Medical students or residents typically do the bulk of the writing of the report. If you’re just starting your medical career, a case study report is a great way to get a publication under your belt. [2] X Research source
If the patient is a minor or is incapable of giving informed consent, get consent from their parents or closest relative. [4] X Trustworthy Source PubMed Central Journal archive from the U. S. National Institutes of Health Go to source Your hospital likely has specific consent forms to use. Ask your supervising physician if you’re not sure where to get one. Some journals also have their own consent form. Check your target journal’s author or submission information to make sure. [5] X Research source
Even though the introduction is the first part of a case study report, doctors typically write it last. You’ll have a better idea of how to introduce your case study to readers after you’ve written it. Your abstract comes at the top, before the introduction, and provides a brief summary of the entire report. Unless your case study is published in an open-access journal, the abstract is the only part of the article many readers will see.
Many journals offer templates and checklists you can use to make sure your case study includes everything necessary and is formatted properly—take advantage of these! Some journals, such as BMJ Case Reports, require all case studies submitted to use their templates.
Patient description Chronological case history Physical exam results Results of any pathological tests, imaging, or other investigations Treatment plan Expected outcome of treatment Actual outcome of treatment
Why the patient sought medical help (you can even use their own words) Important information that helped you settle on your diagnosis The results of your clinical examination, including diagnostic tests and their results, along with any helpful images A description of the treatment plan The outcome, including how and why treatment ended and how long the patient was under your care[11] X Trustworthy Source PubMed Central Journal archive from the U. S. National Institutes of Health Go to source
You will need references to back up symptoms of the condition, common treatment, and the expected outcome of that common treatment. Use your research to paint a picture of the usual case of a patient with a similar condition—it’ll help you show how unusual and different your patient’s case is. Generally, aim for around 20 references—no fewer than 15, but no more than 25. [13] X Trustworthy Source PubMed Central Journal archive from the U. S. National Institutes of Health Go to source
Close your discussion section with a summary of the lessons learned from the case and why it’s significant to consider when treating similar cases in the future. Outline any open questions that remain. You might also provide suggestions for future research.
In your conclusion, you might also give suggestions or recommendations to readers based on what you learned as a result of the case. Some journals don’t want a separate conclusion section. If that’s the case for one of your target journals, just move this paragraph to the end of your discussion section.
Most titles are fewer than 10 words long and include the name of the disease or condition treated. You might also include the treatment used and whether the outcome was successful. When deciding what to include, think about the reason you wrote the case study in the first place and why you think it’s important for other clinicians to read.
Made a significant intellectual contribution to the case study report Was involved in the medical care of the patient reported Can explain and defend the data presented in the report Has approved the final manuscript before submission for publication
Keep in mind that the abstract is not just going to be the first thing people read—it will often be the only thing people read. Make sure that if someone is going to walk away having only read the abstract, they’ll still get the same message they would have if they read the whole thing. There are 2 basic types of abstract: narrative and structured. A narrative abstract is a single paragraph written in narrative prose. A structured abstract includes headings that correspond with the sections of the paper, then a brief summary of each section. Use the format preferred by your target journal.
Look for keywords that are relevant to your field or sub-field and directly related to the content of your article, such as the name of the condition or specific treatments you used. Most journals allow 4-8 keywords but check the submission guidelines of your target journal to make sure.
Blur out the patient’s face as well as any tattoos, birthmarks, or unrelated scars that are visible in diagnostic images.
It’s common to thank the patient, but that’s up to you. Even if you don’t, include a statement indicating that you have the patient’s written, informed consent to publish the information. Read the journal’s submission guidelines for a definition of what that journal considers a conflict of interest. They’re generally the same, but some might be stricter than others. [22] X Research source
If you’re not familiar with the citation style used by your target journal, check online for a guide. There might also be one available at your hospital or medical school library. Medical librarians can also help with citation style and references if you run into something tricky—don’t just wing it! Correct citation style insures that readers can access the materials you cite.
It’s also a good idea to get a beta reader who isn’t a medical professional. Their comments can help you figure out where you need to clarify your points. Read a lot of case studies published in your target journals—it will help you internalize the tone and style that journal is looking for.
Look into the background and reputation of journals before you decide to submit to them. Only seek publication from reputable journals in which articles go through a peer-review process. Find out what publishing fees the journals charge. Keep in mind that open-access journals tend to charge higher publishing fees. [26] X Research source Read each journal’s submission and editorial guidelines carefully. They’ll tell you exactly how to format your case study, how long each section should be, and what citation style to use. [27] X Research source For electronic journals that only publish case reports, try BMJ Case Reports, Journal of Medical Case Reports, or Radiology Case Reports.
If your manuscript isn’t suitable for the journal you submitted to, the journal might offer to forward it to an associated journal where it would be a better fit. When your manuscript is provisionally accepted, the journal will send it to other doctors for evaluation under the peer-review process. Most medical journals don’t accept simultaneous submissions, meaning you’ll have to submit to your first choice, wait for their decision, then move to the next journal on the list if they don’t bite.
Along with your revised manuscript, include a letter with your response to each of the reviewer’s comments. Where you made revisions, add page numbers to indicate where the revisions are that address that reviewer’s comments. Sometimes, doctors involved in the peer review process will indicate that the journal should reject the manuscript. If that’s the case, you’ll get a letter explaining why your case study report won’t be published and you’re free to submit it elsewhere.
Some journals require you to have your article professionally copy-edited at your own cost while others do this in-house. The editors will let you know what you’re responsible for.
With your acceptance letter, you’ll get instructions on how to make payment and how much you owe. Take note of the deadline and make sure you pay it as soon as possible to avoid publication delays. Some journals will publish for free, with an “open-access option” that allows you to pay a fee only if you want open access to your article. [32] X Research source
Through the publishing agreement, you assign your copyright in the article to the journal. This allows the journal to legally publish your work. That assignment can be exclusive or non-exclusive and may only last for a specific term. Read these details carefully! If you published an open-access article, you don’t assign the copyright to the publisher. The publishing agreement merely gives the journal the right to publish the “Version of Record. “[34] X Research source
A rare disease, or unusual presentation of any disease An unusual combination of diseases or conditions A difficult or inconclusive diagnosis Unexpected developments or responses to treatment Personal impact Observations that shed new light on the patient’s disease or condition
There might be other members of your medical team that want to help with writing. If so, use one of these brainstorming sessions to divvy up writing responsibilities in a way that makes the most sense given your relative skills and experience. Senior doctors might also be able to name some journals that would potentially publish your case study. [37] X Research source
