Submissions

Author Guidelines

NOTE: The website is still under construction and will take time to set-up the new process of submitting a manuscript to the IMJ. In the meantime, please do read the guidelines below and the IMJ Submission Guidelines and email your submission at imj@imo.ie. 

Before submitting a paper
All authors must carefully read the IMJ Submission Guidelines and format their paper according to the IMJ standards. The IMJ Editorial Policies section below must also be read before submitting a paper to the Editorial Office. Please download the Abstract Submission Form to attach to your submission or you may submit one document which includes the information on the form and your manuscript. An IMJ Consent Form is also available to be downloaded, if required.

IMJ Abstract Submission Form - Original Paper

IMJ Abstract Submission Form - Short Report

IMJ Abstract Submission Form - Case Report

IMJ Abstract Submission Form - Case Series

IMJ Patient Consent Form

*Please note that an Abstract Form is not required for the submission of an Editorial, Letter to the Editor, Occasional Piece/Research Correspondence. However, a 150-word abstract is required for an Occasional Piece/Research Correspondence.

**A patient consent form is required all the time, especially when a submission contains identifiable images. Even if no images/scans where used and all identifiable information where omitted, patient autonomy is of utmost importance so a physically signed patient consent form is still required. We do not accept verbal consent.

When the paper is ready to submit
Once a paper is ready for submission, it should be emailed in a Word document (using 1.15 line spacing, Calibri font, 12 pt) to the IMJ Editorial Office at imj@imo.ie. This email address can also be used is you any queries regarding preparation of your submission. Alternatively, you may contact the Editorial Office by phone on (01) 676 7273. An acknowledgment e-mail will be sent, with the paper's IMJ reference number when the paper has been processed. The paper will be then brought before the Editor at the next meeting.

Role of the corresponding author
The corresponding author will serve on behalf of all co-authors as the primary correspondent with the IMJ Editorial Office during the submission and review process. If the manuscript is accepted, the corresponding author will review an edited manuscript and proof; make decisions regarding the release of information in the manuscript to the news media, federal agencies, or both; and will be identified as the corresponding author in the published article. During the final review stage of the process, the corresponding author will be asked to provide the IMJ Editorial Office a document saying that the final version has been read and approved by all authors involved. This document must be signed (physically or e-signature) by all authors.

Changes in authorship
Authors should determine the order of authorship among themselves and should settle any disagreement before submitting their manuscript. Changes in authorship (i.e., order, addition, and deletion of authors) should be discussed and approved by all authors. Any requests for such changes in authorship after initial manuscript submission and before publication should be explained in writing to the Editor in a letter or email from all authors, signed.

IMJ Peer Review Process
The Irish Medical Journal is a peer reviewed journal. Please note that we do not send every paper for external peer review. Papers can be accepted or rejected without invitation to revise by the Editor. The stages of the peer review process are as follows:

1. The papers chosen for external peer review are sent to an expert referee. Authors are informed that their paper has progressed to the review stage of the consideration process.

2. It may take a number of attempts to find a reviewer to complete the report. We contact authors once we receive the referee’s comments on the paper.

3. The paper and the referee comments are discussed at the following editorial meeting. The Editorial Board will make the decision to accept, reject, or request that a revision be completed – depending on the recommendations of the expert referee. Authors are informed immediately of the decision.

4. If the IMJ has made multiple attempts to secure a peer reviewer and cannot do so, the paper will be removed from consideration. The author will be informed in the event of this occurring.

Revised papers
Once authors have incorporated all the changes required by the referee, the revised paper must be e-mailed in a Word document (using 1.15 lined spacing and font Calibri pt. 12) to the IMJ Editorial Office at imj@imo.ie.

It is then brought before the Editorial Board at the next meeting and the final decision will be made. Authors are then informed whether their paper has been fully accepted or further changes need to be made.

Accepted papers
Authors are informed when their article has been assigned to a particular edition of the journal.

Rejected papers
Once an article has been rejected by the Editorial Board, it cannot be resubmitted at a future date.

IMJ Editorial Policies

IMJ Policy on Dual Publication:
We will not publish any article that has already been made available in any form of published media, either in print or online, at the time of submission. If your article is accepted for publication in another medium, you must contact us immediately so that we can withdraw the paper from consideration. Please forward any queries to the editorial office.

Duplicate/Previous Publication or Submission:
Manuscripts are considered with the understanding that they have not been published previously in print or electronic format and are not under consideration by another publication or electronic medium. Copies of related or possibly duplicative materials that have been previously published or are under consideration elsewhere must be provided at the time of manuscript submission.

Copyright:
The copyright of every article published in the Journal belongs to the IMJ.

Erratum/Correction Policy:
After publication, if an error comes to light due to IMJ error, an erratum will be published in the next issue to correct this. Any author error that is brought to our attention after publication, corrections are made at the journal’s discretion and will require a step-by-step process.