
NEJM	145.4	96.2
JAMA	48.2	63.1
BMJ	19.9	93.6
Annals of Internal Medicine	23.9	19.6

 

7.     How to Choose a Medical Journal to Publish a Research Paper

 

 

 

1. Your target audience. Consider who could benefit the most from your work. Is that a certain group of medical specialists, or are you going for a more general audience? Is your study aimed at specialists in a particular field, or is it more general?

2. The journal’s scope and aims. You have to make sure that the scope and aims of the journal are in alignment with your research subject. You should make sure to consult the website of your target journal to make sure you are familiar with and understand the journal’s aims and scope.

3. The journal’s impact factor/CiteScore and reputation. The CiteScore and impact factor are important considerations. In general, you should aim for the highest scores available – unless it interferes with your research scope and level.
4. Indexing and accessibility. Another factor that you should take into account is the accessibility of the journal. If you want a high level of accessibility, consider open access journals. Subscription journals are easier for submission since they do not charge publication fee, but they are naturally less accessible for the wide audience.

5. Publication speed and frequency. Reviewing and overall processing the submitted paper is generally a long-time process. Top-rated journals may take a whole year before publishing your research. Some journals provide information on their average time from submission to publication, but this is not a common thing. While choosing a journal, depending on how urgent is the publication for your career, you may want to look for the journals with available option of accelerated reviewing (which usually assumes additional fee) or prefer the journal with lower rating but proportionally shorter reviewing process.

 

Example of journal information, including time period from submission to first decision.

 

 

6. Open access vs. subscription-based journals. Open access publicationsare more visible and accessible for the readers, butthis model includes publication fees. In fact, the most solid reason for choosing the open-access model could be that funding authorities often demand the publication to be made in such a journal, because it usually assumes more rigorous quality control and selection from editorial board. In other words, if you are working on the publication with funding, you will most likely limited by open-access journal. As the opposite, subscription-based journals do not charge the fee, but your publication will be much less visible there. Sometimes, open access journals propose a fees waiver option for the authors from low-income country, but that is not a common practice.

7. Publication Fees. Publication fees, also known as article processing charges (or APCs), can differ dramatically depending on journal’s rank, country, or publisher’s respectability. You should keep balance between your financial abilities and journal’s prestige.

8. Aim and scope. You should review the journal’s scope to be sure whether or not your research would fit well in the journal.

9. Previous issues and articles. Reading and reviewing recent issues of the journal can let you know if your research is similar to what is the journal’s habit for publishing. Quality and style of the published articles will help you understand if you could (or should) submit your research here.

10. Consult with colleagues and mentors. Colleagues or peers with experience of the peer review process in target journals can give you advice on what to expect. Besides that, colleagues can provide advice on which journals have the best reputation or what journals are the easiest to publish based on the medical topic you have focused on.

11. The journal’s acceptance rate. You should also check the acceptance rate of the journal. This can give you an idea of how likely your paper will be accepted and just how competitive the journal is.

 

Following these steps and considering these factors enables you to choose the most appropriate journal for your medical research paper, thus boosting the chances of acceptance after submission.

 

8.     How to Speed Up Publication in Medical Journals

Previously we have underlined that reviewing and publication process in scientific journal is a very time-consuming process. However, there are several steps you can take in attempt to accelerate your research publication.

1. Follow author guidelines carefully. First of all, you can help yourself with avoiding any delayments, such as formal revisions, by proper following the guidelines. If you don’t make any mistakes while submitting your manuscript, then you won’t need to spend time on their fixing.
2. Using preprint services. Preprints are websites/databases that allow you to publish your manuscript before it has been peer-reviewed. However, not every journal uses them.
3. Using professional editing services: Insufficient quality of manuscript’s English language can be a reason for revision demand, and therefore delay. Professional editing and proofreading services can be useful in this regard, especially for the papers written by non-native English speakers.
4. Promptly and properly responding to reviewers. Ensure that you answer review questions promptly and satisfactorily. The review process can be frustrating. A good reviewer often has multiple detailed questions that should be answered carefully and comprehensively. Addressing reviewers’ comments comprehensively and quickly can shorten the revision process. Clear, concise responses and prompt resubmissions demonstrate professionalism and can expedite acceptance.

 

By implementing these strategies, researchers can improve their chances of a quicker publication in Scopus-indexed medical journals.

 

9. Expenses of Publishing a Medical Article

The most obvious (and almost inevitable expenditure for a researcher is the APC that we discussed above, charged by open-access journals. In most of high-rated medical journals, the APC is expected to be about several thousand USD. Aside from that, you may face such sort of expenditure as editing and proofreading fees – if you feel the need to use this kind of services. Editing and proofreading options are sometimes provided by journal itself, but more often they are found in some extra companies that specifically work in this field – such as Science Publisher Company.

 

Final thoughts

Publishing your medical paper in high-end peer-reviewed journals is a long-term process that does not begin with submitting your manuscript. It starts with making high-quality research and learning target journals you have in mind. When choosing the proper journal to publish in, consider the following:

• Aim for reputable journals that are indexed in prestigious databases such as WoS and Scopus
• Make sure that your research aligns with the scope and trends of your target journal
• Secure supporting processes such as collaborating with co-authors, responding to reviewers, and revising papers

 

Publishing medical papers consistently in high-end journals can result in several benefits such as 1) improving your reputation; 2) increasing your chances of obtaining funding for further research; 3) promoting your career; and 4) boosting your H-index score. Therefore, careful attention should be paid to the right strategies for your manuscripts being published promptly.