How To Write A Medical Research Article For Publication

by Imed Bouchrika, Phd

Co-Founder and Chief Data Scientist

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Introduction

Even your best discoveries remain incomplete if they are not shared, reviewed, and disseminated through publication. For students and early-career researchers, publishing a medical article represents both a learning milestone and a contribution to global healthcare conversations. 

However, writing a medical research article for publication is overwhelming. Questions about structure, tone, journal expectations, and formatting often make it difficult to know where to start. If you are one having the same question, you have reached the right blog. 

This guide is made for students who are getting ready to publish their first medical research article. Even if you are working on a case report or a clinical audit, we are here to help you.

And if you're unsure how to begin, using article writing services can give your work the professional edge it needs.

Let’s keep reading the blog by the end. 

Choosing the Right Journal for Publication

Ahead of writing your medical research article, you must identify the journal you want to submit to. Many students skip this step and write their entire paper first, and later discover that the journal’s formatting, focus, or word count doesn’t align.

That is the reason why up to 60% of papers get rejected before even a peer review. It is all due to unclear structure or a mismatch with the journal’s scope. 

So, it's better to choose the journal early. This keeps your structure focused and improves your chances of acceptance. 

Understanding Journal Types

Medical journals fall into different categories, which are shown below:

Students should look for journals that offer fee waivers, student discounts, or accept submissions without APCs.

Matching Your Research to the Journal’s Scope

Every journal has a defined scope—topics, methods, and article types it publishes. It is better for you to visit the journal’s website, read its scope, and review recent publications to see if your research aligns. 

For example, a clinical study may not fit well in a journal focused on basic science, and vice versa.

Avoiding Predatory Journals

Predatory journals charge publication fees without offering proper peer review or editorial oversight. Red flags include:

• Lack of a reputable editorial board
• Unrealistically fast review timelines
• Poor website design and missing contact information

Verify journal legitimacy using resources like DOAJ (Directory of Open Access Journals) and COPE (Committee on Publication Ethics).

Essential Components in A Standard Medical Research Article

As soon as you begin writing a medical research article, it needs to convey your discoveries in a format that other professionals, educators, and students can understand. 

While most peer-reviewed journals follow a common structure known as IMRaD: Introduction, Methods, Results, and Discussion, there are a few more core sections that complete the article and prepare it for submission. 

Each section plays a distinct role in communicating your study ethically. Below, we are going to break down each essential component that is required of every professional research article.

Title

The title is the first element editors see. It’s your research’s headline, so it should be written in a way that reveals the purpose of your research, what you did, who it involves, and what it discovered in the article, without being overly long or technical.

Key characteristics of a strong title:

• Concise: Ideally between 10–15 words.
• Specific: Avoid vague beginnings like “A Study of…”
• Descriptive: Include essential elements—population, intervention, or outcome.
• Avoid jargon: Use terms familiar to the broader medical audience.

Examples:

• Weak: A Study on Diabetes
• Strong: Impact of Intermittent Fasting on Glycemic Control in Type 2 Diabetes

It tells readers exactly what to expect, increasing the likelihood of engagement.

Abstract

The abstract serves as a concise summary of your entire article. And often it’s the only part many readers will read to decide whether your study is relevant to their interests. So, it must clearly show what your whole research is all about. 

Most journals require a structured abstract, typically divided into:

• Background
• Objectives
• Methods
• Results
• Conclusion

Best practices you can follow:

• Stay within word limits (usually 250–300 words).
• Avoid abbreviations and citations unless essential.
• Be self-contained—do not refer to tables or figures from the main text.
• Maintain balance—highlight the importance of the findings without exaggeration.

The abstract should function as a standalone summary. If someone reads only this section, they should still understand the purpose, design, and main outcome of your study.

Introduction

Next is the introduction, where you set the context of your research. It is going to answer as why your study was necessary and what question it aimed to answer. 

The structure your introduction should follow is:

• Explain the background.
• The problem statement that you are trying to address.
• Clearly state the purpose of your research. 

But make sure you don’t use this section to list everything. As things are better to read when they are fewer. 

If you’re a medical student, this is great to show that you understand the topic and know what’s currently being discovered in the field.

Methods

This section gives all the facts on how the research was carried out. The part is essential because it allows others to understand the steps you followed and replicate the study if needed.

In medical publishing, transparency and reproducibility are highly valued, so every detail matters. 

Here’s what this section typically includes:

• Study design: Mention the type of study you did, like a randomized controlled trial, a cohort study, or a case series.
• Participants: Explain who was included or excluded, and how participants were selected. 
• Interventions or exposures: Describe what the participants received or were exposed to during the study.
• Outcome measures: What were you measuring, and tools used? 
• Statistical analysis: List the tests you used, the software, and your significance level (e.g., p < 0.05).

But still, you have to be sure that your study was approved by an ethics committee, like an Institutional Review Board (IRB). 

Results

Now, you come to the section where you present what your research has found. This part is all about showing data in a clear and organized way. 

The first thing to do in this section is to describe how many people took part in the study and some basic details about them. And then you have to move to the main results for the study. 

Guidelines for writing results:

• Present primary and secondary outcomes clearly. Use figures and tables to avoid cluttering the text.
• Report actual data (e.g., means, medians, confidence intervals) rather than only whether results were statistically significant.

Remember, this section is only for reporting what you found. You will get the chance to explain what it means in the Discussion section.

Discussion

The discussion interprets your results and places them in a broader context. It’s your opportunity to explain what your findings mean and why they matter.

A good Discussion will:

1. Summarize key findings (briefly)
2. Compare results with existing literature
3. Interpret the significance of your findings
4. Acknowledge limitations (sample size, biases, confounding variables)
5. Suggest practical applications or directions for future research

Being honest about limitations doesn't weaken your article; it enhances credibility. Most reviewers look for this as a sign of integrity and critical thinking.

Conclusion

The Conclusion offers a final word—what readers should take away from your study. It can be a separate section or the final paragraph of the Discussion, depending on the journal.

Keep it short (2–4 sentences) and aligned with your data. This is your chance to support the main outcome and leave a clear impression at the end of your article.

Example:

This study suggests that intermittent fasting may improve glycemic control in adults with type 2 diabetes. Further research should explore its long-term safety and adherence in diverse populations.

References 

References ground your article in existing scientific knowledge. It shows how your work builds upon existing literature in the field. 

Follow the citation style required by your target journal (AMA and Vancouver are most common in medical writing). References should be:

• Accurate (double-check author names, titles, and publication details)
• Up-to-date (ideally within the last 5–10 years)
• Credible (peer-reviewed journals, not commercial websites)

Tools to Utilize for References: 

• Mendeley
• Zotero
• EndNote

Just avoid overloading this section with unnecessary sources. And focus on the most relevant and impactful studies that support your findings.

For all the medical students and new researchers, following this structure will not only let your article get published but also help you to learn how to contribute meaningfully to the scientific community.

The Peer Review and Revision Process

Publishing a medical research article isn’t just about writing—it’s about navigating the peer review process, a key part of academic publishing that evaluates the quality and integrity of your work.

Initial Editorial Screening

Once your paper is submitted:

• Editors first check for fit: Does your paper align with the journal’s scope?
• They also review basic formatting and ethical compliance.
• Surprisingly, many submissions are rejected at this stage, not due to poor science, but issues like:

• Submitting to the wrong journal
• Formatting errors
• Incomplete documentation (e.g., missing ethics approval)

Tip: Always read the journal’s author guidelines carefully before submitting.

The Peer Review Stage

If your paper passes the initial screen:

• It’s sent to independent reviewers with subject expertise.
• Reviews are typically:

• Single-blind (you don’t know the reviewers)
• or Double-blind (neither side knows the other)

Reviewers assess:

• Study design and methodology
• Clarity of results
• Soundness of interpretation
• Novelty and relevance

They’ll provide feedback that might request:

• Minor corrections
• Major revisions
• Or, in some cases, rejection

Revising Your Manuscript

You will receive reviewer comments with suggestions for improvement. Here’s what to do:

• Prepare a point-by-point response to each comment.
• Use a polite and professional tone, even if you disagree.
• When revising your manuscript:

• Use tracked changes (if allowed).
• Highlight what you’ve modified.
• Justify your choices clearly and respectfully.

Thoughtful revisions show editors you are committed to producing strong, credible work. In many cases, a well-handled revision is what ultimately gets a paper accepted.

Common Reasons for Rejection & How to Avoid Them

Many papers get rejected not because the research lacks value, but because of avoidable missteps. So, improving your structure, checking the journal’s scope, and ensuring clean, academic language go a long way in increasing your chances.

Rejection is a normal part of academic publishing. If you still find your article not being accepted, learn from the feedback and consider submitting to a different journal.

Final Checklist Before Submission

We know that you are really desperate to publish your research. But before you click the submit your manuscript, go through this checklist:

• Followed journal formatting guidelines
• Included all sections (abstract, keywords, references, etc.)
• Ethical approval and conflict of interest statements added
• Proofread thoroughly (language, grammar, flow)
• Plagiarism check
• Final approval from co-authors obtained

Double-checking these steps reduces the chances of desk rejection.

Conclusion

Writing a medical research article may seem scary at first, but with a structured approach, it becomes manageable— and even rewarding. As a student, every article you write enhances your academic skills and contributes to the broader scientific dialogue, right?

And with this blog, your research will even get a successful publication. The clearer and professional you present your research, the less chances of rejection. 

With persistence, your work will reach the audience it deserves. So, let’s take a step and share your hard work with the world now. 

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