Watch out for predatory journals! Predatory journals take advantage of researchers by claiming to be legitimate but misrepresent their publishing practices. Predatory practices include falsely claiming to provide peer review, hiding information about Article Processing Charges, misrepresenting members of their editorial board, and other violations of copyright or ethics. (See Elmore, S. A., & Weston, E. H. (2020). Predatory Journals: What They Are and How to Avoid Them) There are many resources out there to help protect yourself from falling prey!
Guide to avoiding predatory journals
As you prepare for residency and your future career path, consider how publications can help you. Publishing your research demonstrates academic excellence, and it will make you more competitive.
Some journals will not accept student publications with out the principal investigator (aka your faculty advisor) acting as intermediary. Work with your advisor to find the best path; for more information consult the Standard Operating Procedure for Student Research.
There are three main types of articles you may choose to write:
Remember, librarians can help with literature reviews!
There are many well regarded publications that focus on student research and others that welcome submissions by medical students. This list is not intended to be comprehensive of every publication, but a place to begin. The links will take you to the publisher's author requirements which will provide needed information when preparing a manuscript for submission. Be sure to check the requirements of any journal to which you decide to submit. An additional note has been added if the publication is available in our library.