All abstracts submitted to the World Conference of Medical Student Research must comply with the requirements described on this page. Abstracts that are incomplete or do not follow these instructions may be returned for correction or declined during administrative screening.
The corresponding author is responsible for confirming that the abstract, author information, submission files, and website metadata are complete and accurate before submission.
| Download the Abstract Template | Submit an Abstract |
| Requirement | WCMSR Standard |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Maximum abstract length | 500 words |
| Keywords | Three to five MeSH terms |
| References | Not permitted |
| Figures and tables | A maximum of one item: either one figure or one table |
| Official template | Required |
| Submission website | IJMS online submission system |
| Submission section | Abstracts of the WCMSR |
| Previous journal publication | The abstract must not have been previously published in a scientific journal |
| Results | Completed results are required for original research submissions |
Every abstract must be prepared using the official WCMSR Abstract Template.
The template standardizes the information presented to reviewers and supports consistent formatting across accepted abstracts. Failure to use the official template may result in the submission being returned for correction.
Authors must complete all required sections of the template and upload the completed document through the IJMS submission system.
| Download the Official WCMSR Abstract Template |
The required headings depend on the type of research being submitted. Authors must use the headings applicable to their study design.
Original research abstracts must use the following headings:
This structure applies to eligible original research designs, including:
Case report abstracts must use the following headings:
The Case section should clearly describe the relevant clinical presentation, diagnostic assessment, intervention or management, clinical course, and patient outcome.
Information that could directly identify the patient must not be included.
Authors are strongly encouraged to prepare their abstracts according to the reporting guideline appropriate for their study design.
Reporting guidelines help authors provide the information needed for reviewers to assess the validity, reproducibility, transparency, and relevance of the research.
| Study Design | Recommended Reporting Guideline | Recommended Abstract-Specific Form |
|---|---|---|
| Observational studies, including cross-sectional, cohort, and case-control studies | STROBE | STROBE Checklist for Conference Abstracts |
| Randomized controlled trials | CONSORT | CONSORT for Abstracts |
| Non-randomized or quasi-experimental interventions | TREND | Use the applicable TREND items when preparing the abstract |
| Diagnostic accuracy studies | STARD | STARD for Abstracts |
| Meta-analyses | PRISMA | PRISMA for Abstracts |
| Case reports | CARE | Use the applicable CARE Checklist items when preparing the abstract |
| Qualitative studies | COREQ or SRQR | Use the applicable checklist items when preparing the abstract |
| Economic evaluations | CHEERS | Use the applicable CHEERS items when preparing the abstract |
| Animal research | ARRIVE | Use the applicable ARRIVE items when preparing the abstract |
| Quality-improvement studies | SQUIRE | Use the applicable SQUIRE items when preparing the abstract |
| Medical education research | Use the reporting guideline appropriate to the specific study design | For example, STROBE, CONSORT, TREND, COREQ, or SRQR |
Authors should consult the EQUATOR Network to identify the most appropriate reporting guideline when their study design is not listed above.
Submission of a completed reporting checklist is not required unless specifically requested by the IJMS Conference Team. However, authors should use the relevant checklist while writing the abstract to improve reporting completeness.
Systematic reviews without a meta-analysis are not accepted for WCMSR. Eligible meta-analyses should be reported according to PRISMA and PRISMA for Abstracts.
The title should clearly and accurately describe the study.
The title should:
Authors should avoid vague titles such as “A Study of Medical Students” or “An Interesting Clinical Case.”
The Background should briefly explain:
The Background should be concise. It should not contain an extensive literature review or unsupported general statements.
The Aim should state the primary objective or research question clearly and directly.
When possible, the Aim should identify:
Authors should avoid including multiple unrelated objectives in one abstract.
A clear formulation may begin with:
The aim of this study was to evaluate...
or:
We investigated the association between...
The Methods section must contain enough information for reviewers to understand how the study was designed, conducted, and analyzed.
Include the following information whenever applicable:
Avoid vague statements such as:
Standard statistical analyses were performed.
Instead, identify the actual analysis, for example:
Multivariable logistic regression was used to estimate adjusted odds ratios, controlling for age, sex, and duration of disease.
Randomized trials
For randomized trials, identify:
- The intervention and comparator;
- The method of allocation;
- The primary outcome; and
- The number of participants randomized and analyzed.
Diagnostic accuracy studies
For diagnostic accuracy studies, identify:
- The index test;
- The reference standard;
- The study population; and
- The measures of diagnostic performance.
Meta-analyses
For meta-analyses, identify:
- The databases searched;
- The final search date;
- The eligibility criteria;
- The number of included studies;
- The effect measure;
- The statistical model; and
- The method used to assess heterogeneity or risk of bias.
Qualitative studies
For qualitative studies, identify:
- The qualitative approach or methodology;
- The setting and participant-selection strategy;
- The data-collection method;
- The number of participants, interviews, or focus groups;
- The analytic method; and
- Methods used to support rigor or trustworthiness.
Basic science or laboratory studies
For basic science or laboratory studies, identify:
- The experimental model;
- The intervention or exposure;
- The control or comparator;
- The principal laboratory methods;
- The number of experimental units; and
- The analytic methods.
The Results section must present the principal findings of the study. Abstracts stating that results are pending or will be presented later will not be considered complete original research submissions.
Include the following whenever applicable:
Results should be presented with sufficient numerical detail to allow reviewers to evaluate the magnitude and precision of the findings.
A clear quantitative result would be:
Among 412 participants, 89 had diabetic retinopathy, corresponding to a prevalence of 21.6% (95% confidence interval: 17.8%–25.9%).
Avoid statements such as:
The intervention was effective.
Instead, provide the observed effect and its statistical precision.
For case reports, the Case section should include:
Remove dates, initials, locations, images, or other details that could identify the patient unless their inclusion is ethically justified and permitted.
Authors are responsible for obtaining informed consent for publication when required by their institution, applicable law, or publication ethics standards.
The Conclusion should answer the study aim and should be supported directly by the results presented in the abstract.
The Conclusion should:
Authors must not claim causation when the study design supports only an association.
Conclusions should not exaggerate the importance, generalizability, or certainty of the results.
Every abstract must include a minimum of three and a maximum of five keywords.
Keywords should be selected from the Medical Subject Headings vocabulary maintained by the U.S. National Library of Medicine.
Authors should:
Examples of MeSH terms include:
Authors may include a maximum of one visual element:
Authors may not include both a figure and a table.
The figure or table must:
A figure or table that is illegible, incomplete, misleading, or unrelated to the principal findings may be removed or returned for correction.
References, citations, footnotes, and bibliographic lists are not permitted in WCMSR abstracts.
Authors should summarize the relevant scientific context concisely in the Background section without including numbered or author-date citations.
Abstracts must be written in clear, professional scientific English.
Authors are responsible for:
The IJMS Conference Team does not assume responsibility for correcting grammatical, semantic, statistical, or graphical errors in submitted abstracts.
Authors who are not fluent in English are encouraged to have the abstract reviewed by a proficient English speaker before submission.
Abbreviations should be limited to terms used repeatedly in the abstract.
Write the term in full at first mention, followed by the abbreviation in parentheses. The abbreviation may then be used throughout the remainder of the abstract.
Avoid abbreviations in the title whenever possible.
Authors should:
All abstracts must represent original and ethically conducted work.
The following practices are prohibited:
Abstracts may undergo plagiarism screening before scientific peer review. A submission containing plagiarism or another serious research integrity concern may be declined without external review.
Submitted abstracts must not have been previously published in another scientific journal.
When an abstract has previously been presented at another conference, posted in a repository, or disseminated in another format, the corresponding author should disclose this information to the IJMS Conference Team before or during submission.
When authors believe that a previously disseminated abstract remains eligible for consideration, they must provide a complete explanation by emailing conference@ijms.info.
Research involving human participants, identifiable human data, human biological material, or animals must comply with the ethical and regulatory requirements applicable to the institution and country in which the research was conducted.
When applicable, the Methods section should identify:
The IJMS Conference Team may request supporting documentation when ethical approval, consent, or regulatory compliance is unclear.
Authors may use generative artificial intelligence tools for limited language or editorial assistance only when such use complies with IJMS policies.
Artificial intelligence tools:
Authors remain fully responsible for the accuracy, originality, integrity, and content of the submitted abstract, regardless of whether an artificial intelligence tool was used.
A submission may be returned to the corresponding author before peer review when:
When correction is possible, the corresponding author may be given an opportunity to revise the submission before the deadline. Failure to respond within the requested period may result in the submission being declined.
Before submitting, confirm that:
The information entered in the IJMS submission system must match the information contained in the uploaded abstract template. This includes the title, author names, author order, affiliations, corresponding author information, keywords, and abstract text.
Inconsistencies may delay administrative screening and may require correction before the abstract can proceed to peer review.
Contact the IJMS Conference Team at conference@ijms.info.
When asking about an existing submission, include the submission number displayed in the submission URL.
| Download the Abstract Template | Submit an Abstract |
Dear IJMS Readers,
The International Journal of Medical Students (IJMS) is pleased to invite you to the 2026 World Conference of Medical Student Research (WCMSR), taking place live on July 11 and 12, 2026.
WCMSR 2026 brings together medical students, trainees, and early-career researchers from institutions across the...
Dear IJMS Readers,
On behalf of the International Journal of Medical Students (IJMS), we are pleased to announce the research selected for presentation at the World Conference of Medical Student Research (WCMSR), taking place on July 11–12, 2026 freely available for everyone and streemed online in our
This journal is published by Pitt Open Library Publishing.
ISSN 2076-6327 (online)
