Starting September 2024, ORCID will be mandatory for all authors
Submission Checklist
Read the Aims & Scope to gain an overview and assess if your manuscript is suitable for this journal Use the Microsoft Word template to prepare your manuscript according to the ICMJE Guidelines Read the Research and Publication Ethics guidelines and ensure that they are reflected in your manuscript Make sure that issues about publication ethics, copyright, authorship, plagiarism, conflict of interest etc have been appropriately considered. Read the policy documents under "JRMC Policies" on the main page. Ensure that all authors have approved the content of the submitted manuscript. Download the Author Declaration Form , and get it signed by all authors (Without this document your manuscript will not be processed). An Ethical Review Board approval letter is required for every original study. For multi-centred studies, ethical board approval will be required from each centre. (Without this document your manuscript will not be processed). Click Register and log in to the OJS system as an author. Attach the Manuscript in Word format along with the authorship form and ethical approval letter.
Manuscript Submission Overview
JRMC has no restrictions on the length of manuscripts, provided that the text is concise and comprehensive. Full experimental details must be provided so that the results can be reproduced. JRMC requires that authors publish all experimental controls and make full datasets available where possible. The Manuscripts submitted to JRMC should neither be published before nor be under consideration for publication in another journal. The main article types are as follows,
Original Articles:
Original research manuscripts. The Abstracts should be under the following sub-headings:-
- Objective
- Materials and Methods
- Results
- Conclusion
- meSH Keywords
The journal considers all original research manuscripts provided that the work reports scientifically sound experiments and provides a substantial amount of new information. To enhance the quality of manuscripts submitted to the journal, authors are required to clearly identify and articulate the research gap early in the introduction. This must be supported by a thorough and up-to-date review of relevant literature. Authors should critically analyze existing studies, identifying limitations or underexplored areas that justify their research. Additionally, a brief impact statement should be included, explaining how the study will address the identified gap. Authors should not unnecessarily divide their work into several related manuscripts, although Short Communications of preliminary, but significant, results will be considered. The quality and impact of the study will be considered during peer review.
Promotion of High-Quality, Impactful Research
To promote the publication of high-quality, impactful research that significantly contributes to medical knowledge and practice, the journal encourages authors to adopt robust study designs and appropriate statistical methods in their research submissions. We prioritize manuscripts based on study designs such as quasi-experimental studies, cohort studies, case-control studies, and randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Manuscripts using these designs are more likely to provide valuable insights into causality, prognosis, and the effects of interventions.
Requirements for Randomized Controlled Trials
For RCTs, it is mandatory that authors register their studies with a recognized clinical trial registry prior to commencing the study and provide a valid registration number at the time of manuscript submission.
Statistical Analysis and Methodological Justification
Authors should include a detailed statistical analysis plan in their manuscripts, using validated and appropriate statistical methods to ensure meaningful and reliable results. The choice of statistical tests must be clearly justified, taking into account the study's design, sample size, and outcome measures. The journal may require manuscripts to undergo statistical review to ensure accuracy and validity.
Consideration for Cross-Sectional Surveys
Manuscripts based on cross-sectional surveys will be considered only if they demonstrate exceptional methodological rigour or address a significant research gap that cannot be explored using more robust study designs. Authors are encouraged to discuss the limitations of their chosen study design and provide a strong justification for their methodological approach.
Compliance and Manuscript Review
An internal review will be conducted by the managing editorial team of all submitted manuscripts to ensure compliance with this policy, and manuscripts that do not meet these standards may be returned for revision or rejected without external review.
Reviews:
These provide concise and precise updates on the latest progress made in a given area of research. Systematic reviews should follow the HEC or PMDC guidelines. Preprints and Conference papers: JRMC previously did not accept/publish preprint and conference proceedings. However, expanded and high-quality conference papers can be considered as articles if they fulfil the following requirements: (1) the paper should be expanded to the size of a research article; (2) the conference paper should be cited and noted on the first page of the paper; (3) if the authors do not hold the copyright of the published conference paper, authors should seek the appropriate permission from the copyright holder; (4) authors are asked to disclose that it is conference paper in their cover letter and include a statement on what has been changed compared to the original conference paper. JRMC does not publish pilot studies or studies with inadequate statistical power.
Case Reports:
We publish case reports and case series for novel conditions. At JRMC, we are committed to upholding ethical standards and protecting patient privacy in the publication of case reports. We require a signed publication consent form whenever identifiable information about an individual is included, including in cases involving deceased persons. JRMC does not collect or store these signed consent forms; instead, authors must attest that the appropriate consent has been obtained and is retained by the treating institution. Our consent forms clearly state that a patient's rights to privacy are respected and that patients are informed of the risks of identification despite confidentiality measures. The form also specifies that consent can be revoked at any time before publication but is irreversible once published. To ensure transparency, consent forms should be available in multiple languages and detail all possible uses of the case report, including any financial benefits to the patient. We encourage institutions to have clear policies on obtaining patient consent and address unique situations, such as when a patient is also a co-author.
Authors must obtain proper consent and permissions before including any personal details, images, or case information in a JRMC publication to comply with relevant privacy and data protection laws, including HIPAA, GDPR, and various international regulations. This ensures adherence to laws regarding personal privacy and data security.
JRMC does not provide a standardised consent form due to differing requirements across jurisdictions and institutions. Authors are responsible for ensuring:
- Awareness and Consent:Each individual featured in any media (video, photograph, etc.) must be informed beforehand about:
- The fact that their image or information is being captured.
- The potential uses of such media, including disclosure to Elsevier and its licensees, and inclusion in promotional materials. They should also be aware that their images might be discoverable online.
- Compliance with Laws: Written consent must adhere to all applicable data protection and privacy laws. Special care should be taken to ensure informed consent is obtained without coercion, particularly for children, individuals with disabilities, or other vulnerable groups. For children, if there is a disagreement among guardians regarding the use of images, consent should be considered not given, and those images should not be used.
- Respect and Dignity: Even with consent, care must be taken to ensure that the portrayal and description of individuals are respectful and not derogatory. For cases likely to receive extensive media coverage, individuals should be fully informed of the potential publicity.
- Handling Personal Information: Identifiable personal details, such as names or identification numbers, should not be used unless essential for scientific purposes, and explicit consent is required. Identifying features should be removed if not crucial for the study.
- Anonymized Images: Formal consent is not required for completely anonymized images (e.g., x-rays) that lack identifying marks and are not accompanied by identifying text. However, informing the patient about the use of their anonymized images is good practice. In case reports, where complete anonymity cannot always be guaranteed, informed consent is necessary, even for deceased persons through their representatives. Simply blurring or masking faces is generally not sufficient without consent.
Submission Process
Manuscripts for JRMC should be submitted through the online submission system at http://journalrmc.com/index.php/JRMC. The submitting author, who is generally the corresponding author, is responsible for the manuscript during the submission and peer-review process. The submitting author must ensure that all eligible co-authors have been included in the author list and that they have all read and approved the submitted version of the manuscript. To submit your manuscript, register, and log in to the OJS. All co-authors can see the manuscript details in the submission system if they register and log in using the e-mail address provided during manuscript submission.
Manuscript Preparation:
Go through articles published in JRMC and follow the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors guidelines (https://www.icmje.org/recommendations/browse/manuscript-preparation/preparing-for-submission.html) regarding manuscript preparation. Click the link above and review these guidelines before submitting your manuscript.
Having a list of all the authors makes it easy for the journal, as it tells readers who did the work and it ensures that the right people get the credit, and also take responsibility, for the research.
To ensure that the principles laid down by editors are not breached and by-lines reflect who really did the work, both editors and investigators feel that in order to avoid this misrepresentation which is a form of research misconduct, authorship in written form is necessary.
JRMC adopts the following policies regarding authorship:-
Authorship
Authors should state their contribution to the project. They should provide a description of what each contributed, by signing & mentioning the task done on the authorship declaration form. We publish this information in print. As per ICJME guidelines, an author must have,
- Substantial contributions to the conception or design of the work; or the acquisition, analysis, or interpretation of data for the work; AND
- Drafting the work or revising it critically for important intellectual content; AND
- Final approval of the version to be published;
- Agreement to be accountable for all aspects of the work in ensuring that questions related to the accuracy or integrity of any part of the work are appropriately investigated and resolved.
If an contributor doesn’t fulfil this criteria, he/she should not sign the authorship form as an author.
Corresponding Author
The person who receives the reviewers’ comments, the proofs, etc. and whose contact details are printed on the article so that readers can request reprints or contact the research group.
Acknowledgements
We permit acknowledgement of contributions to a research project that do not merit authorship. The ICMJE guidelines state: ‘All others who contributed to the work who are not authors should be named in the Acknowledgments, and what they did should be described’. All those who are listed in this way should be aware of it.
Order of Authors
The ICMJE guidelines state that the order of authorship, should be ‘a joint decision of the coauthors’. Authors should ideally make these decisions before starting to write up the project.
Number of Authors
There is no limit to this but since we use the Vancouver style of referencing names of only the first six authors will be available whenever anyone cites their article.Fill the authorship declaration form according to this policy.
How should authors handle authorship disputes?
Establish Clear Authorship Criteria Early: Discuss authorship at the start of the research project. Use ICMJE guidelines described above. Ensure all team members understand and agree on these criteria. Create a Written Authorship Agreement: Document the agreed authorship roles and contributions in writing before starting to draft the manuscript. Update this document as needed throughout the research process. Promote Ethical Authorship Culture: Educate team members about ethical authorship practices, including the avoidance of gift or ghost authorship. Encourage open communication and transparency regarding contributions. Address Disputes Promptly and Professionally: If an authorship dispute arises, negotiate with involved parties based on documented contributions and established guidelines. In cases of disagreement, seek mediation from a senior researcher or department head. Handle Cases of Misconduct Carefully: If unethical authorship practices are proposed, calmly present the facts and explain why such actions may be considered misconduct. Document these discussions and consider escalating to higher authorities if unresolved. Retain the Right to Withdraw or Add Names: Ensure all authors review the final manuscript before submission. If a name is added or removed against someone's wishes, communicate promptly with the team or journal to address corrections or withdrawals.