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.
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.
Key Information
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
- 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
- One figure or one table may be included
- References must not be included
- The official abstract template must be used
Abstracts must be submitted in English and should be carefully proofread before submission.
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.
You can pay here: IJMS PayPal or search for @editorijms. Please keep a record of your transaction, as a copy (PDF or screenshot) must be uploaded as a supplementary file during submission.
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 should be 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
- Review the guidelines. Confirm eligibility and verify that the study design is accepted.
- Download the template. Prepare the abstract using the official WCMSR abstract template.
- Pay the submission fee. Retain a PDF or screenshot of the payment confirmation.
- Submit through the IJMS website. Select Abstracts of the WCMSR as the submission section.
- Complete the administrative check. The corresponding author will be contacted if information or files are missing.
- Peer review and decision. Eligible abstracts will undergo scientific review before the final decision.
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.
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.
