Author Guidelines
Version 1.0 | Effective date: 1 January 2027
1. Overview
These guidelines describe how to prepare and submit a manuscript to GEM. They should be read together with the journal's Publication Ethics and Editorial Policies, which govern authorship, conflicts of interest, funding disclosure, research ethics, and related matters.
GEM welcomes submissions across general medicine, basic medical sciences, allied health sciences (including nursing and physiotherapy), and emerging clinical topics. All manuscripts must be submitted in English.
2. Article Types
GEM considers the following manuscript categories:
| Type | Abstract | Main text | References | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Original article | 250 words, structured | Up to 4,000 words | Up to 50 | IMRaD structure |
| Review article | 250 words, unstructured | Up to 5,000 words | Up to 80 | Narrative or systematic |
| Case report | 150 words, unstructured | Up to 2,000 words | Up to 20 | Patient consent required |
| Letter to the editor | Not required | Up to 800 words | Up to 10 | Response to published work |
3. Submission Process
The GEM online submission portal is not yet open; it will be launched ahead of the journal's first call for papers. Until then, prospective authors may direct enquiries to editor@gemmedicine.org.
Each submission must include a cover letter briefly stating the manuscript's significance and confirming that the work is original, has not been published elsewhere, and is not under consideration by another journal.
4. Manuscript Preparation
4.1 Title Page
The title page must be submitted as a separate file from the main text (to preserve double-blind review) and must include:
- Full manuscript title and a short running title (max. 70 characters).
- Full names, affiliations, and ORCID iD of every author. GEM requires the corresponding author to provide an ORCID iD; other authors are strongly encouraged to do so.
- Designation of the corresponding author, with postal address, email, and phone number.
- Word count of the main text and the number of tables and figures.
- 3 to 6 keywords, preferably drawn from MeSH terms.
4.2 Abstract
Structured abstracts (Background, Methods, Results, Conclusion) are required for original articles; other article types use an unstructured abstract. Abstracts must not contain citations or undefined abbreviations.
4.3 Main Text Structure
Original articles should follow the IMRaD structure: Introduction, Methods, Results, and Discussion, followed by a Conclusion. Methods sections reporting human or animal research must state the approving ethics body, in line with the journal's Publication Ethics and Editorial Policies.
Authors are strongly encouraged to adhere to reporting guidelines appropriate to their study design, such as CONSORT for randomized trials, STROBE for observational studies, PRISMA for systematic reviews and meta-analyses, CARE for case reports, and ARRIVE for animal research.
4.4 Tables and Figures
- Tables and figures should be numbered consecutively in order of citation in the text.
- Each table and figure requires a concise title and, where needed, explanatory footnotes.
- Figures should be submitted as separate, high-resolution files (minimum 300 dpi for photographs; vector format preferred for line art and charts).
4.5 Supplementary Material
Additional data, extended methods, or supporting figures that are not essential to the main narrative may be submitted as supplementary material, to be published online alongside the article.
5. Reference Style
GEM uses the Vancouver (AMA) numbered citation style. References are numbered in the order they first appear in the text, using superscript Arabic numerals, and listed in the same numerical order in the reference list.
Example journal reference:
1. Smith J, Doe A. Title of the article. Journal Name. 2026;12(3):45-52.
Example book/chapter reference:
2. Author A. Title of chapter. In: Editor B, ed. Title of Book. Publisher; Year:pages.
Example website/organization reference:
3. World Health Organization. Title of report. Accessed January 1, 2027. https://...
Authors are responsible for the accuracy of all references. Only published or accepted works, or those available as preprints with a DOI, should be cited.
6. Required Statements
The following statements must be included at the end of the main text, immediately before the reference list. Full policy details are set out in the journal's Publication Ethics and Editorial Policies.
- Ethics approval and consent to participate (with approving body and reference number, where applicable).
- Conflicts of interest.
- Funding.
- Data availability.
- Disclosure of any generative AI use in preparing the manuscript.
- Preprint disclosure, if the manuscript (or an earlier version) has been posted to a preprint server.
7. Language and Editing
Manuscripts must be written in clear, grammatically correct English. GEM does not provide language-editing services; authors who are not native English speakers are encouraged to have their manuscript reviewed by a colleague fluent in English, or to use a professional language-editing service, prior to submission.
8. Submission Checklist
Before submitting, please confirm that:
- The manuscript follows the structure and word limits for its article type.
- The title page is a separate file and includes ORCID iD(s) and corresponding author details.
- All required statements (ethics, conflicts of interest, funding, data availability, AI disclosure) are included.
- References follow the Vancouver (AMA) style and are complete and accurate.
- Tables and figures are numbered, captioned, and submitted as separate high-resolution files.
- A cover letter is included.
- Any prior preprint posting is disclosed.
9. Contact
For questions about manuscript preparation or submission, contact editor@gemmedicine.org.
These guidelines are reviewed annually and updated as needed. Authors should consult the version published at gemmedicine.org at the time of submission.
