Author Guidelines

A Complete Guide to Preparing and Submitting Your Manuscript

Please read these Guidelines in full before preparing your manuscript. Non-compliant submissions will be returned without review.

Document:  Author Guidelines

Journal:  The Gazette of Medicine

Publisher:  Association of Resident Doctors (ARD), UPTH Chapter — Editorial Board

Version:  1.0

1. About the ARD Medical Journal

The ARD Medical Journal is the official peer-reviewed publication of the Association of Resident Doctors (ARD), University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital (UPTH) Chapter. The Journal publishes original, high-quality research, clinical insights, and academic commentary across all fields of medicine and allied health sciences, with a particular focus on:

• Clinical research conducted in Nigerian and African health settings;

• Challenges and innovations in resident doctor training and postgraduate medical education;

• Health systems strengthening and healthcare delivery in resource-limited settings;

• Case reports and clinical experiences with significant teaching value;

• Evidence-based perspectives on public health, patient safety, and medical ethics.

The Journal is committed to advancing the quality and visibility of research produced by resident doctors, trainees, and allied health professionals. We welcome submissions from authors at all career stages and are especially dedicated to nurturing first-time and early-career researchers.

2. Manuscript Categories and Requirements

The ARD Medical Journal accepts manuscripts in the following categories. Authors must identify the correct category at the time of submission. Word counts refer to the main text only and exclude the title page, abstract, references, tables, and figure legends.

 

Category	Word Limit	Abstract	References	Tables/Figures
Original Research Article	3,000 – 4,500	Structured, max 300 words	Up to 45	Up to 6 combined
Systematic Review / Meta-Analysis	4,000 – 6,000	Structured, max 350 words	Up to 80	Up to 8 combined
Narrative Review Article	3,000 – 5,000	Unstructured, max 250 words	Up to 60	Up to 6 combined
Case Report	Up to 2,000	Unstructured, max 200 words	Up to 20	Up to 4 combined
Case Series	Up to 3,000	Structured, max 250 words	Up to 30	Up to 5 combined
Short Communication / Brief Report	1,000 – 1,800	Unstructured, max 150 words	Up to 15	Up to 2 combined
Letter to the Editor	Up to 600	None required	Up to 5	1 maximum
Commentary / Opinion	800 – 1,500	None required	Up to 15	Up to 2 combined

 

Note: Manuscripts exceeding word limits by more than 10% will be returned to the author for reduction before entering the review process.

3. Authorship and Contributorship

3.1  ICMJE Authorship Criteria

All individuals listed as authors must satisfy all four criteria defined by the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE):

1. Substantial contributions to the conception or design of the work, or the acquisition, analysis, or interpretation of data;

2. Drafting the manuscript or revising it critically for important intellectual content;

3. Final approval of the version submitted for publication;

4. Agreement to be accountable for all aspects of the work, including the accuracy and integrity of all parts.

Individuals who contributed to the work but do not meet all four criteria should be named in an Acknowledgements section, not listed as authors. Honorary, gift, and ghost authorship are strictly prohibited.

3.2 Author Contribution Statement

All manuscripts with two or more authors must include an Author Contribution Statement, placed after the Acknowledgements section. This statement must describe the specific contribution of each named author using the CRediT (Contributor Roles Taxonomy) framework or equivalent. Example roles include: Conceptualization, Methodology, Data Curation, Formal Analysis, Investigation, Writing — Original Draft, Writing — Review and Editing, Supervision, Funding Acquisition.

3.3 Corresponding Author

One author must be designated as the Corresponding Author. The Corresponding Author is responsible for:

• All communication with the Editorial Board throughout submission, review, revision, and publication;

• Confirming that all co-authors have reviewed, approved, and consented to the submission;

• Ensuring that all co-authors are aware of and agree to be bound by the ARD Medical Journal Author Terms and Conditions;

• Providing accurate and current contact information, including a valid email address.

3.4 Changes to Authorship after Submission

Any proposed addition, deletion, or reordering of authors after submission must be submitted in writing to the Editor-in-Chief, signed by all affected authors, with a clear explanation. The Editorial Board reserves the right to decline requests that cannot be satisfactorily justified.

4. Preparing Your Manuscript

4.1 General Formatting Requirements

Element	Requirement
File format	Microsoft Word (.docx). Do not submit PDF files.
Font	Times New Roman or Arial, 12pt throughout.
Line spacing	Double-spaced throughout, including references and figure legends.
Margins	At least 2.5 cm (approximately 1 inch) on all sides.
Page numbering	All pages numbered consecutively in the bottom centre, starting from the title page.
Line numbering	Continuous line numbering throughout. This is mandatory for reviewer convenience.
Paragraph indentation	No indentation. Use a blank line to separate paragraphs.
Abbreviations	Define all abbreviations at first use in the text. Avoid acronyms in the title and abstract.
Units of measurement	Use SI (International System of Units) throughout.
Drug names	Use International Non-proprietary Names (INN) / generic names. Trade names may be given in parentheses at first mention.
Numbers	Spell out numbers one through nine; use numerals for 10 and above. Always use numerals for measurements, percentages, and statistics.

4.2 Manuscript Structure

Manuscripts must be submitted as a single Word document containing all sections in the following order:

5. Title Page (see Section 4.3)

6. Abstract (see Section 4.4)

7. Keywords (see Section 4.5)

8. Main Text (see Section 4.6)

9. Acknowledgements (if applicable)

10. Author Contribution Statement

11. Conflict of Interest Declaration

12. Funding Statement

13. Ethics Statement

14. Data Availability Statement

15. References

16. Tables (each on a separate page, after references)

17. Figure Legends (listed together on a separate page)

Note: Figures must be submitted as separate image files — not embedded in the manuscript document. See Section 4.9 for figure specifications.

4.3 Title Page

The title page must be the first page of the manuscript document and must contain:

• Full title of the manuscript (maximum 20 words; avoid abbreviations);

• Short running title (maximum 8 words);

• Full names of all authors (first name, middle initial if used, surname);

• Institutional affiliation(s) for each author at the time the work was conducted, with city and country;

• ORCID identifier for each author (if available — authors are encouraged to register at orcid.org);

• Name, institutional address, telephone number, and email address of the Corresponding Author;

• Total word count of the main text (excluding title page, abstract, references, tables, and figure legends);

• Number of tables and number of figures;

• Any prior presentations of the work (e.g., conference abstract, preprint — see Section 5.4).

4.4  Abstract

Structured abstracts are required for: Original Research Articles, Systematic Reviews/Meta-Analyses, and Case Series. Unstructured abstracts are required for all other categories where an abstract is required.

Structured Abstract Format

• Background: The research problem and rationale for the study;

• Objectives/Aim: The specific research question(s) or objective(s);

• Methods: Study design, setting, participants, interventions, and primary outcome measures;

• Results: Key quantitative or qualitative findings, including measures of statistical significance where applicable;

• Conclusion: The principal conclusions and their clinical or scientific implications.

The abstract must be self-contained and not cite references. Abbreviations should be defined within the abstract itself if used.

4.5 Keywords

Provide five to eight keywords immediately below the abstract. Keywords should reflect the core subject matter, population, setting, and methods of the study. Use Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) terms where applicable (available at https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/mesh). Avoid generic terms (e.g., 'hospital', 'patient') and terms already used in the title.

4.6  Main Text Structure by Manuscript Category

Original Research Articles

• Introduction: Background, research gap, and specific objectives;

• Methods: Study design, setting, population, sampling, data collection, variables, statistical analysis, and ethical considerations;

• Results: Findings presented objectively, without interpretation;

• Discussion: Interpretation of findings, comparison with existing literature, strengths, limitations, and clinical implications;

• Conclusion: Concise summary of the principal findings and their significance.

Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses

• Introduction: Background and rationale;

• Methods: Eligibility criteria, search strategy (databases, date ranges, search terms), study selection, data extraction, quality assessment tool (e.g., GRADE, CASP), and statistical synthesis methods;

• Results: Study selection flowchart (PRISMA diagram submitted as a figure), study characteristics, quality assessment, and synthesised findings;

• Discussion: Interpretation, heterogeneity, publication bias, limitations;

• Conclusion.

PRISMA: Systematic reviews and meta-analyses must comply with PRISMA 2020 reporting guidelines. The PRISMA checklist must be submitted as a supplementary file.

Case Reports

• Introduction: Clinical context and reason for reporting the case;

• Case Presentation: Patient demographics (anonymised), presenting complaint, history, examination findings, investigations, diagnosis, treatment, and outcome;

• Discussion: Clinical learning points, comparison with literature, and implications;

• Conclusion.

CARE: Case reports should follow the CARE (Case Report) guidelines. The CARE checklist must be submitted as a supplementary file.

Narrative Reviews

• Introduction: Scope and objectives of the review;

• Body: Thematically organised sections covering the topic comprehensively;

• Conclusion: Synthesis and future directions.

Letters to the Editor

Letters should not be divided into named sections. They should make a focused, specific, and well-evidenced point — either in response to a previously published article or on a topic of current clinical or scientific importance. Letters responding to a published article must be submitted within eight (8) weeks of the article's online publication date.

4.7 Required Declarations

The following declarations are mandatory for all submissions and must appear in the manuscript in the order listed below, after the Acknowledgements:

• Author Contribution Statement: Specific contribution of each author (see Section 3.2);

• Conflict of Interest Declaration: All relevant financial and non-financial interests must be declared, even if none exist (in which case state: 'The authors declare no conflict of interest');

• Funding Statement: All sources of funding for the research must be disclosed, including grant numbers. If no external funding was received, state: 'This research received no specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors';

• Ethics Statement: Name of ethics committee, approval reference number, and confirmation of informed consent. For case reports, include confirmation of patient consent (see Section 5.2);

• Data Availability Statement: A statement indicating how the underlying data may be accessed, or, if data are not available, the reason (e.g., 'Data are not available due to patient confidentiality restrictions').

4.8  Tables

Tables must comply with the following requirements:

• Each table must appear on a separate page at the end of the manuscript document, after the references;

• Tables must be created using Microsoft Word's table function — do not use tabs, spaces, or images to create tabular data;

• Each table must have a concise, descriptive title placed above the table (e.g., Table 1. Baseline demographic characteristics of study participants);

• All abbreviations used in the table must be defined in a footnote below the table;

• Statistical symbols (e.g., p-values, confidence intervals) must be explained in footnotes;

• Tables must be cited consecutively in the order in which they are first mentioned in the text (Table 1, Table 2, etc.);

• Data presented in tables must not be duplicated in the main text — summarise, do not repeat.

4.9  Figures and Images

Figures include graphs, charts, photographs, diagrams, flowcharts, and illustrations. Requirements:

• Figures must be submitted as separate high-resolution image files — not embedded in the manuscript document;

• Accepted formats: TIFF, EPS, or JPEG. Minimum resolution: 300 dpi for photographs; 600 dpi for line art and graphs;

• Each figure must be labelled as Figure 1, Figure 2, etc., and cited consecutively in the text;

• Figure legends must be written in full, providing sufficient information to interpret the figure without reference to the text. Figure legends are listed together on a separate page at the end of the manuscript;

• Graphs must include clearly labelled axes with units of measurement;

• Colour figures will be published in colour online. Authors must confirm whether colour is essential or decorative;

• Figures reproduced from previously published sources require written permission from the original copyright holder and must include a source attribution in the figure legend.

Clinical photographs: Any photograph in which a patient could be identified must be accompanied by a signed Patient Consent for Publication form. If identification is possible despite anonymisation efforts (e.g., distinctive marks, facial features, or unusual anatomy), explicit consent is required.

4.10  Statistical Reporting

Authors must adhere to the following statistical reporting standards:

• The statistical software used must be named and the version cited;

• All statistical tests applied must be appropriate for the data type and study design and must be justified in the Methods section;

• Report exact p-values (e.g., p = 0.032) rather than threshold-based statements (e.g., p < 0.05), except where p < 0.001;

• Report effect sizes and confidence intervals wherever applicable;

• For categorical variables, report frequencies and percentages;

• For continuous variables, report mean and standard deviation (for normally distributed data) or median and interquartile range (for non-normally distributed data);

• Survival data must be presented with Kaplan-Meier curves where applicable;

• Missing data must be reported, including the proportion missing and the method used to handle it.

5. Research Ethics and Integrity

5.1  Ethics Approval

All research involving human participants, patient data, biological specimens, or animal subjects must have received prior ethical approval from a recognised institutional or national research ethics committee before the research commenced. Authors must state in the manuscript:

 

• The name of the approving ethics committee;

• The ethics approval reference number;

• The date of approval;

• A statement confirming that the research was conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki (for human research) or applicable animal welfare regulations.

Research conducted at UPTH should hold ethics clearance from the UPTH Research and Ethics Committee or an equivalent body. Manuscripts submitted without ethics documentation will not enter peer review. The Editorial Board may request sight of the original ethics approval letter at any stage.

5.2  Informed Consent

For all research involving human participants, authors must confirm that written informed consent was obtained from all participants (or their legal guardians). For case reports and case series involving identifiable patient information, the ARD Medical Journal Patient Consent for Publication form must be completed and submitted alongside the manuscript. Where a patient is deceased, consent must be obtained from the next of kin where reasonably practicable.

5.3  Patient Anonymity

Authors must take all reasonable steps to protect the anonymity of patients described in their work. Patient identifiers that must be removed or anonymised include: name, date of birth, hospital registration number, specific geographic location (beyond city level), occupation, and any other information that could directly or indirectly identify the individual. Where anonymisation is not possible without loss of clinical meaning, explicit patient consent for publication is required. 

5.4  Preprints

Authors may post their manuscript on a recognised preprint server (e.g., medRxiv, bioRxiv, Africa Journals Online preprint server) prior to submission, provided this is disclosed in the cover letter. Authors submitting a preprint must provide the preprint server name and the preprint DOI or URL. The ARD Medical Journal will not consider preprint status as prior publication. Authors should update the preprint with a link to the published article once the manuscript is accepted. 

5.5  Clinical Trial Registration

All clinical trials must be registered in an approved public clinical trial registry (e.g., ClinicalTrials.gov, Pan African Clinical Trials Registry — PACTR) before enrolment of the first participant. The trial registration number and the name of the registry must be reported in the manuscript, both in the Methods section and at the end of the abstract. Trials that were not prospectively registered may not be eligible for publication. 

5.6  Reporting Guidelines

Authors are strongly encouraged — and in some cases required — to comply with established reporting guidelines relevant to their study design: 

Study Type	Guideline	Checklist Required?
Randomised Controlled Trial	CONSORT	Yes — submit with manuscript
Observational Study (cohort, case-control, cross-sectional)	STROBE	Yes — submit with manuscript
Systematic Review / Meta-Analysis	PRISMA 2020	Yes — submit with manuscript
Diagnostic Accuracy Study	STARD	Yes — submit with manuscript
Case Report	CARE	Yes — submit with manuscript
Quality Improvement Study	SQUIRE 2.0	Recommended
Animal Research	ARRIVE 2.0	Yes — submit with manuscript

5.7 Artificial Intelligence in Research and Writing

Authors must comply with the following rules on the use of artificial intelligence (AI) tools:

• AI tools may assist with language editing, grammar checking, and structural organisation of the manuscript;

• AI tools may not be listed as authors under any circumstances;

• The use of AI in manuscript preparation must be disclosed in the Methods section (for AI used in research processes) or in the Author Contribution Statement (for AI used in writing), specifying the tool and its role;

• AI must not be used to generate, fabricate, or substantially paraphrase data, results, or scientific conclusions;

• Authors remain fully responsible for the accuracy, integrity, and originality of all content, regardless of AI involvement.

6. References

6.1 Reference Style

The ARD Medical Journal uses the Vancouver referencing style (numbered, in order of citation). References must be numbered consecutively in the order in which they first appear in the text, using superscript Arabic numerals (e.g., 1, 2, 3).

6.2 In-Text Citation

Cite references using superscript numbers immediately after the punctuation mark at the end of the cited statement (e.g., The prevalence of hypertension in this population was 38%.1). Where citing multiple references simultaneously, list them in numerical order and use a hyphen for consecutive ranges (e.g., 3-5,8).

6.3 Reference List Format

The reference list must appear at the end of the manuscript, after the declarations and before tables. All references must be formatted according to the Vancouver style. Examples:

Journal Article (up to six authors — list all; seven or more — list the first six followed by et al.)

Surname AB, Surname CD, Surname EF. Title of article. Journal Name Abbreviated. Year;Volume(Issue):Start page-End page.

Example: Amadi BC, Okoye OC, Nwachukwu DE, Eze FG. Prevalence of hypertension among resident doctors in a tertiary hospital in southern Nigeria. Niger J Clin Pract. 2024;27(3):210-217.

Book Chapter

Surname AB. Title of chapter. In: Editor AB, Editor CD, editors. Title of Book. Edition. Place of publication: Publisher; Year. p. start page-end page.

Website / Online Source

Organisation Name. Title of webpage [Internet]. Place: Publisher; Year [cited Year Month Day]. Available from: URL.

Important: Do not use footnotes for references. All references must appear in the numbered reference list at the end of the manuscript. Unpublished data and personal communications should be cited in the text in parentheses (e.g., [Amadi BC, personal communication, 2025]) and are not included in the reference list.

6.4  Reference Accuracy

Authors are responsible for the accuracy of all references. Please verify each reference against the original source. The Editorial Board may request sight of cited sources at any stage of the review or production process. References to retracted papers, preprints, or non-peer-reviewed sources must be identified as such.

7. Submission Process

7.1 Submission Channel

All manuscripts must be submitted via the official ARD Medical Journal submission channel, as published on the ARD UPTH Chapter's official communication platforms. Submissions by email will not be accepted unless specifically invited by the Editorial Secretary.

7.2 Files Required at Submission

Every submission must include the following files:

File	Format	Notes
Manuscript document	.docx	Title page + all sections in order. Double-spaced, line-numbered.
Cover Letter	.docx or .pdf	See Section 7.3 for required content.
Figures (if applicable)	.tiff / .eps / .jpg	Separate file per figure. Min 300 dpi. Named Figure1, Figure2, etc.
Reporting guideline checklist (if required)	.pdf or .docx	CONSORT, STROBE, PRISMA, CARE, STARD, etc. as applicable.
Patient Consent for Publication (if applicable)	.pdf	Required for case reports and identifiable patient images.
Ethics approval letter (if requested)	.pdf	The Editorial Board may request this at any stage.
Supplementary data (if applicable)	Any format	Additional data, appendices, or supporting materials not in the main text.

 

7.3 Cover Letter

A cover letter addressed to the Editor-in-Chief must accompany every submission. The cover letter must include:

• The full title of the manuscript and the manuscript category;

• A brief statement (no more than three sentences) summarizing the study's aims, key findings, and significance;

• Confirmation that the manuscript is original, has not been previously published, and is not under simultaneous review elsewhere;

• Disclosure of any preprint posting (server name, URL/DOI);

• Disclosure of any related manuscripts previously published, under review, or in preparation by any of the authors;

• Disclosure of any conflict of interest (financial or non-financial);

• The names and email addresses of up to three suggested peer reviewers, with a statement that none of the suggested reviewers have a conflict of interest with the authors (the Editorial Board is not obliged to use suggested reviewers);

• The names of any individuals the authors request be excluded from reviewing, with reasons;

• Confirmation that all authors have read and approved the submitted manuscript.

7.4 Acknowledgement of Receipt

Upon receipt, the Editorial Secretary will acknowledge the submission within three (3) working days. If you do not receive an acknowledgement within five working days, please contact the Editorial Secretary directly.

7.5  Pre-Screening

All submissions undergo an initial editorial pre-screening to confirm compliance with these guidelines and the minimum eligibility requirements. Manuscripts that do not meet requirements will be returned to the Corresponding Author with specific reasons within seven (7) working days. Pre-screening return does not constitute a rejection and the manuscript may be resubmitted once the identified issues are resolved.

8. Peer Review

All manuscripts that pass pre-screening are subject to peer review by a minimum of two qualified peer reviewers, conducted under the ARD Medical Journal's Open Peer Review model. Under this model, the identities of both authors and reviewers are disclosed to each other. Full details of the peer review process are set out in the ARD Medical Journal Peer Review Policy, available from the Editorial Secretary.

Authors should expect the following approximate timeframes from the point of submission:

Stage	Target Timeframe
Acknowledgement of submission	3 working days
Pre-screening decision	7 working days
Initial editorial decision (after peer review)	6–10 weeks from submission
Decision on revised manuscript	4–6 weeks from resubmission

Note: These timeframes are targets, not guarantees. Delays may occur if reviewers are unavailable or if additional rounds of revision are required. The Editorial Board will communicate with the Corresponding Author if significant delays are anticipated.

9. Revision and Resubmission

9.1 Responding to Reviewer Comments

If your manuscript is invited for revision, you must submit the following within the specified deadline:

• A revised manuscript with all changes clearly marked using tracked changes or highlighted text;

• A clean (untracked) version of the revised manuscript;

• A point-by-point response letter, addressed to the reviewers by name (under the OPR model), in which each reviewer comment is quoted in full, followed by your detailed response, including specific reference to where and how you have addressed each point. Where you respectfully disagree with a comment, provide a clear scientific rebuttal.

9.2 Revision Deadlines

 

Revision Type	Deadline
Minor Revision	14 calendar days from the date of the editorial decision
Major Revision	30 calendar days from the date of the editorial decision

If you require additional time, contact the Section Editor before the deadline. One extension of up to fourteen (14) days may be granted on request. Manuscripts not resubmitted by the deadline without prior notification will be treated as withdrawn.

9.3 Resubmission after Rejection

Where a manuscript has been rejected with an invitation to resubmit, a substantially revised version may be submitted as a new manuscript. The revised submission must be accompanied by a cover letter explaining in detail how the manuscript has been revised in response to the previous rejection. The resubmitted manuscript will undergo full peer review and there is no guarantee of acceptance.

 

10. After Acceptance

10.1 Copyright

Upon acceptance, the Corresponding Author, on behalf of all co-authors, will be asked to complete the ARD Medical Journal Copyright Assignment, transferring the exclusive copyright in the accepted manuscript to the ARD Medical Journal Editorial Board. Authors retain the rights set out in the ARD Medical Journal Author Terms and Conditions, including the right to use the work for teaching, thesis, and institutional repository purposes.

10.2 Proof Review

The Corresponding Author will receive a typeset proof of the accepted manuscript for review. Please check the proof carefully for any errors introduced during typesetting and return your corrections within five (5) working days. Corrections at proof stage must be limited to typesetting errors. Substantive changes to content, data, or authorship will require editorial approval and may delay publication.

10.3 Access Model and Article Processing Charges

The ARD Medical Journal's access model is currently under review. Authors will be informed of the applicable access model and any associated Article Processing Charges (APCs) at the point of acceptance. No APCs are chargeable until the Journal's access model is formally adopted and published. Where APCs apply, waivers may be available — see the ARD Medical Journal Author Terms and Conditions for details.

10.4 Promoting Your Published Work

Authors are encouraged to promote their published work through professional networks, social media, institutional repositories, and conference presentations. When doing so, please ensure accurate attribution to the ARD Medical Journal with the full citation, and do not misrepresent preliminary versions as the final published article.

10.5 Post-Publication Corrections

If you identify an error in your published article, contact the Editorial Secretary immediately. The Editorial Board will assess whether a formal correction (erratum) is warranted. Authors have an ongoing obligation to notify the Editorial Board of any errors in published work that could affect the integrity of the scientific record.

11. Frequently Asked Questions

 

Question	Answer
Can I submit in languages other than English?	No. All submissions must be in English. Authors whose first language is not English are encouraged to have the manuscript reviewed by a fluent English speaker before submission.
Can I submit a manuscript already posted as a preprint?	Yes, provided the preprint is disclosed in the cover letter with the server name and URL/DOI.
How many manuscripts can I submit at once?	There is no formal limit, but each submission must be independently original. Authors are expected to ensure the quality of each submission is not compromised by volume.
Will I know who reviewed my manuscript?	Yes. The ARD Medical Journal uses Open Peer Review — reviewer identities are disclosed to authors.
What happens if I miss a revision deadline?	Contact your Section Editor before the deadline to request an extension. Missed deadlines without notice may result in the submission being treated as withdrawn.
Can I withdraw my submission?	Yes, before formal acceptance. Submit a written withdrawal request to the Editorial Secretary. Withdrawal after acceptance may have consequences — see the Author Terms and Conditions.
Is there a submission fee?	There is currently no submission fee. Article Processing Charges (if any) will only apply once the Journal's access model is formally adopted.
What reporting guidelines should I follow?	See Section 5.6 of these guidelines for the full table of required reporting guidelines by study type.
Can a student be an author?	Yes, provided they meet all four ICMJE authorship criteria. Student submissions are welcome, particularly where co-authored by a supervising clinician or researcher.

12. Pre-Submission Checklist

Please confirm each item before submitting your manuscript. Non-compliant submissions will be returned.

	Item
AUTH	AUTHORSHIP AND DECLARATIONS
[ ]	All authors meet all four ICMJE authorship criteria.
[ ]	Corresponding Author is designated; contact details are accurate.
[ ]	Author Contribution Statement included after Acknowledgements.
[ ]	Conflict of Interest Declaration included (or 'none declared').
[ ]	Funding Statement included (or 'no external funding received').
[ ]	Ethics Statement included with committee name and approval reference.
[ ]	Data Availability Statement included.
FMT	FORMAT AND PRESENTATION
[ ]	Manuscript is in .docx format, double-spaced, 12pt font, line-numbered.
[ ]	Word count is within the limit for the manuscript category.
[ ]	Structured or unstructured abstract is present and within word limit.
[ ]	5–8 keywords are listed; MeSH terms used where applicable.
[ ]	Tables are Word-formatted, on separate pages, with titles and footnotes.
[ ]	Figures are separate high-resolution files (min 300 dpi); figure legends are in the manuscript.
[ ]	References are in Vancouver style, numbered consecutively.
ETH	ETHICS AND INTEGRITY
[ ]	Ethics approval number and committee name are stated in the manuscript.
[ ]	Patient consent form submitted (for case reports and identifiable images).
[ ]	Clinical trial registration number reported (for clinical trials).
[ ]	Preprint status disclosed in cover letter (if applicable).
[ ]	Reporting guideline checklist included (CONSORT/STROBE/PRISMA/CARE/STARD, as applicable).
[ ]	AI tool use disclosed in manuscript (if applicable).
SUB	SUBMISSION FILES
[ ]	Manuscript document (.docx) is complete with all required sections.
[ ]	Cover letter is included with all required content (see Section 7.3).
[ ]	All required supplementary files are attached.
[ ]	I have read and agree to the ARD Medical Journal Author Terms and Conditions.

 

13. Contact the Editorial Board

For any enquiries relating to submissions, manuscript categories, these guidelines, or the editorial process, please contact:

 

• Editorial Secretary, ARD Medical Journal — for administrative matters, submission tracking, and file-related queries; for questions about your specific manuscript after submission;

• Editor-in-Chief — for appeals, policy questions, or concerns about the editorial process.

Contact details for all members of the Editorial team are available on the ARD UPTH Chapter's official communication platforms. The Editorial Board aims to respond to all enquiries within three (3) working days.

We look forward to receiving your submission.

The Gazette of Medicine is committed to publishing the best of resident doctor research — with rigour, fairness, and respect for every author's work.

 

Author Guidelines v1.0  |  2026  |  For Official Use