Submit to other departments

For submissions to all other departments:

  • Review and follow all Editorial Policies before submitting a manuscript.
  • Submit manuscripts, preferably in Word, via email to the attention of the editor-in-chief journal@doctorsofbc.ca.
  • Include your name, relevant degrees, professional/institutional affiliation, email address, and phone number.
  • Avoid unnecessary formatting (we strip all formatting from manuscripts).
  • Double-space all parts of all submissions.
  • Use continuous line numbering.
  • Number all pages consecutively.
  • References:
    • Authors are responsible for reference accuracy. 
    • Keep to fewer than 30.
    • Must be numbered consecutively in the order in which they appear in the text. 
    • Avoid using auto-numbering. 
    • Ensure in-text references are in correct numerical order.
    • Include all relevant details regarding publication, including correct abbreviation of journal titles, as in the List of Journals Indexed for MEDLINE; year, volume number, inclusive page numbers, and DOI if available; full names and locations of book publishers; inclusive page numbers of relevant source material; full web address of the document, not just the host page, and date the page was accessed.
  • Manuscripts are subject to copyediting and editorial revisions, but authors remain responsible for statements in the work, including editorial changes; for accuracy of references; and for obtaining permissions. 
  • The journal will communicate with the corresponding author during the manuscript submission, peer-review, and publication process.

Departments:

BCMD2B (medical student column) 
  • An article on any medicine-related topic by a BC physician-in-training. 
  • The BCMJ also welcomes student submissions of letters and clinical/scientific articles.
  • BCMD2B and student-written clinical articles are eligible for an annual $750 medical student writing prize.
  • Fewer than 2000 words.
  • Peer reviewed by the BCMJ Editorial Board
  • Complete the journal’s online Author Form.
BC Stories
  • Write about a passion of yours (or a colleague’s) unrelated to being a physician. 
  • May be on any topic that relates to the life of a British Columbia physician outside of medicine. 
  • Consider arts, humanities, BC travel, sports, or anything else that you or your colleague is passionate about. 
  • For stories focusing on the medical career of a physician, use the Physician Spotlight section. 
  • Include high-resolution photos or other images when possible. 
  • Should be written in a personal, narrative voice and focus on BC. 
  • Can be 1000–2000 words.
  • Peer reviewed by the BCMJ Editorial Board.
Beyond Medicine
  • Nonclinical articles, stories, history, or any factual narrative that doesn’t fit elsewhere in the BCMJ. 
  • Fewer than 2000 words.
  • Peer reviewed by the BCMJ Editorial Board.
Blog Post
  • A short, timely piece for online publication on www.bcmj.org/blog. 
  • Submissions on any health-related topic of interest to BC physicians will be considered. 
  • Should be current, contain links to related and source content, and be written in a conversational, educational tone (rather than a promotional tone).
  • Anyone is welcome to submit a blog post for consideration, but publication is not guaranteed. 
  • You may either submit a completed post or send a query note first. In either case, please include the word “blog” in the subject line.
  • If your submitted blog post is selected for publication, we will contact you. 
  • Fewer than 500 words.
News
  • A miscellany of short news items, notices, announcements, requests for study participants, and so on. 
  • Not published in print (online only).
  • Fewer than 500 words.
Obituaries
  • Include birth and death dates, full name and name deceased was best known by, key hospital and professional affiliations, relevant biographical data, and high-resolution photo. 
  • Maximum 700 words for print, 2000 for online.
Physician Spotlight
  • A biographical feature of a living BC physician. 
  • May include images. 
  • Fewer than 2000 words.
  • Peer reviewed by the BCMJ Editorial Board.
  • Example questions to lead an interview with a colleague, as a jumping-off point for an essay, or to answer about yourself:
    • What is your greatest achievement or the proudest moment of your career?
    • Tell us about an initiative you want people to know about.
    • What brings you the most happiness?
    • What is your motto?
    • What do you wish you knew when you were a medical student?
    • What medical advance do you most anticipate?
    • What is something you’ve learned from a patient?
    • Tell us how you have been inspired by one of your heroes.
Point-Counterpoint
  • Essays presenting two opposing viewpoints; at least one is usually solicited by the BCMJ. 
  • Fewer than 2000 words each.
  • Peer reviewed by the BCMJ Editorial Board.
  • Complete the journal’s online Author Form.
Premise
  • Essays on any medicine-related topic (opinion pieces); may or may not be referenced. 
  • Fewer than 2000 words.
  • Peer reviewed by the BCMJ Editorial Board.
  • Complete the journal’s online Author Form.