How to Write for Medical Journals
Medical: A science that examines human and animal bodies in order to understand how the body functions and to treat illness. This includes anatomy, physiology and pathology, among other topics. A doctor is a medical practitioner who specializes in treating disease and injury through diagnosis, medications and surgery. Medical journals feature new discoveries and research on diseases, symptoms and treatments. Those who write for medical journals are often researchers, doctors or students, though anyone with a passion for the field may submit articles to a journal.
A journal’s editor-in-chief sets the tone for the content and submission requirements of a specific issue. He or she must ensure that all submissions follow the submission guidelines outlined by the editorial board. This typically includes ensuring that all required paperwork is complete, the manuscript adheres to article style and formatting, and the work relates to the subject matter of the publication.
Before submitting a manuscript to a medical journal, check the journal’s website for its author guidelines and other important information. Usually, a journal’s editor will list the types of submissions it’s looking for in its column titled “Submissions.” A journal’s impact factor – a quantitative measure of the relative importance of the publication – can also help you determine which publications are good fits for your research.
If you have any doubts about the suitability of a journal for your manuscript, contact its editors or principal investigator for advice. Having a clear idea of which publication you’re aiming for will help speed up the process of preparing and submitting your manuscript.
While the structure of medical terms can appear complex, many are based on a few basic principles. Like all words, they start with a root word that gives the term its essential meaning. Almost all medical terms then end in a suffix that further identifies a specialty, test, procedure, function, disorder or status. Finally, many medical terms use a combining vowel at the end that distinguishes them from similar words and phrases in other languages.
The combining vowel distinguishes medical terms from other languages by separating the word parts of a medical term from its other component words. This allows you to build a medical vocabulary from familiar roots and suffixes such as -ectomy (surgical removal of an organ), -ism (an abnormal condition) and -omy (blood).
A basic understanding of the structural elements of medical terms makes it easier to learn them. Take a free online course on learning medical terminology from Des Moines University, which provides access to all 15 modules without charging you a fee. The course does not provide academic credit or a certificate of completion, but it is an excellent way to get started. The lessons are structured in categories to make it easier to retain and apply the knowledge you gain. You can also review medical terminology on your own by studying the lists of word parts and identifying them in common words you know such as rhinorrhage (bleeding around the nose), splenorrhage (bleeding in the spleen) and hepatorrhage (blood loss in the liver). Learning these word parts in context helps give you an edge in recognizing and remembering new terms.
Medical: A science that examines human and animal bodies in order to understand how the body functions and to treat illness. This includes anatomy, physiology and pathology, among other topics. A doctor is a medical practitioner who specializes in treating disease and injury through diagnosis, medications and surgery. Medical journals feature new discoveries and research on diseases, symptoms and treatments. Those who write for medical journals are often researchers, doctors or students, though anyone with a passion for the field may submit articles to a journal. A journal’s editor-in-chief sets the tone for the content and submission requirements of a specific issue. He or she must ensure that all submissions follow the submission guidelines outlined by the editorial board. This typically includes ensuring that all required paperwork is complete, the manuscript adheres to article style and formatting, and the work relates to the subject matter of the publication. Before submitting a manuscript to a medical journal, check the journal’s website for its author guidelines and other important information. Usually, a journal’s editor will list the types of submissions it’s looking for in its column titled “Submissions.” A journal’s impact factor – a quantitative measure of the relative importance of the publication – can also help you determine which publications are good fits for your research. If you have any doubts about the suitability of a journal for your manuscript, contact its editors or principal investigator for advice. Having a clear idea of which publication you’re aiming for will help speed up the process of preparing and submitting your manuscript. While the structure of medical terms can appear complex, many are based on a few basic principles. Like all words, they start with a root word that gives the term its essential meaning. Almost all medical terms then end in a suffix that further identifies a specialty, test, procedure, function, disorder or status. Finally, many medical terms use a combining vowel at the end that distinguishes them from similar words and phrases in other languages. The combining vowel distinguishes medical terms from other languages by separating the word parts of a medical term from its other component words. This allows you to build a medical vocabulary from familiar roots and suffixes such as -ectomy (surgical removal of an organ), -ism (an abnormal condition) and -omy (blood). A basic understanding of the structural elements of medical terms makes it easier to learn them. Take a free online course on learning medical terminology from Des Moines University, which provides access to all 15 modules without charging you a fee. The course does not provide academic credit or a certificate of completion, but it is an excellent way to get started. The lessons are structured in categories to make it easier to retain and apply the knowledge you gain. You can also review medical terminology on your own by studying the lists of word parts and identifying them in common words you know such as rhinorrhage (bleeding around the nose), splenorrhage (bleeding in the spleen) and hepatorrhage (blood loss in the liver). Learning these word parts in context helps give you an edge in recognizing and remembering new terms.