Section Policies

Editorial

A member of the editorial board will contribute an editorial piece to each issue.  They will range from anecdotal expressions to reactions to present trends and issues in the field.

Original Research

These articles will be a primary mode of communication for the journal and may include the results of original research with interesting and pertinent findings or other forms of high quality scholarship touching on topics of importance to the medical education community.  Submissions to this section are expected to be framed within a clear theoretical lens both in the methodology and the substance of the study.  For example, decisions on which instructional activities were chosen for exploration must be grounded in the education and instructional literature and any findings (expected or especially unexpected) must likewise invoke accepted and relevant theoretical frameworks and explanations. 

Original Research must include a statement concerning ethical review by a third party and consent procedures if the study reports data from human subjects.  Maximum length is 4,500 words and must be submitted with a 250 word structured abstract. 

Click here for the sample Original Research review form.
Make a new submission to the Original Research section.

 

Scientific Reports

Articles in this section will be papers of interest to medical educators that fall within the focus and scope of the CMEJ. See About on our home page. These must not have been previously published (but might be available on internal websites that are not available to the general public). Authors wishing to submit to this section may want to inquire of the editors regarding whether their paper fits.

We will accept heading structures that suit the paper and guide the reader rather than specifying a certain style of headings or structure. However, the citation and reference style must be that of the CMEJ (Vancouver style) along with other guidelines of the CMEJ. Authors should read and follow the Submission Guidelines for Authors found under Submissions on our home page.

If there is no Executive Summary already a part of the paper or report, please provide a 200-word Abstract.
Make a new submission to the Scientific Reports section.

Reviews, Theoretical Papers and Meta-Analyses

Submissions to this section include any type of review with a structured and reproducible methodology or theoretically driven papers and are limited to 4,500 words. They must include a 250-word abstract.  
 
While we typically do not publish literature reviews or narrative reviews, exceptions can be made under certain conditions. A narrative review may be considered if it demonstrates a robust rationale for the chosen approach, illustrates exceptional and unique contributions, provides sufficient methodological details to ensure the trustworthiness of the results, and clearly outlines the implications of the findings. 
 
For further overview, check out the 12.3 editorial:
Archibald D, Martimianakis MA. Writing, reading, and critiquing reviews. Can. Med. Ed. J [Internet]. 2021Jun.30; 12(3):1-7. https://doi.org/10.36834/cmej.72945

Click here for a sample Scoping Reviews review form.
Make a new submission to the Reviews, Theoretical Papers, and Meta-Analyses section.

You Should Try This!

You Should Try This features short, succinct structured reports (≤700 words) of new, innovative, or notable initiatives that advance educational research or practice within any learning environments. Submissions should clearly describe what was developed, why it matters, and what early evidence suggests about its usefulness. The emphasis is on practical, evidence-informed ideas with potential for adaptation or scaling up across settings.

Manuscripts should outline the core components of the initiative, summarize preliminary evaluation findings, and identify opportunities for refinement or broader implementation. If the work involves human participants or their information, a statement on ethics review and consent procedures is required.

Submissions may include one figure or table and up to fifteen references and must include a ≤100-word Implication Statement explaining the initiative’s relevance and potential value to others.

We encourage authors to structure their manuscript using the following headings: Introduction, Innovation, Outcomes, and Next Steps.

Click here for a sample You Should Try This! review form.
Make a new submission to the You Should Try This section.

 

Commentary and Opinions

These submissions are highly relevant and stimulating opinion pieces with strong arguments and no more than 750 words. They do not include any supporting material i.e. graphs, charts, etc. but may have up to five (5) references.

Make a new submission to the Commentary and Opinions section.

Letters to the Editor

These are meant to be a reaction to a pertinent issue relating to the CMEJ or a recently published article.  They should be no longer than 250 words unless by special arrangement.  They do not include any supporting material i.e. graphs, charts, etc. but may have up to three (3) references.

Make a new submission to the Letters to the Editor section.