Submission Guidelines

The International Journal of Medical Students invites medical students, recent medical graduates, and their research collaborators to submit abstracts for presentation at the World Conference of Medical Student Research.

The WCMSR will be held online on July 10–11, 2027. Before submitting, authors should review the eligibility criteria, abstract requirements, accepted research categories, submission fees, and review process.

Submission Information

Resource	Purpose
Abstract Requirements	Review the required structure, word limit, formatting rules, reporting guidelines, and final submission checklist.
Presenter Guidelines	Review the requirements for accepted oral and virtual poster presentations.
Frequently Asked Questions	Find answers to common questions about eligibility, fees, submission, review, and participation.

Eligibility requirements, accepted research categories, submission fees, the submission process, review criteria, publication information, and awards are described directly on this page.

Key Information

Who Can Submit?

At least one author must be either:

• A current medical student; or
• A physician within the first three years after medical school graduation.

Researchers at other career stages may participate as co-authors.

What Can Be Submitted?

WCMSR accepts abstracts reporting:

• Original clinical or epidemiological research;
• Basic science and bench research;
• Medical education research;
• Interventional and quasi-experimental studies;
• Meta-analyses; and
• Case reports and case series.

Narrative reviews, systematic reviews without meta-analysis, study protocols, and research outside the conference scope are not accepted.

Abstract Format

• Maximum length: 500 words;
• Three to five MeSH keywords;
• A maximum of one visual item: either one figure or one table;
• References must not be included; and
• The official abstract template must be used.

Abstracts must be submitted in English and should be carefully proofread before submission.

Review the complete abstract requirements

Submission Fee

A submission fee applies to each abstract. Fees are based on the World Bank income classification of the corresponding author's country.

Country Income Classification	Submission Fee
Low income	US$10
Lower-middle income	US$20
Upper-middle income	US$30
High income	US$40

Fee reductions or waivers may be requested when authors have a justifiable financial need. IJMS Student Editors are eligible for a 50% reduction.

Payment may be made through IJMS PayPal or by searching for @editorijms. Authors must retain a PDF or screenshot of the transaction because proof of payment must be uploaded as a supplementary file during submission.

Pay the Submission Fee

Important Dates

Stage	Date
Abstract submissions open	April 1, 2027
Abstract submission deadline	May 10, 2027
Peer-review period	May 11–June 5, 2027
Submission decisions announced	June 10, 2027
Final presentation materials due	June 30, 2027
WCMSR	July 10–11, 2027

Deadline time zone: All deadlines are interpreted according to Eastern Time (ET).

Before You Submit

Confirm that you have completed each of the following steps:

• At least one author meets the student or recent-graduate eligibility requirement.
• All authors meet the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors authorship criteria.
• Each author has an ORCID identifier.
• The study design is accepted by WCMSR.
• The abstract follows the required structure and does not exceed 500 words.
• The official WCMSR abstract template has been completed.
• The abstract has not previously been published in a scientific journal.
• A corresponding author has been designated.
• At least one author is available to present the work if it is accepted.
• The applicable submission fee has been paid or a waiver has been approved.
• Proof of payment is ready to be uploaded as a supplementary file.

Submission at a Glance

1. Review the guidelines. Confirm eligibility and verify that the study design is accepted.
2. Download the template. Prepare the abstract using the official WCMSR abstract template.
3. Pay the submission fee. Retain a PDF or screenshot of the payment confirmation.
4. Submit through the IJMS website. Select Abstracts of the WCMSR as the submission section.
5. Complete the administrative check. The corresponding author will be contacted if information or files are missing.
6. Peer review and decision. Eligible abstracts will undergo scientific review before the final decision.

Submit an Abstract

Download the Abstract Template

View Abstract Requirements

Select the Correct Submission Section

During Step 1 of the IJMS submission process, select Abstracts of the WCMSR from the Section menu.

Important: If the Abstracts of the WCMSR option is not visible, the call for abstracts has not yet opened or has already closed. Do not submit the abstract under another journal section.

Abstracts submitted to an incorrect section will not be treated as conference submissions and may not be considered for WCMSR. Authors are responsible for selecting the correct section and following the published submission instructions. The IJMS Conference Team is not responsible for missed deadlines, administrative ineligibility, or submission fees incurred when an author submits to the wrong section or otherwise fails to comply with these requirements.

How Abstracts Are Evaluated

Complete and eligible abstracts undergo administrative screening, plagiarism screening, and scientific peer review. Reviewers evaluate each abstract according to the following criteria:

Criterion	Maximum Score
Originality	5 points
Quality of the data	5 points
Quality of the methods	5 points
Clarity of writing and conclusions	5 points
Potential scientific or societal impact	5 points
Maximum Total Score	25 points

Acceptance is based on scientific quality, compliance with the submission requirements, available space in the conference program, and appropriate international and regional representation.

What Happens After Acceptance?

Authors of accepted abstracts will receive a formal invitation to participate in WCMSR. The corresponding author must confirm participation and identify the presenting author within the period stated in the acceptance communication.

Accepted presenters will be required to:

• Prepare an oral or virtual poster presentation in the assigned format;
• Upload the final presentation materials by the established deadline;
• Submit a prerecorded presentation video;
• Attend one mandatory platform testing session; and
• Present the work live during the assigned conference session.

Failure to submit the required materials or attend a testing session may result in removal from the conference program.

Review the presenter guidelines

Publication and Awards

Abstracts accepted and presented at WCMSR will be published in the IJMS conference supplement. Each published abstract will receive an individual digital object identifier.

Abstract publication does not guarantee acceptance of a subsequent full-length manuscript. Full manuscripts must be submitted separately and will undergo the journal's standard editorial and peer-review process.

Eligible presentations may be considered for conference awards, including awards for original research, case reports, basic science, peer-review score, and audience preference.

Questions?

Contact the IJMS Conference Team at conference@ijms.info.

When contacting the team about an existing submission, include the submission number shown in the submission URL.

Submit an Abstract

Download the Abstract Template

View Abstract Requirements