Contributor guide · 3 min read
How to propose an educational article
A focused question, a clear audience and an honest account of the evidence make a strong starting point.
Tell us who will read it
An article for a first-year trainee needs a different starting point from one for an experienced teacher. Begin a proposal by identifying the reader. Then explain the question the article will address. You do not need a dramatic story or a novel clinical discovery to propose a useful educational perspective. You do need a clear reason why the discussion will help the intended audience.
Offer a focused angle
A title such as “Medical education” is too broad to guide a short article. A question about preparing a journal-club discussion or explaining the limits of a workshop certificate gives the editor something concrete to assess. Your proposal can include a working title, a short summary and two or three points you plan to develop. Avoid promising a definitive solution when you are offering a perspective.
Explain the basis of the article
Tell the editor whether you are presenting a personal opinion, discussing published literature or describing a documented project. These are different forms of contribution. A proposal should not imply that an intervention has been evaluated if it has only been planned. If you cite a publication, check that it exists and supports the point you intend to make. Links to original sources are preferable to an unattributed summary.
Keep personal material out of the initial proposal
You can explain the educational purpose of a proposed case discussion without sending clinical photographs or identifying details. Do not put names, hospital numbers, reports or patient images into the submission form. If a real case is central to the article, the editor will need to consider consent, confidentiality and institutional requirements before receiving that material. Changing a name alone may not make a story anonymous.
Declare assistance and interests
List co-authors and confirm that they agree to the proposal. Explain relevant affiliations, financial relationships or organisational interests. If AI tools helped with drafting, translation or illustrations, describe that use. Do not list an AI tool as an author. You must be able to explain and verify the work submitted under your name.
Understand the next step
At GeNext Perspectives, the first step is an editorial proposal. We may ask for a full draft, suggest a narrower angle or decline a topic that is outside the publication’s scope. There are no submission or publication fees. An invitation to revise is not a guarantee of publication, and there is no promise of indexing, citation metrics or professional accreditation. Clear communication at the proposal stage helps both writer and editor decide whether to proceed.