Writing from the wards: advice for residents

Area of Science:

• Medical Writing
• Scientific Publication
• Clinical Case Reports

Background:

• Academic writing is crucial for career development but often challenging for residents.
• Motivations include academic interest and knowledge sharing, yet logistical hurdles impede progress.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide concrete advice and structural recommendations for writing clinical case reports.
• To address logistical concerns and guide trainees through the manuscript preparation process.

Main Methods:

• Review of different case report types (sentinel, series, video, teaching).
• Presentation of a "how to" strategy covering idea generation, data collection, and writing.
• Discussion of audience selection, journal choice, and effective co-authorship.

Main Results:

• Writing case reports facilitates self-teaching and knowledge dissemination.
• The process often leads to intermediate outputs like posters and presentations.
• Structured approaches enhance the quality and likelihood of publication.

Conclusions:

• Physicians in training often lack formal journal article writing experience.
• This article provides essential guidance on writing manuscripts based on clinical experience.
• A structured approach empowers trainees to write and publish from clinical settings.