Author Guidelines
The Journal of Clinical Case Studies & Family Medicine welcomes structured submissions that highlight clinical learning, decision-making, and practical experiences relevant to general practice and family medicine. Authors are advised to follow these guidelines carefully to ensure that manuscripts meet the journal’s standards for publication.
All manuscripts must be written in clear, grammatically correct English and must be submitted electronically through the journal’s online submission portal. Work that does not comply with these requirements may be returned to the authors for revision before peer review.
Article Types
Case Reports: Detailed descriptions of individual patient encounters with emphasis on clinical reasoning, diagnostic evaluation, and therapeutic decisions.
Case Series: Descriptions of multiple patient cases sharing similar features, presentations, or outcomes. Each case should be described clearly with an analysis of key similarities or differences.
Clinical Reflections: Structured narratives or essays that explore communication, ethics, relational care, or uncertainty in generalist settings.
Brief Reviews: Concise summaries of clinical topics relevant to primary care, linked where possible to patient encounters or practice-based application.
Teaching Tools and Education Reports: Descriptions of instructional methods, training materials, or feedback models used in the teaching of case-based medicine or family health.
Commentary and Perspective: Observational or opinion-based writing grounded in case experience or fieldwork, focused on system-level, policy, or practice improvement.
Letters to the Editor: Constructive commentary on recently published articles or on broader themes of interest to the journal’s readership.
Formatting and Style
Submissions must be in Microsoft Word format with Times New Roman 12-point font, double spacing, and 2.5 cm margins. Pages should be numbered sequentially.
Title Page
The title page must include:
Full manuscript title
Names and affiliations of all authors
Contact information for the corresponding author
Disclosure of funding or institutional support
Conflict of interest statement
Ethics approval or consent confirmation (if applicable)
Abstract
Each manuscript must include an abstract of 250 to 300 words. The abstract should briefly summarise the background, patient case or topic focus, key findings or discussion points, and the clinical or educational relevance.
Keywords
Include four to six keywords that accurately reflect the subject matter of the manuscript. These will support indexing and retrieval.
Structure of Main Text
Manuscripts should follow a logical and consistent structure. For clinical case reports, the following sections are recommended:
Introduction: Brief background and rationale for presenting the case.
Case Presentation: Detailed summary of the patient’s history, presenting complaint, examination findings, investigations, and course of treatment.
Discussion: Analysis of the diagnostic process, therapeutic choices, follow-up, and comparison with available literature. Authors should include what was learned and how the case may inform similar clinical situations.
Conclusion: A brief summary of the main insights or teaching points.
Other article types may use formats appropriate to their content, provided the structure is clear and the academic tone is maintained.
Tables and Figures
Tables should be numbered, titled, and embedded in the manuscript or submitted at the end. Figures must be submitted in high-resolution format (JPEG, PNG, or TIFF) and accompanied by appropriate captions. All images and charts must be cited in the main text.
Ensure that figures are anonymised and that patient confidentiality is protected at all times.
References
All references cited in the text must be listed at the end of the manuscript. The journal accepts citations in APA style. Authors must ensure accuracy and consistency in referencing.
Ethical Considerations
Manuscripts must comply with ethical standards for research and clinical reporting. Authors must obtain informed consent from patients if there is any possibility of recognition from text or images. Case reports that include identifiable clinical details or photographs must include a signed consent statement.
Submissions based on institutional case data, clinical audits, or chart reviews should include evidence of approval from a recognised ethics committee or a statement of exemption where applicable.
Manuscripts must respect the dignity, rights, and confidentiality of patients at all times.
Conflict of Interest
All authors must declare any personal, institutional, or financial relationships that may influence the content of the manuscript. A conflict-of-interest statement must be included on the title page and in the manuscript text, where appropriate.
Funding Disclosure
All sources of financial support must be disclosed, including grants, institutional funds, or third-party contributions. If no funding was received, this should be clearly stated.
Submission Process
Manuscripts should be submitted via the journal’s online platform. A complete submission includes:
Main manuscript
Title page
Tables and figures (if separate)
Supplementary files, if applicable
Cover letter outlining the manuscript’s relevance and confirming originality
Submissions must be the original work of the authors and must not be under consideration by another journal.
Peer Review
All submissions undergo double-blind peer review by two or more qualified reviewers. Evaluation criteria include clarity, relevance to family medicine, educational value, and adherence to ethical and formatting standards. Authors may be asked to revise their manuscripts based on reviewer feedback.
Revised manuscripts should be submitted within the time frame communicated by the editorial team.
Article Processing Charge (APC)
An Article Processing Charge will be levied upon acceptance of the manuscript. Authors will be informed of the applicable charge at the time of acceptance.
Copyright and Licensing
Authors retain copyright over their published work and grant the journal the right to publish it under an open-access model. Articles may be archived and distributed freely with appropriate attribution.
Editorial Contact
The editorial office is available to support authors throughout the manuscript preparation, formatting, and submission process. Queries related to article suitability, formatting requirements, or review timelines are welcome.
