Submissions

Author Guidelines

Before submitting their manuscripts, authors should read the editorial and ethics policies of the journal. Authors are encouraged to follow the EQUATOR Network reporting guidelines according to manuscript type (available at www.equator-network.org).  A cover letter stating the title and aims of the study should be written to the Editor-in-Chief and signed by all co-authors.

Manuscript Preparation

General Guidelines: Manuscripts should be prepared as a Microsoft Word (DOC or DOCX file), considering the following:

• Page and line numbering
• Double spacing
• Writing in a standard font type (preferably Time New Romans) and size (14 for titles and headings; 12 for text)
• Using American English
• Using SI units of measurement

General Structure of Original Articles : Submission files should include the following:

• Title page: This file should contain the following sections:

1. Title: The manuscript title needs to be succinct and informative.
2. Names and affiliations of author(s): Contact details of the corresponding author should be provided.
3. Abstract: This section should be structured as Background, Methods, Results and Conclusions (350 words maximum).
4. Keywords: 3-10 keywords should be added after the abstract for indexing purposes (preferably in accordance with MeSH database). Do not cite references or refer to tables and figures in the abstract.

• Main text: This file should contain the following sections:

1. Introduction: This section should give background information on the subject of the study, identify any knowledge gaps, and express the purpose and goals of the study in plain terms. It ought to be backed up by recent and pertinent citations.
2. Methods: Using the simple past tense, this section should describe in detail how the study was conducted. It should outline the study design, setting and population, including any inclusion/exclusion criteria where applicable. It needs to be explicit about how sample size was determined and how the study population was sampled. It should include information on the procedures used to collect data and samples, conduct clinical and/or laboratory tests, conduct statistical analysis, and address ethical concerns. For established methods, it is sufficient to cite the relevant reference rather than rehash every detail. Any alterations or additions to the employed techniques, however, should be specified.
3. Results: Using the simple past tense, this part should present the study's findings in a logical sequence under distinct subheadings. Where applicable, recruitment and response rates should be recorded (preferably using a flow chart for randomized controlled trials). Before presenting the key findings, the characteristics of the sample or study population should be discussed. Arabic numerals should be used to refer to tables and figures in the text in a chronological order (for example, Table (1) and Figure (1). If appropriate, p-values and effect size measurements, including odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals, should be reported.
4. Discussion: In this section, the main findings should be highlighted, compared to prior research, and discussed along with any implications for the future. The limitations and/or strengths of the study should also be discussed.
5. Conclusions: In light of the findings, this section should emphasize any general conclusions and suggestions for clinical practice or policy as well as for future research.
6. References: The journal adopts Vancouver style for text citations (e.g., [1, 2] and [1-4]) and reference list. Personal communications should only be explicitly stated in the text. References should be double checked for accuracy. It is strongly advised to utilize a reference management program like EndNote or Mendeley.

• Other sections: These sections should include:

1. Authors’ contributions: In accordance with the journal's format, this section should describe each author's unique contributions. This section should be compiled within the cover letter.
2. Acknowledgements: This section should give credit to those helping the author(s), whether individuals or institutions, during the research and/or writing process after seeking their permission.
3. Funding: Financial and/or non-financial funds that were received should be acknowledged in this section.
4. Conflicts of interest: Any conflicts of interest related to the study should be disclosed in this section. Please write "The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest related to this article" if there are none.
5. Supplementary material: This section includes any files related to the study such as data files, reporting guidelines or questionnaires.

After Acceptance

Before online publication, the corresponding author should sign a Copyright Transfer Agreement. The UST Journal for Medical Sciences publishes all accepted articles under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license. The corresponding author should agree to such terms, which permit the reuse of their work in any format as long as the author(s) and the journal are properly cited. Authors are still allowed to reuse the material in their manuscript as long as they credit the journal under the terms of this license. 

Reviewing Process

The journal invites potential reviewers via their e-mails along with the title and abstract of the manuscript. If accepting to review the assigned manuscript, the main text of the manuscript (excluding authors’ names, affiliations or identifying information) will be sent to their e-mails.  Reviewers are encouraged to read and follow COPE Ethical Guidelines for Peer Reviewers (Available at: https://publicationethics.org/resources/guidelines/cope-ethical-guidelines-peer-reviewers.

After Review

The journal notifies each reviewer via email of the decision about the manuscript as well as the peer-review reports of the other anonymous reviewers. If necessary, the journal may additionally request that the reviewer(s) conduct a second-round review of revised manuscripts.