Authors are invited to make a submission to this journal. All submissions will be assessed by an editor to determine whether they meet the aims and scope of this journal. Those considered to be a good fit will be sent for peer review before determining whether they will be accepted or rejected.

Before making a submission, authors are responsible for obtaining permission to publish any material included with the submission, such as photos, documents and datasets. All authors identified on the submission must consent to be identified as an author. Where appropriate, research should be approved by an appropriate ethics committee in accordance with the legal requirements of the study's country.

An editor may desk reject a submission if it does not meet minimum standards of quality. Before submitting, please ensure that the study design and research argument are structured and articulated properly. The title should be concise and the abstract should be able to stand on its own. This will increase the likelihood of reviewers agreeing to review the paper. When you're satisfied that your submission meets this standard, please follow the checklist below to prepare your submission.

Author Guidelines

MedEpicent: Journal of Medical Education and Clinical Research is an international peer-reviewed scientific journal in the fields of medical education, medicine, and clinical research. The journal provides a multilingual and open communication platform while adhering to the highest ethical standards. The following guidelines are intended for authors who wish to submit manuscripts to MedEpicent.

Manuscript Submission and General Conditions

Accepted Languages: Manuscripts may be submitted inAzerbaijani, Turkish, English, or Russian. Regardless of the article language, an English abstract is mandatory. For non-English manuscripts, the title, abstract, and keywords must be provided both in the original language and in English. For English-language manuscripts, only the English abstract is required.
Types of Articles: The journal accepts academic manuscripts across all fields of medical science in the following categories:
- Original Research Articles: Full-length studies reflecting new scientific findings in clinical or educational settings. These must include a structured abstract and sections (Introduction, Methods, Results, Discussion, Conclusion).
- Review Articles: Comprehensive analyses and summaries of existing literature on a specific subject. Systematic reviews and meta-analyses should comply with international standards (e.g., PRISMA). Structure usually includes Introduction, Thematic Sections, and Conclusion.
- Case Reports: Descriptions of rare or educationally significant clinical cases. Structure: Introduction, Case Description, Discussion, Conclusion.
- Brief Reports: Concise reports of small-scale original studies, generally following the structure of research articles but shorter in length.
- Educational and Simulation Studies: Research on medical education, teaching technologies, and clinical simulation. Should follow the original research format, reflecting learning outcomes.
- Letters to the Editor: Short communications (500–1000 words) commenting on previous publications, discussing current issues, or presenting new insights. Abstracts are generally not required.
Originality: All manuscripts must be original, unpublished, and not under review elsewhere. Submissions must be scientifically valid and properly referenced. Editorial staff conduct an initial screening; manuscripts failing to meet standards may be returned for revision before review.
Peer Review: All manuscripts undergodouble-blind peer review by at least two independent experts. Authors must ensure that identifying information is excluded from the main text (to be provided only on a separate title page). Final publication decisions are based on reviewer feedback and editorial criteria.
DOI and Fees: All accepted manuscripts receive aunique DOI. Currently, the journal is fully free of charge (no article processing charges). Future changes to publication fees, if any, will be announced in advance.

Structural Requirements

Title Page: Should include the full title (concise yet comprehensive), a short running title (≤50 characters), authors’ full names, academic degrees, institutional affiliations (with city and country), and ORCID IDs (recommended). The corresponding author must be clearly designated with email and phone. The title page may be uploaded separately to ensure anonymity in peer review.
Abstract: All manuscripts require an English abstract. For original research and systematic reviews, astructured abstract (Objective, Methods, Results, Conclusion) is mandatory (250–300 words). Narrative reviews, case reports, and letters may have an unstructured abstract. Abstracts must highlight key findings without references or unexplained abbreviations.
Keywords: Provide 3–6 keywords followingMedical Subject Headings (MeSH) where possible. Keywords must be in English; for non-English articles, they should also be provided in the article’s original language.
Main Text:
- Original Research: Introduction, Methods (including statistical analysis), Results, Discussion (with limitations), Conclusion.
- Review Articles: Introduction, thematic sections, Conclusion (with recommendations if appropriate).
- Case Reports: Introduction, Case Description, Discussion, Conclusion.
- Brief Reports: Concise version of research article structure, typically 1500–2000 words.
- Educational/Simulation Studies: Problem statement, description of intervention/method, results, conclusion.
- Letters: Unstructured short text, usually 500–800 words.

Suggested length: Original research 3000–4000 words (up to 5000), Reviews up to 5000, Case Reports ~1000, Brief Reports ~1500, Letters ~500–800.

Acknowledgments and Notes: Non-author contributors may be acknowledged. Funding sources, author contributions, and conflicts of interest must be declared.
References: UseVancouver Style (ICMJE recommendations). References should be numbered sequentially in the text (e.g., [1], [2,5]). Journal names must be abbreviated according to Index Medicus. Examples:
1. Yilmaz A, Hasanov B. Innovative treatment of X disease.Clin Med (Baku). 2025;10(2):123–130.
2. Aliyev A. Medical education in clinical practice. Baku: Education Press; 2024.
Tables and Figures: Must be numbered sequentially, cited in the text, and include clear titles and captions. Figures must be high resolution (≥300 dpi, JPEG/TIFF). Patient-identifying details must not be visible.
Technical Formatting: Manuscripts should be in MS Word (.docx), 12-point Times New Roman, 1.5–2 line spacing, A4 format, 2–2.5 cm margins. SI units should be used. Abbreviations must be defined at first mention.

Submission and Review Process

Submission: Manuscripts must be submitted via the official online system on the journal’s website. If unavailable, submissions may be emailed toinfo@medepicent.org. A cover letter should accompany each submission, explaining significance, novelty, and author declarations.
Editorial Check: Manuscripts are screened for compliance with scope and format. Submissions with major deficiencies may be returned before peer review.
Reviewer Selection: Experts are chosen based on subject relevance. Typically, two independent reviewers are assigned (occasionally more for statistical/methodological review). Initial review takes approximately 4–6 weeks.
Decisions: Options include acceptance (with or without minor revisions), major revision with resubmission, or rejection. Authors must provide a point-by-point response to reviewer comments when revising.
Final Acceptance: After acceptance, authors may be required to sign a copyright transfer or publishing license. The final version undergoes copyediting and proofing. Proofs are sent to the corresponding author for final approval before publication.

Ethical Principles

MedEpicent adheres to international standards (ICMJE, COPE). Ethical violations (plagiarism, fabrication, redundant publication, undisclosed conflicts of interest) are not tolerated.

Originality and Plagiarism: Manuscripts must be original. All sources must be cited properly. The journal reserves the right to check similarity (e.g., via iThenticate).
Authorship: Authorship must comply with ICMJE criteria. Gift or ghost authorship is not acceptable. Author contributions must be declared.
Conflicts of Interest: All potential conflicts must be disclosed (financial, academic, or personal). If none, a statement declaring “No conflict of interest” must be included.
Funding and Sponsorship: All funding sources must be disclosed, including grant numbers where applicable.
Ethical Approval: Human and animal studies require approval from an appropriate ethics committee. Patient consent is required for identifiable case details. Animal studies must comply with ARRIVE guidelines.
Clinical Trials: Interventional trials must be registered in a recognized registry (e.g., ClinicalTrials.gov, WHO ICTRP). Registration ID must be provided in the abstract and methods.
Copyright and Permissions: Authors must secure permissions for any previously published material. Published articles are licensed underCreative Commons (CC BY) or equivalent open access agreements.
Misconduct: Cases of misconduct will be handled according to COPE guidelines, and sanctions (retraction, bans, institutional notification) may apply.

References

References must follow Vancouver Style and be numbered in the order cited. Only published or in-press works should be included. Unpublished observations or personal communications should be cited sparingly and clearly marked. Recent and relevant literature (preferably within the last 10 years) should be prioritized.

Final Note

These Author Guidelines are intended to ensure that submissions to MedEpicent: Journal of Medical Education and Clinical Research meet high international standards. For questions or clarifications, please contact the editorial office. We look forward to publishing high-quality scholarly work that contributes to medical science and education.

Submissions