The Apprentice
Author Submission Guidelines
- Categories of manuscripts
All submissions must be relevant to the field of medicine and fall into one of the following categories:
Original Articles
The Apprentice encourages original research that involves at least one medical student from a Sri Lankan Medical Faculty or a recently graduated doctor. The abstract must be structured into four sections (background, methods, results, and conclusion) and should not exceed 250 words. The main article must be structured as introduction including objectives, methods, results, discussion, recommendations and conclusions, author declarations and references.
Word limit: 3,500 words (excluding the title page, author declarations, references, tables, figures and captions). Tables and Figures in total should not be more than 4.
Organisation of the Manuscript:
The manuscript should be structured with sections in the following order: -
Title page
The title page should show the main title and the list of authors in the order in which it should appear in the published article. The full name, institutional affiliation and email address of each author should be given. The corresponding author should be indicated.
The number of words in the abstract and the article (excluding author declarations, references, figures and legends, and tables), and the number of tables and figures should be indicated.
Abstract
The abstract should not exceed 250 words.
- Introduction: statement of the problem and the purpose of the study
- Objectives
- Methods: how the study was performed and statistical tests used
- Results: the main findings
- Conclusions & Recommendations: summary and potential implications
Keywords: immediately below the abstract, 3-5 keywords that identify the main topics in the paper
Introduction
This section should present a clear overview of the research problem, drawing on existing literature to demonstrate the need for this study. The objectives should be explicitly stated at the end of the introduction.
Methods
This section should provide details on the study's:
- Design and setting: The overall research design and where the study took place.
- Participants or materials: The characteristics of the study participants (including inclusion and exclusion criteria) or a description of the materials used.
- Sample size: The calculated sample size, including the underlying assumptions and a power calculation if applicable.
- Sampling method: The specific method used to select participants.
- Study instruments and variables: A clear description of the instruments used and definitions of the variables.
- Data collection: The procedures followed for data collection, including processes, interventions, and outcomes assessed in trials.
- Statistical analysis: A summary of the statistical methods employed, including the specific tests used."
Results
This section should present a clear and concise summary of the study's findings, supported by statistical analysis.
Discussion
This section should compare the study's findings to relevant literature, discuss the significance of the results within the existing body of knowledge, and acknowledge the study's strengths and weaknesses.
Conclusions & Recommendations
The conclusion section should clearly state the main findings and explain their significance and relevance within the field of study.
Author Declarations
Authors are required to declare the following at the conclusion of the manuscript, where relevant.
- Ethical approval and consent
All studies involving human participants, data, or tissue are required to provide a statement on ethical approval and consent. The statement should specify the ethics review committee that approved the study and the committee's reference number.
- Funding
All funding sources for the research must be acknowledged. If the funding body had any influence on the study's design, data collection, analysis, interpretation, or manuscript preparation, this should be stated.
- Disclosure Statement
The journal requires that all authors disclose any potential sources of conflict of interest.
- Acknowledgment
Acknowledgments should be restricted to individuals who have contributed to the scientific content or provided technical assistance
- Author contributions
For studies with multiple authors, please indicate the individual contributions of each author.
References
See below for details.
Case Reports
Case reports highlight interesting diagnostic challenges, detailing how these cases were resolved to inform and inspire readers. Essential components include history, examination, investigations, management, and outcomes, with a structured discussion to enhance educational value. An unstructured abstract stating the background, case and conclusion not exceeding 150 words should be included. A maximum of two images is allowed, provided they meet the criteria for figures and tables. All case reports submitted by students must receive approval from a senior consultant in the relevant ward. Case reports not meeting the criteria for print publication may still be featured online.
Word limit: 1,000 words
Reviews
The journal welcomes comprehensive reviews that synthesize existing literature on a specific medical topic. Reviews should provide a critical analysis and highlight significant findings, trends, and gaps in the current knowledge base.
Word limit: 3,500 words
Special Sections
Book/Media Reviews: Reviews of books, software, or mobile applications related to medical subjects are welcome.
Word limit: 500 words
Letters to the Editor: These may discuss materials from previous volumes or address subjects of interest.
Word limit: 300 words
Interviews: The Editorial Board will invite interviews with prominent figures in medicine and emerging experts to inspire readers.
Images: Submitted images must be original and owned by the sender. They should not infringe on any third-party rights. Each submission should include a title and a brief description (under 50 words). Photos should be submitted in JPEG/PNG format at the highest resolution. Images must be included twice: once within the manuscript and once separately.
Invited Articles/Expert Comments: Contributions from experts in various medical fields are encouraged to engage and inspire young readers.
Word limit: 1,000 words
Perspectives/Experiences and Open Articles: Articles reflecting on recent research or personal experiences in the field are welcome. Submissions that offer personal insights or highlight interesting studies are encouraged.
Word limit: 500 words
- 2. Format and Style of Manuscripts/Articles
Manuscripts should be formatted as follows:
Document Format: Open Office, Microsoft Word
Font: Times New Roman, size 12
Alignment: Justified
Spacing: 1.5
Margins: Left: 40mm; Top, Bottom, Right: 20mm
Headings: Centre-aligned and bold for chapter headings; left-aligned and bold for subheadings
All pages should be numbered in sequence.
Line numbers should be added to the text.
All visual elements, such as illustrations, figures, and tables, should be positioned after the references.
Referencing:
Use Vancouver style for in-text citations, indicated in superscript. References should be numbered in the order of citation and formatted as follows:
Author(s) surname, initials. Title of article/book. Year; Volume (Issue): Page range. DOI (if available).
For unpublished works or personal communications, permissions must be obtained and documented.
Tables and Figures:
Tables and figures should enhance the text and be submitted in a simple design. All tables and figures must be separately submitted and appropriately referenced in the manuscript.
- Ethical Considerations
Ethical approval must be obtained for original research when applicable.
- Plagiarism
The journal maintains a zero-tolerance policy regarding plagiarism.
- Submission Process
Manuscripts should be submitted via email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. before the specified deadline. Each submission must include a completed submission form.
- Editorial and Peer-Review Process
The Apprentice will follow a double-blind peer review process. Each article will be reviewed by two independent reviewers (names of the authors are not revealed to the reviewers and vice versa until the initial decision is made on the manuscript). The review will focus on the originality of the work, scientific validity of the study and its findings, ethical conduct, and clinical and public health implications. Reviewers comprise members of the Editorial Board including local or international experts on specific content/field, if required.
The review process may take several weeks, and authors will be notified of decisions via email. Possible outcomes include acceptance, revisions, resubmission, or decline. Authors will receive feedback for any required revisions.
- Consent to participate
Informed consent must be obtained from all human participants in the study, or from their legal guardians in the case of minors or individuals with mental or physical incapacities. A statement confirming this should be included in the "Ethical Approval" section of the manuscript under "Author Declarations."
- Disclosure Statement
All authors must disclose any financial or non-financial conflicts of interest related to the research presented in the manuscript. A "Disclosure Statement" should be included in the "Author Declarations" section. If there are no conflicts of interest, the statement should read, "The authors declare no competing interests”.
- Authorship Policy
Individual author contributions should be clearly stated in the 'Author Contributions' section under 'Author Declarations' to ensure appropriate recognition.
According to the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) guidelines, an author is defined as someone who has:
- Substantially contributed to the study's conception, design, data collection, analysis, or interpretation.
- Been involved in drafting or revising the manuscript for important intellectual content.
- Provided final approval of the published version.
- Taken public responsibility for their contributions and agreed to address any questions related to the accuracy or integrity of the work.
Please note that funding, data collection, or general supervision alone do not qualify someone as an author.
- Acknowledgements
Individuals who made significant contributions to the study but do not qualify as authors should be recognized in the 'Acknowledgments' section under 'Author Declarations.
- Publishing Criteria
Criteria for publication include originality, transparency, readability, factual accuracy, clear authorship roles, and disclosure of conflicts of interest. Each author must have made a significant intellectual contribution to the manuscript, with the final decision to publish resting with the senior editorial advisory board.