What can we publish in medical education?

Many of us are doing valuable teaching and curriculum work that could readily become publishable scholarship. Medical education is not “less scientific,” nor is it only qualitative: leading journals publish randomised trials, cohort studies, surveys and psychometric work, mixed‑methods, and qualitative research, alongside theory and methodology papers.

BIMHSE has prepared a short overview of common article types across major health professions education journals, and you may click here for the summary:

Paper Type

Research

Medical Education in Review

Cross-Cutting Edge

Focus on Research Methods

Medical Education Mythology

Really Good Stuff

Commentary

When I Say…

Correspondence

Length

Generally less than 3,000 words, longer papers possible if context warrants the inclusion of more text (see Med Educ 2010; 44:432) + abstract (max. 300 words) structured under sub-headings

Generally less than 3,000 words + structured abstract (max. 300 words)

Generally less than 4,000 words + structured abstract (max. 300 words)

Generally less than 3,000 words, + structured abstract (max. 300 words)

Short structured report (max. 500 words)

Brief discussion articles (max. 1,000 words)

Generally less than 1,000 words

Max. 400 words

What & How to include?

– Organisation: usually with Introduction, Methods, Results, and Discussion (IMRAD) structure
– The introduction should present a strong conceptual framework and clearly indicate how the paper addresses an important gap in the existing literature. The context of the work and choice of methods must be made clear. Qualitative and quantitative research approaches are equally welcome. All papers must also clearly articulate how the findings should be interpreted and how they advance understanding of the issue under study. See Med Educ 2009; 43:294-6.
– Max. 5 tables / figures

– Many review methodologies are welcome, however, all submissions must offer new insights by synthesising previously published work. See Med Educ 2008; 42:852-3.
– Max. 2 tables / figures

– Intended for a specific niche: making cutting edge research (including empirical findings and theory) that is relevant to but generally published outside of health professions education journals (i.e., crosscutting) accessible to the readership of Medical Education. See Med Educ 2008; 42(10):950-1 for an overview. Ideas for topics or authors to recruit are also welcomed.
– Max. 2 tables / figures

– Research Approach papers are scholarly and critical analyses of a variety of research design issues that offer guidance to investigators who are new to a type of research. They are explicitly not “how to” pieces. Instead, they should provide conceptual development along with direction to additional sources information. Relevant “approaches” might focus on specific methods, methodologies, or strategies for data collection and analysis.

Generally should include:
a) a brief and critical summary of the background from which the approach was derived
b) more extensive guidance on the processes through which the approach is effectively (or ineffectively) applied
c) practical pearls of wisdom for researchers new to the approach.
See Med Educ 2018; 52(11):1100-2 for an overview that elaborates on the expected content.
Please send inquiries to medoffice@wiley.com if you are uncertain about whether or not your planned article fits this section. Ideas for topics/authors to recruit are also welcomed.
– Max. 5 tables / figures

– Addresses a specific niche: examining whether commonly held beliefs in health professions education withstand scientific scrutiny. This may involve empirically testing key assumptions, critically reviewing existing evidence across literatures, or rigorously tracing the historical origins of widely accepted beliefs.
– Submissions should not simply be attempts to ‘tilt at windmills’ (i.e. to attack imaginary enemies). Competitive manuscripts must demonstrate that a belief is genuinely widespread and that challenging it provides meaningful insights to advance educational practice or research. See Med Educ 2020; 54(1):2-3 and examples in the January 2020 issue. Inquiries can be sent to medoffice@wiley.com if you are uncertain about whether or not your planned article fits this section. Ideas for topics/authors to recruit are also welcomed.
– Max. 2 tables / figures

– Organised into 3 sections: What problem was addressed? What was tried? What lessons were learned? The primary review criterion is whether meaningful lessons are conveyed, rather than whether the initiative was successful. See Med Educ 2011; 45(5):434-5 for further guidance.
– No figures / tables
– Max. 4 authors

– Focus on a particularly timely issue in health professional education
– Abstract not required
– Must supply 5 short ‘pull-out’ quotations (extracted verbatim from the commentary, each approximately 18 words long) to highlight key messages.

– Brief articles aim to clarify important terminology in an engaging and accessible way. Consult Med Educ 2013; 47(9):856-7 and review the When I Say… virtual issue to ensure the topic has not already been covered.

– Brief descriptions of research findings or educational innovations are not accepted as letters, as such documents belong in one of the sections describe above.

Referencing

Vancouver style

1 allowable reference

Max. 10 references

Max. 5
references

Vancouver style &
max. 6 references

BIMHSE offers Medical Education Research Clinic Services (MERCS) to support your research projects. Please contact Prof. Fraide GANOTICE via ganotc75@hku.hk for the consultation services.

21 Sassoon Road, Pokfulam
Hong Kong SAR, China

imhse@hku.hk

Site Map
Follow BIMHSE