Instructions for Authors

Comprehensive guidelines for preparing and submitting primary care research manuscripts to the journal.

IJGP publishes several article formats, each with specific requirements tailored to its purpose and expected contribution to primary care knowledge and practice.

Organize original primary care research manuscripts following standard medical format. Clear structure enhances readability and facilitates peer review of family medicine articles.

• Title page: Concise title (maximum 150 characters), all author names and affiliations, corresponding author contact, word count, and conflict disclosures
• Abstract: Structured format with background, methods, results, and conclusions. Include 4-6 keywords for indexing
• Introduction: Background context, research question rationale, and study objectives for primary care investigation
• Methods: Detailed methodology enabling replication, including study design, patient population, interventions, and analysis approaches
• Results: Objective findings without interpretation, organized logically with supporting tables and figures
• Discussion: Interpretation of findings, comparison with existing literature, limitations, and clinical implications
• References: Vancouver format throughout manuscript with proper citation

Proper formatting ensures consistent presentation and efficient processing of primary care manuscripts through the production workflow.

All primary care research must comply with established ethical standards. Authors bear responsibility for ensuring appropriate approvals and consent for clinical research.

• Institutional Review Board or Ethics Committee approval required for research involving patients
• Informed consent documentation for all patient participants in clinical studies
• Patient privacy protection following HIPAA and equivalent international standards
• Complete conflict of interest disclosure including pharmaceutical relationships
• Clinical trial registration for intervention studies before enrollment

IJGP recommends adherence to appropriate reporting guidelines based on study design. These standards ensure completeness and transparency in primary care research reporting.

• STROBE: Observational studies of patient populations and clinical outcomes
• CONSORT: Randomized controlled trials evaluating clinical interventions
• PRISMA: Systematic reviews and meta-analyses of primary care literature
• SQUIRE: Quality improvement studies in clinical settings
• CARE: Case reports ensuring educational value and patient privacy

Submit manuscripts through our online ManuscriptZone system. The platform guides authors through required information and document uploads for primary care submissions.

All primary care submissions undergo rigorous peer review by at least two qualified reviewers with relevant expertise in family medicine. The review process evaluates scientific validity, methodological rigor, originality, and clinical contribution. Authors receive detailed feedback with constructive suggestions for improvement. Initial editorial decisions are typically communicated within four weeks of submission.

IJGP uses Vancouver reference style throughout all manuscripts. References should be numbered consecutively in order of first citation in the text using superscript numerals. Include up to six authors; if more than six, list the first six followed by "et al." Ensure all references are complete with author names, article titles, journal abbreviations, publication year, volume, and page numbers.

Reference accuracy is the author's responsibility. Verify all citations against original sources before submission. Incomplete or inaccurate references may delay manuscript processing and publication timelines.

All listed authors must meet ICMJE authorship criteria demonstrating substantial contributions to the work. Each author should have participated in conception or design of the study, data acquisition or analysis, manuscript drafting or critical revision, and final approval of the submitted version. Authors must agree to be accountable for all aspects of the work.

Acknowledge individuals who contributed to the work but do not meet full authorship criteria in a separate acknowledgments section. This includes technical assistance, writing support, general supervision, and funding acquisition.

Manuscripts must be submitted in English with clear, concise scientific writing. Authors whose first language is not English are encouraged to seek professional language editing before submission to ensure clarity. IJGP offers language editing services through our Editorial Office for authors requiring assistance with English presentation.

When revision is requested, authors should address all reviewer comments systematically with point-by-point responses. Highlight changes in the revised manuscript to facilitate re-review using track changes or colored text. Revisions are typically due within 30 days for minor and 60 days for major revisions. Authors may request extensions if additional time is needed by contacting the editorial office promptly.

All accepted articles are published under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0), enabling broad sharing and reuse with appropriate attribution. Authors retain copyright to their work. Article processing charges apply upon acceptance; fee waivers are available for qualifying authors from low-income countries or experiencing financial hardship.

IJGP provides ongoing support after publication. Published authors can request citation metrics, altmetric data, and usage statistics for their primary care research. The editorial team assists with corrections, author profile updates, and repository integration for long-term accessibility. Published articles are indexed across major academic databases ensuring global visibility for your research contributions.