Submissions

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Author Guidelines

Other information for authors:  Manuscript Preparation - Publication Agreement - Submitting Original Research - Submitting Brief Reports - Submitting Reviews & Commentaries - Submitting Case Reports

Submission Process Overview

Manuscripts are considered for publication in the Kansas Journal of Medicine with the understanding that neither the manuscript nor any part of its text, figures, or tables have been published in, accepted for publication in, or submitted at the same time to another journal. This does not preclude consideration of a complete report that follows publication of preliminary findings elsewhere. When submitting a paper, the author should make a full statement to the Editor about all submissions and previous reports that might be regarded as prior or duplicate publication of the same or very similar work. Copies of such material should be included with the submitted paper to help the Editor decide how to deal with the matter. Kansas Journal of Medicine endorses the Uniform Requirements for Manuscripts Submitted to Biomedical Journals (ICMJE). Each manuscript will be peer reviewed by members of the Editorial Board or assigned specialty reviewers. 

Peer review: All submitted manuscripts are reviewed initially by a Kansas Journal of Medicine editor. Manuscripts are evaluated according to the following criteria: material is original and timely, writing is clear, study methods are appropriate, data are valid, conclusions are reasonable and supported by the data, information is important, and topic has general medical interest. From these basic criteria, the editor assesses a paper's eligibility for publication. Manuscripts with insufficient priority for publication are rejected. Other manuscripts are sent to expert consultants for peer review. Peer reviewer identities are kept confidential. Author identities are not made known to reviewers. The existence of a manuscript under review is not revealed to anyone other than peer reviewers and editorial staff. Peer reviewers are required to maintain confidentiality about the manuscripts they review and must not divulge any information about a specific manuscript or its content to any third party without prior permission from the journal editors. If necessary, the manuscript will be returned to the author(s) for revision(s) prior to a final decision. All attempts are made to obtain prompt reviews and a decision regarding need for revision, acceptance, or rejection. 

Revisions: After receiving a decision from the Editor and revising the manuscript as instructed, the final revision should include a cover letter explaining revisions based on reviewers' comments, the final/revised manuscript, and accompanying files. 

Proofs: Once your article is accepted for publication, galley proofs will be sent via e-mail to the corresponding author for correction prior to publication.

Statistical Support: The Kansas Journal of Medicine currently does not offer statistical support for submissions. Authors are responsible for ensuring that their statistical analyses are accurate and appropriately reported. We recommend consulting with a professional statistician if needed.

After Submitting your Manuscript/Article
Given the high volume of submissions and our thorough review process, we anticipate that it may take six to eight weeks from the submission date to conclude the initial editorial evaluation. We strive to respond to all authors as promptly as possible and sincerely appreciate your patience during this period. 

All Submissions Must Include:

  1. Cover letter to the Editor providing corresponding author's information (name, address, telephone number, and email address) and stating the category of article the manuscript represents.
  2. Title page, abstract (for original research and brief report manuscripts), up to five keywords, article, references, and acknowledgments; tables and figures in separate files (tables formatted in Word and .jpg or .tiff figures). Include a legend for tables and figures. 
  3. If appropriate, a copy of the permission to reproduce previously published materials from the publisher or owner of the material; permission to use photographs of identifiable subjects; and permission for the use of personal communications.

Submitted manuscripts will not be returned. Once accepted for publication, all manuscripts are subject to editorial changes. The Editor reserves the right to edit manuscripts to comply with the Kansas Journal of Medicine's format, remove redundancies, and improve clarity without altering the meaning. Copyright of the material will be retained by the authors.

If a manuscript is accepted for publication, all authors must submit a conflict-of-interest form, and one author must sign a Creative Commons License agreement on behalf of all authors. The manuscript will not be published until all documents are received. 

Use of Artificial Intelligence
The Kansas Journal of Medicine encourages authors to appropriately use technology throughout the research process. Software that uses generative artificial intelligence (AI) or machine learning (ML) may be used. However, it does not permit the inclusion of ML tools, such as ChatGPT, as authors. If any such tool is used to generate drafts of the submitted manuscript, it must be explicitly disclosed. These tools often use existing text and may not effectively incorporate proper citations. Borrowing text from others without proper attribution constitutes plagiarism, whether intentional or unintentional. All human authors of manuscripts assisted by a ML tool are accountable for ensuring that any ideas or text derived from previously published work are appropriately and accurately cited. Data should not be generated through AI, and the corresponding author must be prepared to submit actual data for editorial review with the manuscript if requested by the Editor. 

Submitting Papers Rejected from Other Journals
The Kansas Journal of Medicine welcomes submissions of papers that may have been rejected from other journals. If reviews are available, please include them along with your responses to reviewer comments in your submission. Clearly state in your cover letter that you are including these materials. Also include a statement as to why the article was rejected or withdrawn. Additionally, all submissions to KJM should adhere to the required elements outlined in Manuscript Preparation.

Article Types

The following categories of submissions will be accepted.

Original Research - Manuscripts describe original research relevant to clinical care and/or teaching in general internal medicine, including health policy issues. Investigations may be descriptive or interventional.  KJM also welcomes reports of quality improvement projects performed in medical practices in Kansas and surrounding area. Please see details for submitting original research.

Brief Reports - Briefs will be evaluated with the same rigorous criteria as original research, but they may be smaller in scope, and may have limited generalizability to other settings. An example could be education research papers that focus on a single program, or institution, or project with a limited number of participants/subjects. KJM may publish briefs that are succinctly present research relevant to medical education and medicine. Also, exploratory, or pilot studies, can be submitted as brief reports. Please see details for submitting brief reports.

Reviews - Manuscripts review the practice of medicine, especially topics for which there is new evidence about management options. Reviews should be comprehensive and evidence-based. KJM also welcomes systematic reviews and meta-analyses.  Please see details for submitting a review.

Commentaries - Manuscripts are expert opinion on timely issues in clinical practice, medical education, and health policy. These manuscripts represent appropriately referenced viewpoints of the author(s). Please see details for submitting a commentary.

Case Reports - Manuscripts report on interesting and unusual clinical cases that provide insight into clinical practice and generate hypotheses for clinical research. The manuscript should include a review of past published relevant cases, a detailed description of the case or vignette, a discussion of why the case or vignette is unique and adds to past published literature, and implications for subsequent developments in clinical practice, teaching, or research. Please see details for submitting a case report.

Images - Manuscripts present a short history, photograph, differential diagnosis, and brief discussion of a classic and/or rare case.

Letters to the Editor - If you would like to submit a letter in response to an article in the Journal, please send your letter within six weeks of publication for the article of interest.

Last modified: June 4, 2024

Submission Preparation Checklist

All submissions must meet the following requirements.

  1. The submission has not been previously published, nor is it before another journal for consideration (or an explanation has been provided in Comments to the Editor).
  2. If the submission is text, the submission file is a Microsoft Word document.
  3. Carefully check your manuscript for spelling, grammar, punctuation, and meaning. Manuscripts should be clear, succinct, and well documented.
  4. Where available, PubMed ID (PMID) and DOIs for the references have been provided.
  5. The text and references are double-spaced; the text uses a 12-point font; employs italics, rather than underlining (except with URL addresses); and in-text citations are formatted using superscript Arabic numerals and listed in consecutive order.
  6. The text adheres to the stylistic and bibliographic requirements outlined in the Submission Information & Author Guidelines (https://journals.ku.edu/kjm/about/submissions)
  7. Tables and figures should be submitted as separate files. Tables should be created in Word and figures should be submitted as .jpg or .tiff files.
  8. If the submission is accepted for publication, all authors agree to the terms in the Kansas Journal of Medicine Publication Agreement (https://journals.ku.edu/kjm/agreement)
  9. All authors affirm their careful review of the manuscript/article and endorse its content. Each author's affirmation is provided on the title page.

Original Research

Manuscripts describe original research relevant to clinical care and/or teaching in general internal medicine, including health policy issues. Investigations may be descriptive or interventional. 

We welcome reports of quality improvement projects performed in medical practices in Kansas and surrounding areas. The link below provides guidance on the conduct and writing of these studies.

Original Research Submission Requirements

  • Cover letter
  • Title page
  • Abstract (250 words max)
  • Main text (3,000 words max)
  • References (75 max)
  • Table/figures (5 combined max)

Title Page: The title page (page 1) should contain (1) a concise and informative title; (2) an identified short running head (short title); (3) the first name (spelled out), middle initial, and last name of each author with highest academic degree(s) and institutional affiliation; (4) email addresses of each author; (5) the name of the department(s) and institution(s) to which the work is attributed; (6) any disclaimer; (7) contact information for the corresponding author; (8) the source(s) of support in the form of grants, equipment, and/or drugs. If the work described in the manuscript has been formally presented at a scientific meeting, provide the name of the organization, date, and location of the meeting; and (9) a statement confirming that each author has reviewed and approved the content of the manuscript.

Abstract: All manuscripts that are reports of original research must be submitted with a structured abstract of no more than 250 words with the following headings: Introduction, Methods (include information on design, setting, participants, interventions, and main outcomes measured), Results, and Conclusions.

Introduction: Clearly state the purpose of the article. Summarize the rationale for the study, report, or observation. Give only strictly pertinent references, and do not review the subject extensively. Do not include data or conclusions from the work being reported. Table 1 from Preparing Manuscripts for Submission to Medical Journals: The Paper Trail has helpful guidance with sample introductions.

Methods: Describe the selection of subjects, including controls. Identify the methods, apparatus (manufacturer's name and address, i.e., city, state, province, and country in parentheses), and procedures in sufficient detail to allow other workers to reproduce the results. Give references to established methods, including the statistical methods; provide references and brief descriptions of methods that have been published but are not well known; and describe new or substantially modified methods. Precisely identify all drugs and chemicals used, including generic name(s) and route(s) of administration. Proprietary names may be included, but should be capitalized, enclosed in parentheses, and should follow the generic names.

All studies involving human or animal research must indicate approval by an institution's human or animal subject review board IRB. Authors should confirm that written informed consent was obtained from all human subjects or that this requirement was waived by the review committee.

Results: Present the results in a logical sequence, using tables and illustrations where possible. Include numbers of observations and statistical significance of the findings when appropriate. Do not repeat in the text all of the data found in the tables or illustrations. Report measurements in the units in which they were made.

Statistics: All statistical techniques must be clearly identified and referenced where appropriate. Describe statistical methods with enough detail to enable a reader with access to the original data to verify the reported results. When possible, quantify findings and present them with appropriate indicators of measurement error or uncertainty. Discuss eligibility of experimental subjects, randomization, methods of blinding, treatment complications, numbers of observations, and losses to observation. Specify any computer programs used.

Put general descriptions of statistical methods in the Methods section. When data are summarized in the Results section, specify the statistical methods used to analyze them. Restrict tables and figures to those needed to explain the argument of the paper and to assess its support. Use graphs as an alternative to tables with many entries: do not duplicate data in graphs and tables.

Reporting only p-values is insufficient. All statistical results should provide comprehensive information to inform readers. Please refer to Chapter 19 in the AMA Manual for guidance on the correct way to present your statistical results. Additional information can be found in Reporting Statistical Results in Medical Journals.

Discussion: Emphasize the new and important aspects of both the study and the conclusions that follow from them. Do not repeat in detail data given in the Introduction or the Results sections. Include in the Discussion the implications of the findings and their limitations, including implications for future research. Relate the observations to other relevant studies. Link the conclusions with the goals of the study, but avoid unqualified statements and conclusions not completely supported by the data. Clearly label new hypotheses. Appropriate recommendations may be included.

 

Brief Reports

Briefs will be considered using the same criteria (equal in rigor) as for original research, but they can be smaller in scope and may be less generalizable to other settings. An example could be education research papers that focus on a single program, institution, or project with a limited number of participants/subjects.

KJM may publish briefs that are succinctly present research relevant to medical education and medicine. Also, exploratory, or pilot studies, can be submitted as brief reports.

Brief Reports will have a limit of only 1,500 words.

Requirements for Brief Report Manuscript:

  • Cover letter
  • Title page
  • Abstract (250 words max)
  • Main text (1,500 words max)
  • References (50 max) 
  • Tables/figure (3 combined max)

Case Reports

Manuscripts report on interesting and unusual clinical cases that provide insight into clinical practice and generate hypotheses for clinical research. The manuscript should include a review of past published relevant cases, a detailed description of the case or vignette, a discussion of why the case or vignette is unique and adds to past published literature, and implications for subsequent developments in clinical practice, teaching, or research. See details for submitting a case report.

The links below may provide guidance on writing case reports.

Case Report Submission Requirements

Case reports are original observations related to patient care. Cases should increase awareness of a condition, suggest the proper diagnostic strategy, or demonstrate a more cost-effective approach to management. A case can represent an unusual presentation of a relatively common condition, include an unusual complication of a disease and its management, or be a rare condition not frequently seen. Authors should consider the message or lesson that the case can deliver to the journal’s readership.

Title Page: The title page (page 1) should contain (1) a concise and informative title; (2) an identified short running head (short title); (3) the first name (spelled out), middle initial, and last name of each author with highest academic degree(s) and institutional affiliation; (4) email addresses of each author; (5) the name of the department(s) and institution(s) to which the work is attributed; (6) any disclaimer; (7) contact information for the corresponding author; (8) the source(s) of support in the form of grants, equipment, and/or drugs. If the work described in the manuscript has been formally presented at a scientific meeting, provide the name of the organization, date, and location of the meeting; and (9) a statement confirming that each author has reviewed and approved the content of the manuscript.

Abstract: Not required.

Introduction: Case reports begin with a short evidence-based introduction. This typically describes the context of the case and explains its relevance and importance.

Case Report: Describe in sequence the history, physical examination, investigative studies, and the patient's progress and outcome. Be complete without obscuring the essence of the case with irrelevant details. Avoid the use of medical jargon and excessive reliance on abbreviations. Always spell out the abbreviations the first time they are mentioned.

Discussion: Review the pertinent literature, why clinical decisions were made, and extract the lesson(s) from the case. Make a small number of teaching points in clear and succinct language.

Images

Images - Manuscripts present a short history, photograph, differential diagnosis, and brief discussion of a classic and/or rare case.

Review

Reviews:  Manuscripts review the practice of medicine, especially topics for which there is new evidence about management options. Reviews should be comprehensive and evidence-based. See details for submitting a review.

We also welcome systematic reviews and meta-analyses. The links below provide guidance on the conduct and writing of a systematic review or meta-analysis.

Review Submission Requirements 

Evidence-based clinical reviews focus on clinical conditions that are encountered frequently by practicing physicians, with an emphasis on diagnosis and treatment of common, important diseases.

Title Page: The title page (page 1) should contain (1) a concise and informative title; (2) an identified short running head (short title); (3) the first name (spelled out), middle initial, and last name of each author with highest academic degree(s) and institutional affiliation; (4) email addresses of each author; (5) the name of the department(s) and institution(s) to which the work is attributed; (6) any disclaimer; (7) contact information for the corresponding author; (8) the source(s) of support in the form of grants, equipment, and/or drugs. If the work described in the manuscript has been formally presented at a scientific meeting, provide the name of the organization, date, and location of the meeting; and (9) a statement confirming that each author has reviewed and approved the content of the manuscript.

 Abstract: Not required.

Commentary

Commentaries:  Manuscripts are expert opinion on timely issues in clinical practice, medical education, and health policy. These manuscripts represent appropriately referenced viewpoints of the author(s). See details for submitting a commentary.

Commentary Submission Requirements

Evidence-based clinical reviews focus on clinical conditions that are encountered frequently by practicing physicians, with an emphasis on diagnosis and treatment of common, important diseases.

Title Page: The title page (page 1) should contain (1) a concise and informative title; (2) an identified short running head (short title); (3) the first name (spelled out), middle initial, and last name of each author with highest academic degree(s) and institutional affiliation; (4) email addresses of each author; (5) the name of the department(s) and institution(s) to which the work is attributed; (6) any disclaimer; (7) contact information for the corresponding author; (8) the source(s) of support in the form of grants, equipment, and/or drugs. If the work described in the manuscript has been formally presented at a scientific meeting, provide the name of the organization, date, and location of the meeting; and (9) a statement confirming that each author has reviewed and approved the content of the manuscript.

Abstract: Not required.

Letters to the Editor

Letters to the Editor - If you would like to submit a letter in response to an article in the Journal, please send your letter within six weeks of publication for the article of interest.

Copyright Notice

All articles in the Kansas Journal of Medicine are licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial No Derivatives License (CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0). 

 

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