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This guide provides essential information for authors preparing manuscripts for submission to the journal. Authors are encouraged to read this guide carefully before submission and to consult the journal's Aims and Scope, Article Types, Open Access and Fees, and Journal Policies pages where applicable.
The journal publishes scholarly work in medical education, health professions education, clinical teaching, curriculum development, competency-based education, assessment, simulation, faculty development, continuing professional development, interprofessional education, digital learning, educational technology, professionalism, workplace-based learning and related educational scholarship.
The journal welcomes rigorous empirical, theoretical, methodological and reflective work that advances the science and practice of medical education. Manuscripts should report educational context, study design, participants, interventions, assessment methods, ethical safeguards, learner protection, data transparency and limitations with sufficient clarity to support critical appraisal and, where appropriate, replication.
Manuscripts that do not meet the journal's requirements may be returned for correction before editorial assessment or peer review. Submission of a manuscript does not guarantee external peer review or acceptance.
Before submitting a manuscript, authors should ensure that the work is suitable for the journal and that all required materials are prepared.
Authors should:
read the journal's Aims and Scope to confirm that the manuscript fits the journal's academic focus and target readership;
select the appropriate article type and follow the relevant requirements for structure, word limits, references, tables, figures and supplementary materials;
ensure that the manuscript is original, has not been formally published previously and is not under consideration by another journal;
obtain approval from all authors for the submitted version;
ensure that authorship, author order and corresponding author details have been agreed by all authors before submission;
prepare all required statements, including ethics approval, informed consent, author contributions, competing interests, funding, data availability, registration and AI-use statements where applicable;
consider whether learner protection, participant confidentiality, patient privacy, institutional confidentiality or assessment security issues apply to the study;
follow appropriate reporting guidelines according to the study design;
obtain permission for any third-party material, including figures, tables, images, videos, teaching materials, assessment tools, survey instruments, simulation scenarios, software screenshots or substantial text reproduced or adapted from other sources;
review the journal's policies on peer review, publication ethics, authorship, research ethics, data availability, use of AI, copyright, licensing and post- publication updates.
Authors who are unsure whether their manuscript is suitable for the journal may contact the Editorial Office with a pre-submission inquiry. A pre-submission inquiry should include the manuscript title, author list, abstract and a brief explanation of the manuscript's relevance to the journal. A positive response to a pre-submission inquiry does not guarantee peer review or acceptance.
Preprints
The journal considers manuscripts that have been posted on recognized preprint servers, provided that the work has not been formally published and is not under consideration by another journal at the same time.
Authors must disclose any preprint at submission and provide the preprint server name, DOI or link where applicable. If the manuscript is accepted, authors are encouraged to update the preprint record with a citation and link to the final published article.
Online Submission
Manuscripts must be submitted through the journal's online submission system. Authors should create a user account, log in and submit the manuscript following the instructions in the system. Submissions sent by email are generally not considered unless specifically requested by the Editorial Office.
The maximum file size for individual uploaded files is 50 MB, unless otherwise specified by the submission system.
The journal considers several types of manuscripts. Authors should select the article type that best matches the purpose, design and scope of their work.
Detailed requirements for each article type, including word limits, abstract format, reference limits, figure and table limits and required sections, are provided on the Article Types page.
Common article types may include:
Original Research Article
Reports original research findings based on quantitative, qualitative, mixed-methods, experimental, observational, implementation, assessment, curriculum, simulation, digital learning or other medical education research. Original Research Articles should generally include Introduction, Methods, Results and Discussion sections.
Qualitative Study
Reports research using interviews, focus groups, observation, fieldwork, ethnography, grounded theory, phenomenology, narrative inquiry, discourse analysis, document analysis or other qualitative approaches. Authors should describe the research paradigm, sampling, data collection, analytic approach, reflexivity and strategies used to support trustworthiness.
Mixed-methods Study
Reports studies that integrate qualitative and quantitative components. Authors should describe the design, rationale for using mixed methods, timing and priority of components, integration strategy and how integration informed interpretation.
Survey Study
Reports questionnaire-based or web-based research involving students, residents, fellows, faculty members, healthcare professionals, patients, simulated patients or other participants. Authors should describe sampling, recruitment, instrument development or adaptation, pilot testing, validity evidence, response rate, missing data and potential non-response bias.
Curriculum Evaluation / Educational Intervention Study
Reports the design, implementation and evaluation of a curriculum, course, teaching session, training program, educational innovation or faculty development activity. Authors should describe the educational context, theoretical basis, intervention components, implementation process, outcomes and limitations.
Assessment Study
Reports research on assessment methods, scoring systems, standard setting, workplace-based assessment, objective structured clinical examinations, portfolios, entrustable professional activities, competency assessment or other evaluation methods. Authors should describe the assessment purpose, construct, scoring, assessor training, reliability, validity evidence, fairness and consequences of assessment use.
Simulation Study
Reports research involving simulation-based education, standardized patients, virtual patients, procedural simulation, team training, crisis resource management, debriefing or simulation assessment. Authors should describe the simulation modality, scenario design, fidelity, facilitator training, debriefing approach, learner preparation, assessment method and limitations in transferability to practice.
Digital Learning / Educational Technology Study
Reports studies involving online learning, blended learning, mobile learning, learning management systems, virtual reality, augmented reality, digital simulation, adaptive learning, learning analytics, e-portfolios, chatbots, automated feedback or other educational technologies.
Faculty Development / Continuing Professional Development Study
Reports studies involving faculty development, teacher training, mentorship, supervision, continuing professional development, interprofessional education or educational leadership. Authors should describe participant roles, learning needs, program design, evaluation strategy and contextual factors affecting implementation.
Quality Improvement / Implementation Study
Reports quality improvement, implementation, service improvement or educational practice change initiatives. Authors should describe the setting, intervention, implementation strategy, outcome measures, sustainability, unintended consequences and limitations.
Review Article
Provides a comprehensive, balanced and critical overview of a defined topic. Review Articles should synthesize current evidence, identify knowledge gaps and discuss future directions.
Systematic Review and Meta-analysis
Presents a systematic search, selection, appraisal and synthesis of existing evidence. Authors should follow appropriate reporting guidelines and provide protocol registration information where applicable.
Scoping Review
Maps the breadth, characteristics and gaps of a field or topic. Authors should describe the review question, eligibility criteria, search strategy, study selection, charting process and synthesis approach.
Protocol
Describes a planned clinical trial, educational intervention, systematic review, qualitative study, survey study, implementation study or other research protocol. Authors should provide registration information where applicable and clearly describe the rationale, design, methods and planned analysis.
Innovation Report / Educational Practice Report
Describes a well-defined educational innovation, program, tool, curriculum or practice change with clear rationale, implementation details, evaluation data and implications for practice. Claims should be proportionate to the strength of evidence provided.
Brief Report / Short Communication
Reports concise but significant findings that may not require a full-length article. These submissions should present clear methods, focused results and a well-supported conclusion.
Case Report / Case Study
Describes an educational case, implementation challenge, assessment issue, curriculum problem, remediation process or educational event with clear relevance to medical education. Written consent for publication must be obtained when identifiable learner, patient, faculty, staff or institutional information is included.
Guideline / Consensus
Provides evidence-based or expert consensus recommendations on a specific topic. The methodology for evidence review, panel composition, conflict-of-interest management, consensus development and recommendation grading should be clearly described.
Editorial / Commentary / Perspective
Presents expert opinion, critical discussion or interpretation of current issues in medical education, health professions education, training policy, assessment, professionalism, faculty development or digital education. These article types are usually commissioned, but unsolicited submissions may be considered at the editors' discretion.
Letter to the Editor
Provides brief comments on articles published in the journal or concise observations of interest to readers.
Manuscripts should be prepared clearly, concisely and consistently. Authors should write for an international scholarly audience and avoid unnecessary jargon, unsupported claims or excessive technical detail that is not essential to understanding the work.
File Format
Manuscripts should be submitted in an editable format, such as Microsoft Word. LaTeX files may be accepted where appropriate. Figures, tables, screenshots, teaching materials, assessment instruments and supplementary materials should be prepared according to the journal's file and formatting requirements.
Title Page
The title page should include:
manuscript title;
full names of all authors;
author affiliations;
corresponding author name, email address and full contact details;
ORCID iDs, where available;
equal contribution or co-corresponding author notes, where applicable;
short running title, if required;
word count, number of figures, number of tables and number of supplementary files, if requested.
Abstract and Keywords
The abstract should accurately summarize the purpose, methods, main findings and conclusions of the manuscript. Original Research Articles, qualitative studies, mixed-methods studies, survey studies, intervention studies and assessment studies should generally use a structured abstract where required by the article type.
Authors should provide keywords that are specific, searchable and relevant to the manuscript. Standardized medical, educational and health professions education terms should be used where appropriate.
Main Text
Original Research Articles should generally include:
Introduction;
Methods;
Results;
Discussion;
Conclusions, where appropriate.
The Methods section should provide sufficient detail to allow the work to be evaluated and, where applicable, reproduced. Authors should describe study design, educational setting, participants, recruitment, sampling, intervention or curriculum, assessment methods, data collection, data analysis, statistical or qualitative methods, software, ethical safeguards and limitations where relevant.
The Results section should present findings in a logical order, supported by appropriate tables, figures, quotations or statistical information. The Discussion should interpret the findings in the context of existing evidence, acknowledge limitations and avoid overstating educational impact, effectiveness or generalizability.
Educational Context
Medical education research is highly context-dependent. Authors should describe the educational setting clearly, including institution type, country or region where relevant, learner level, clinical discipline, training program, curriculum structure, assessment system, learning environment and contextual factors that may affect interpretation or transferability.
Authors should avoid presenting findings from a single institution, small cohort, local curriculum or selected participant group as universally applicable without appropriate limitations.
Curriculum, Teaching and Intervention Details
Where applicable, manuscripts should describe the educational intervention, curriculum, program or teaching method in sufficient detail to support interpretation and replication.
Authors should report:
educational rationale or theoretical framework;
learning objectives and intended outcomes;
content and structure of the intervention;
duration, frequency, mode of delivery and resources;
instructor or facilitator qualifications and training;
learner preparation and participation requirements;
implementation process and fidelity;
comparator, usual teaching or control condition;
adaptations made during implementation;
feasibility, acceptability and unintended consequences.
Assessment and Validity Evidence
For assessment studies, authors should define the assessment purpose and construct clearly. Where applicable, authors should report blueprinting, item development, scoring methods, rater training, standard setting, reliability, validity evidence, fairness considerations, decision consequences and limitations.
Authors should avoid claiming that an assessment tool is valid without providing appropriate evidence for the intended use and context.
Qualitative Data and Quotations
Qualitative data should be reported with sufficient contextual information to support interpretation while protecting participant confidentiality. Participant quotations should be anonymized and should not reveal identifiable information about learners, faculty, patients, institutions or clinical settings.
Authors should describe reflexivity where relevant, including the role, background or relationship of researchers to participants and the educational setting.
Tables and Figures
Tables and figures should be numbered consecutively in the order in which they are cited in the text. Each table and figure should have a clear title and legend.
Figures should be of sufficient resolution for peer review and publication. Authors should avoid image manipulation that could misrepresent the data. Adjustments to brightness, contrast or color balance must not obscure, eliminate or misrepresent information.
Where figures or tables are reproduced or adapted from another source, authors must obtain appropriate permission and provide proper attribution.
Teaching Materials, Screenshots and Videos
Teaching materials, screenshots, simulation videos, assessment tools, e-learning interfaces, virtual patient images, classroom images or clinical teaching videos should be anonymized before submission where applicable.
Written consent for publication is required when any learner, patient, faculty member, staff member, institution, classroom, clinical encounter, screenshot, voice, video, quotation or case detail may be identifiable.
Supplementary Materials
Supplementary materials should be directly relevant to the manuscript and should support, but not replace, the main text. Supplementary files may include extended methods, additional tables, figures, datasets, checklists, protocols, survey instruments, interview guides, codebooks, curriculum materials, teaching resources, scoring rubrics, assessment instruments, statistical analysis plans, videos, code or other supporting information.
Assessment items, examination materials or confidential educational resources should not be shared where disclosure would compromise assessment security, institutional obligations or participant privacy. In such cases, authors should provide sufficient methodological description to allow critical appraisal.
References
References should be accurate, complete and relevant. Authors are responsible for checking all references before submission. References should be formatted in accordance with the journal’s reference style. Please click here to download the journal’s EndNote output style.
Authors should avoid inappropriate citation practices, including excessive self-citation, citation manipulation or citation of unreliable sources.
Language and Style
Manuscripts should be written in clear English. Authors should use respectful, inclusive and learner-centered language. Terminology describing students, trainees, patients, faculty, healthcare professionals, communities, disability, gender, ethnicity or socioeconomic status should be accurate and appropriate.
Authors who are not fluent in English may consider professional language editing before submission. Language editing does not guarantee editorial review or acceptance.
Authors should follow appropriate reporting guidelines according to study design and should submit completed checklists where required.
Relevant guidelines may include:
CONSORT for randomized trials;
SPIRIT for clinical trial or interventional study protocols;
PRISMA for systematic reviews and meta-analyses;
PRISMA-ScR for scoping reviews;
STROBE for observational studies;
COREQ or SRQR for qualitative research;
GRAMMS for mixed-methods studies;
SQUIRE for quality improvement studies;
TIDieR for intervention description;
GREET for educational interventions and teaching;
CHERRIES for web-based surveys;
GRIPP2 for patient and public involvement;
CARE for case reports.
Authors should consult the EQUATOR Network or relevant field-specific guidance to identify the most appropriate reporting guideline for their study design.
Educational Interventions and Curriculum Studies
For educational interventions, curriculum studies and training programs, authors should describe the educational context, learner group, intervention, theoretical basis, implementation process, outcome measures and limitations.
Where applicable, authors should report:
educational setting and training level;
participant eligibility and recruitment;
learning objectives and competency framework;
intervention content and delivery mode;
instructor or facilitator training;
duration, frequency and intensity;
comparator or control condition;
implementation fidelity and adaptations;
learner engagement and completion;
assessment methods and timing;
intended and unintended outcomes;
factors affecting transferability.
Assessment, Competency and Workplace-based Learning Studies
For assessment and competency studies, authors should describe the construct being assessed, assessment context, scoring method, assessor training, standard setting, reliability, validity evidence, fairness, consequences and limitations.
For workplace-based learning studies, authors should describe clinical environment, supervisor-trainee relationships, feedback processes, entrustment decisions, assessment stakes and safeguards for learner confidentiality.
Simulation and Technology-enhanced Learning
For simulation and digital learning studies, authors should report the simulation modality, scenario design, fidelity, facilitator training, debriefing approach, technology used, learner preparation, assessment method, usability, feasibility and limitations in transferability to clinical practice.
For virtual patients, AI-enabled teaching systems, adaptive learning, automated feedback, learning analytics or digital platforms, authors should describe system version, intended use, data sources, human oversight, potential bias, privacy safeguards and limitations.
Qualitative and Mixed-methods Research
For qualitative studies, authors should describe the research paradigm, sampling strategy, data collection method, interviewer or facilitator role, data analysis approach, reflexivity, credibility strategies and use of participant quotations.
For mixed-methods studies, authors should describe the design, rationale for mixing methods, timing and integration of qualitative and quantitative components, and how integration informed interpretation.
Surveys and Instrument Development
For survey studies, authors should describe sampling, recruitment, instrument development or adaptation, pilot testing, validity evidence, response rate, missing data, non-response bias and limitations.
If a scale, questionnaire, scoring rubric or assessment instrument is used, authors should provide information on its source, permission, scoring, reliability, validity evidence and cultural or language adaptation where applicable.
Clinical Trial Registration and Data Sharing
Interventional educational studies and clinical trials should be registered in a publicly accessible registry before participant recruitment begins where applicable. The registry name and registration number should be provided in the manuscript.
Manuscripts reporting clinical trials or interventional studies should include a data sharing statement where required by applicable standards or journal policy. The statement should indicate whether de-identified participant-level data will be shared, what data will be shared, whether related documents such as the study protocol, statistical analysis plan, curriculum materials or assessment instruments will be available, when and for how long data will be available, and the conditions for access.
Authors must include all statements required by the journal and applicable policies. These statements should usually appear in the manuscript file, title page, acknowledgements section or submission system, according to the journal's instructions.
Required statements may include:
Ethics Approval
Studies involving students, residents, fellows, faculty members, healthcare professionals, patients, standardized patients, simulated patients, human participants, educational records, assessment data, workplace performance data, learning analytics, animals or identifiable personal information must include the name of the ethics committee, institutional review board or relevant authority, approval number or reference, and any relevant exemption information.
Informed Consent
For studies involving human participants, authors should state whether informed consent was obtained. For identifiable learner, patient, faculty, staff or participant information, case details, interview quotations, reflective writing, teaching videos, simulation videos, screenshots, assessment materials, workplace observations or any other identifiable material, written consent for publication must be obtained where applicable.
Learner Protection
Authors should describe safeguards to minimize coercion, undue influence, perceived obligation to participate and consequences for non-participation where research involves students, trainees, employees or participants in hierarchical relationships.
Where investigators also serve as teachers, supervisors, assessors or employers, authors should explain how conflicts between educational assessment and research participation were managed.
Registration
Clinical trials and interventional studies should provide the registry name and registration number where applicable. Registration should occur before participant recruitment begins where applicable.
Author Contributions
Authors should describe each author's contribution to the work. The journal encourages use of the CRediT taxonomy where appropriate.
Competing Interests
All authors must disclose any financial or non-financial competing interests. For medical education research, relevant disclosures may include employment, consultancy, advisory roles, leadership roles, honoraria, grants, institutional affiliations, commercial education programs, ownership of educational products, patents, licensing agreements, paid workshops, training platforms, learning management systems, simulation products, assessment tools, software, writing assistance, statistical support or relationships with universities, hospitals, professional societies, education companies, technology providers, publishers, accreditors, funders or sponsors.
Funding
Authors should disclose all funding sources and grant numbers. The role of funders, sponsors, educational institutions or technology providers in study design, curriculum or intervention development, participant recruitment, data collection, data access, analysis, interpretation, manuscript preparation and the decision to submit should be stated. If the work received no specific funding, this should also be declared.
Data Availability
Authors should include a Data Availability Statement describing where the data supporting the findings can be accessed or explaining why data cannot be shared.
For educational and qualitative studies, authors should ensure that shared data are appropriately de-identified and consistent with ethics approval, informed consent and applicable data protection requirements. Restrictions due to privacy, ethics, legal, commercial, intellectual property, institutional confidentiality, assessment security, participant re-identification risks or educational sensitivity should be clearly explained.
Use of AI and AI-assisted Technologies
AI tools and large language models cannot be listed as authors. Authors remain responsible for the accuracy, originality and integrity of all submitted content.
Use of generative AI or AI-assisted technologies beyond basic language editing should be disclosed according to the journal's AI policy. Authors should identify the tool used, describe how it was used and verify all AI-assisted content, including references, factual claims and generated text.
Acknowledgements
Individuals or organizations that contributed to the work but do not meet authorship criteria should be acknowledged with their permission.
Before submitting a manuscript, authors should ensure that the following items are complete:
the manuscript fits the journal's Aims and Scope;
the correct article type has been selected;
the manuscript follows the relevant structure and formatting requirements;
the title page includes complete author, affiliation and corresponding author information;
all authors have approved the submitted version;
authorship, author order and corresponding author details have been confirmed;
the abstract and keywords are included;
all tables, figures, screenshots and supplementary materials are cited in the text and uploaded in the required format;
figure legends and table titles are complete;
supplementary materials are cited and uploaded where applicable;
references are accurate and complete;
educational context, participants, intervention, assessment method and outcome measures are described where applicable;
learner protection, consent, privacy and assessment security issues are addressed where applicable;
ethics approval, informed consent and registration information are provided where applicable;
author contributions, competing interests, funding and data availability statements are included;
AI-use disclosure is included where applicable;
reporting checklists and flow diagrams are uploaded for relevant study types;
permission has been obtained for third-party material, including teaching materials, assessment tools or screenshots where applicable;
the cover letter has been prepared;
all required files have been uploaded to the submission system.
Manuscripts should be submitted through the journal's online submission system. Submissions sent by email are generally not considered unless specifically requested by the Editorial Office.
During submission, authors may be asked to provide:
manuscript title and abstract;
author names, affiliations and email addresses;
corresponding author details;
article type;
keywords;
cover letter;
manuscript file;
figures, tables and supplementary files;
required statements and declarations;
reporting checklists;
suggested or opposed reviewers, where permitted;
funding and competing interest information.
The cover letter should briefly explain the importance of the work, its relevance to the journal and why it may be of interest to the journal's readership. Authors should also disclose any related manuscripts, previous submissions, preprints, trial registry records, curriculum reports, education resources, institutional reports, evaluation reports, white papers or overlapping work.
Authors may suggest potential reviewers where permitted by the submission system. Reviewer selection remains at the editors' discretion. Suggested reviewers must be independent and free from conflicts of interest.
After submission, the corresponding author will receive confirmation from the submission system. The Editorial Office may contact the corresponding author if required information is missing or if files need correction before editorial assessment.
If revision is invited, authors should submit the revised manuscript within the deadline stated in the decision letter. Extensions may be requested from the Editorial Office where necessary.
A revised submission should usually include:
a clean version of the revised manuscript;
a marked-up or tracked-changes version showing revisions;
a detailed point-by-point response to all editor and reviewer comments;
revised figures, tables or supplementary materials, where applicable;
updated declarations or statements, if any changes have been made.
Authors should respond to each comment respectfully and clearly. Where authors disagree with a reviewer or editor comment, they should provide a reasoned explanation supported by evidence where appropriate.
If additional analyses, revised educational materials, updated assessment evidence, new qualitative coding, new survey analyses or expanded methodological details are added during revision, authors should update the Methods, Results, limitations, data availability statement and any relevant reporting checklist accordingly.
Submission of a revised manuscript does not guarantee acceptance. Revised manuscripts may be returned to reviewers, assessed by the editors or declined if concerns have not been adequately addressed.
Upon manuscript acceptance, the editorial office will contact the corresponding author to arrange subsequent publication procedures. The articles are published under the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) 4.0 International License.
The corresponding author will receive page proofs for final review prior to formal publication. Proof‑stage corrections should be restricted to typographical, formatting errors and minor factual errata only. Any substantial alterations to manuscript content, authorship, data analysis, results, or conclusions following acceptance may be considered only in exceptional cases, require full justification together with written consent of all relevant authors, and need explicit approval from the Editorial Office. The Editorial Office may reject such requests.
Accepted manuscripts may be published Online First and assigned a formal DOI prior to issue allocation. Following Online‑first publication, authors may share and archive their articles in accordance with the journal's article‑sharing and self‑archiving policies.
All post-publication updates, including corrections, retractions, and expressions of concern, will be processed in strict accordance with the journal's publishing ethics policies.
