CHM Office of Reseach

Writing a Case Report

This page is intended for medical students, residents or others who do not have much experience with case reports, but are planning on writing one.  

What is a case report?  A medical case report, also known as a case study, is a detailed description of a clinical encounter with a patient.  The most important aspect of a case report, i.e. the reason you would go to the trouble of writing one, is that the case is sufficiently unique, rare or interesting such that other medical professionals will learn something from it.   

Case reports are commonly of the following categories :

- Rare diseases

- Unusual presentation of disease

- Unexpected events

- Unusual combination of diseases or conditions

- Difficult or inconclusive diagnosis

- Treatment or management challenges

- Personal impact

- Observations that shed new light on a disease or condition

- Anatomical variations

It is important that you recognize what is unique or interesting about your case, and this must be described clearly in the case report.

Case reports generally take the format of :

1. Background

2. Case presentation

3. Observations and investigation

4. Diagnosis

5. Treatment

7. Discussion

Does a case report require IRB approval?

Case reports typically discuss a single patient. If this is true for your case report, then it most likely does not require IRB approval because it not considered research.    If you have more than one patient, your study could qualify as a Case Series, which would require IRB review.  If you have questions, you chould check your local IRB's guidelines on reviewing case reports.

Are there other rules for writing a case report?

First, you will be collecting protected health information, thus HIPAA applies to case reports.   Spectrum Health has created a very helpful guidance document for case reports, which you can see here:   Case Report Guidance - Spectrum Health

While this guidance document was created by Spectrum Health, the rules and regulations outlined could apply to any case report.  This includes answering questions like: Do I need written HIPAA authorization to publish a case report?  When do I need IRB review of a case report?  What qualifies as a patient identifier?

How do I get started?

1. We STRONGLY encourage you to consult the CARE Guidelines, which provide guidance on writing case reports -  https://www.care-statement.org/

Specifically, the checklist -  https://www.care-statement.org/checklist  - which explains exactly the information you should collect and include in your case report.  

2. Identify a case.  If you are a medical student, you may not yet have the clinical expertise to determine if a specific case is worth writing up.  If so, you must seek the help of a clinician.  It is common for students to ask attendings or residents if they have any interesting cases that can be used for a case report. 

3. Select a journal or two to which you think you will submit the case report.   Journals often have specific requirements for publishing case reports, which could include a requirement for informed consent, a letter or statement from the IRB and other things.  Journals may also charge publication fees (see Is it free to publish? below)   

4. Obtain informed consent from the patient (see " Do I have to obtain informed consent from the patient? " below).  Journals may have their own informed consent form that they would like you to use, so please look for this when selecting a journal.

Once you've identified the case, selected an appropriate journal(s), and considered informed consent, you can collect the required information to write the case report.

How do I write a case report?

Once you identify a case and have learned what information to include in the case report, try to find a previously published case report.  Finding published case reports in a similar field will provide examples to guide you through the process of writing a case report.    

One journal you can consult is BMJ Case Reports .  MSU has an institutional fellowship with BMJ Case Reports which allows MSU faculty, staff and students to publish in this journal for free.  See this page for a link to the journal and more information on publishing-    https://lib.msu.edu/medicalwriting_publishing/

There are numerous other journals where you can find published case reports to help guide you in your writing. 

Do I have to obtain informed consent from the patient?

The CARE guidelines recommend obtaining informed consent from patients for all case reports.  Our recommendation is to obtain informed consent from the patient.  Although not technically required, especially if the case report does not include any identifying information, some journals require informed consent for all case reports before publishing.  The CARE guidelines recommend obtaining informed consent AND the patient's perspective on the treatment/outcome (if possible).  Please consider this as well.  

If required, it is recommended you obtain informed consent before the case report is written.

An example of a case report consent form can be found on the BMJ Case Reports website, which you can access via the MSU library page -  https://casereports.bmj.com/ .  Go to "Instructions for Authors" and then "Patient Consent" to find the consent form they use.  You can create a similar form to obtain consent from your patient.  If you have identified a journal already, please consult their requirements and determine if they have a specific consent form they would like you to use.

Seek feedback

Once you have written a draft of the case report, you should seek feedback on your writing, from experts in the field if possible, or from those who have written case reports before.   

Selecting a journal

Aside from BMJ Case Reports mentioned above, there are many, many journals out there who publish medical case reports.   Ask your mentor if they have a journal they would like to use.  If you need to select on your own, here are some strategies:

1. Do a PubMed search.  https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/

   a. Do a search for a topic, disease or other feature of your case report 

   b. When the results appear, on the left side of the page is a limiter for "article type".  Case reports are an article type to which you can limit your search results.  If you don't see that option on the left, click "additional filters". 

   c. Review the case reports that come up and see what journals they are published in.

2. Use JANE -  https://jane.biosemantics.org/

3. Check with specialty societies.  Many specialty societies are affiliated with one or more journal, which can be reviewed for ones that match your needs

4. Search through individual publisher journal lists.  Elsevier publishes many different medical research journals, and they have a journal finder, much like JANE  ( https://journalfinder.elsevier.com/ ).  This is exclusive to Elsevier journals.  There are many other publishers of medical journals for review, including Springer, Dove Press, BMJ, BMC, Wiley, Sage, Nature and many others.

Is it free to publish ?

Be aware that it may not be free to publish your case report.  Many journals charge publication fees. Of note, many open access journals charge author fees of thousands of dollars.  Other journals have smaller page charges (i.e. $60 per page), and still others will publish for free, with an "open access option".  It is best practice to check the journal's Info for Authors section or Author Center to determine what the cost is to publish.  MSU-CHM does NOT have funds to support publication costs, so this is an important step if you do not want to pay out of pocket for publishing

*A more thorough discussion on finding a journal, publication costs, predatory journals and other publication-related issues can be found here:   https://research.chm.msu.edu/students-residents/finding-a-journal

Gagnier JJ, Kienle G, Altman DG, Moher D, Sox H, Riley D. 2013. The CARE guidelines: Consensus-based clinical case reporting guideline development.  Glob Adv Health Med . 2:38-43. doi:  10.7453/gahmj.2013.008

Riley DS, Barber MS, Kienle GS, AronsonJK, von Schoen-Angerer T, Tugwell P, Kiene H, Helfand M, Altman DG, Sox H, Werthmann PG, Moher D, Rison RA, Shamseer L, Koch CA, Sun GH, Hanaway P, Sudak NL, Kaszkin-Bettag M, Carpenter JE, Gagnier JJ. 2017.  CARE guidelines for case reports: explanation and elaboration document . J Clin Epidemiol . 89:218-234. doi: 10.1016/j.jclinepi.2017.04.026 

Guidelines to writing a clinical case report. 2017. Heart Views . 18:104-105. doi:  10.4103/1995-705X.217857

Ortega-Loubon C, Culquichicon C, Correa R. The importance of writing and publishing case reports during medical education. 2017. Cureus. 9:e1964. doi:  10.7759/cureus.1964

Writing and publishing a useful and interesting case report. 2019. BMJ Case Reports.  https://casereports.bmj.com/pages/wp-content/uploads/sites/69/2019/04/How-to-write-a-Case-Report-DIGITAL.pdf

Camm CF. Writing an excellent case report: EHJ Case Reports , Case of the Year 2019. 2020. European Heart Jounrnal. 41:1230-1231.  https://doi.org/10.1093/eurheartj/ehaa176  

*content developed by Mark Trottier, PhD

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  • Medical Studies

How to Write a Medical Case Study Report

Last Updated: July 5, 2022 Fact Checked

This article was medically reviewed by Mark Ziats, MD, PhD and by wikiHow staff writer, Jennifer Mueller, JD . Dr. Mark Ziats is an Internal Medicine Physician, Scientist, Entrepreneur, and the Medical Director of xBiotech. With over five years of experience, he specializes in biotechnology, genomics, and medical devices. He earned a Doctor of Medicine degree from Baylor College of Medicine, a Ph.D. in Genetics from the University of Cambridge, and a BS in Biochemistry and Chemistry from Clemson University. He also completed the INNoVATE Program in Biotechnology Entrepreneurship at The Johns Hopkins University - Carey Business School. Dr. Ziats is board certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine. There are 16 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 185,128 times.

You've encountered an interesting and unusual case on your rounds, and a colleague or supervising physician says, "Why don't you write up a case study report?" If you've never written one before, that might sound intimidating, but it's a great way to get started in medical writing. Case studies always follow a standard structure and format, so the writing is very formulaic once you get the hang of it. Read on for a step-by-step guide to writing your first case study report.

What is a case study report?

Step 1 A case study report is an academic publication describing an unusual or unique case.

  • Medical students or residents typically do the bulk of the writing of the report. If you're just starting your medical career, a case study report is a great way to get a publication under your belt. [2] X Research source

Step 2 Your report discusses the case presented by one patient.

  • If the patient is a minor or is incapable of giving informed consent, get consent from their parents or closest relative. [4] X Trustworthy Source PubMed Central Journal archive from the U.S. National Institutes of Health Go to source
  • Your hospital likely has specific consent forms to use. Ask your supervising physician if you're not sure where to get one.
  • Some journals also have their own consent form. Check your target journal's author or submission information to make sure. [5] X Research source

How is a case study report structured?

Step 1 A typical report consists of an abstract, intro, case description, discussion, and conclusion.

  • Even though the introduction is the first part of a case study report, doctors typically write it last. You'll have a better idea of how to introduce your case study to readers after you've written it.
  • Your abstract comes at the top, before the introduction, and provides a brief summary of the entire report. Unless your case study is published in an open-access journal, the abstract is the only part of the article many readers will see.

Step 2 Check your target journal for possible variations.

  • Many journals offer templates and checklists you can use to make sure your case study includes everything necessary and is formatted properly—take advantage of these! Some journals, such as BMJ Case Reports , require all case studies submitted to use their templates.

Drafting Your Medical Case Study Report

Step 1 Pull all of the hospital records for the case.

  • Patient description
  • Chronological case history
  • Physical exam results
  • Results of any pathological tests, imaging, or other investigations
  • Treatment plan
  • Expected outcome of treatment
  • Actual outcome of treatment

Step 2 Write a draft of the case presentation.

  • Why the patient sought medical help (you can even use their own words)
  • Important information that helped you settle on your diagnosis
  • The results of your clinical examination, including diagnostic tests and their results, along with any helpful images
  • A description of the treatment plan
  • The outcome, including how and why treatment ended and how long the patient was under your care [11] X Trustworthy Source PubMed Central Journal archive from the U.S. National Institutes of Health Go to source

Step 3 Research the existing literature on the patient's condition and treatment.

  • You will need references to back up symptoms of the condition, common treatment, and the expected outcome of that common treatment.
  • Use your research to paint a picture of the usual case of a patient with a similar condition—it'll help you show how unusual and different your patient's case is.
  • Generally, aim for around 20 references—no fewer than 15, but no more than 25. [13] X Trustworthy Source PubMed Central Journal archive from the U.S. National Institutes of Health Go to source

Step 4 Write a section discussing the case in light of your research.

  • Close your discussion section with a summary of the lessons learned from the case and why it's significant to consider when treating similar cases in the future.
  • Outline any open questions that remain. You might also provide suggestions for future research.

Step 5 Complete your introduction and conclusion after you've written the body.

  • In your conclusion, you might also give suggestions or recommendations to readers based on what you learned as a result of the case.
  • Some journals don't want a separate conclusion section. If that's the case for one of your target journals, just move this paragraph to the end of your discussion section.

Polishing Your Report for Submission to Publishers

Step 1 Come up with a title for your case study.

  • Most titles are fewer than 10 words long and include the name of the disease or condition treated.
  • You might also include the treatment used and whether the outcome was successful. When deciding what to include, think about the reason you wrote the case study in the first place and why you think it's important for other clinicians to read.

Step 2 Identify the authors of the report on the title page.

  • Made a significant intellectual contribution to the case study report
  • Was involved in the medical care of the patient reported
  • Can explain and defend the data presented in the report
  • Has approved the final manuscript before submission for publication

Step 3 Write an abstract summarizing the entire article.

  • Keep in mind that the abstract is not just going to be the first thing people read—it will often be the only thing people read. Make sure that if someone is going to walk away having only read the abstract, they'll still get the same message they would have if they read the whole thing.
  • There are 2 basic types of abstract: narrative and structured. A narrative abstract is a single paragraph written in narrative prose. A structured abstract includes headings that correspond with the sections of the paper, then a brief summary of each section. Use the format preferred by your target journal.

Step 4 Choose keywords that will help readers find your case study.

  • Look for keywords that are relevant to your field or sub-field and directly related to the content of your article, such as the name of the condition or specific treatments you used.
  • Most journals allow 4-8 keywords but check the submission guidelines of your target journal to make sure.

Step 5 Obscure the patient's identity.

  • Blur out the patient's face as well as any tattoos, birthmarks, or unrelated scars that are visible in diagnostic images.

Step 6 Include your acknowledgments and conflict of interest statement.

  • It's common to thank the patient, but that's up to you. Even if you don't, include a statement indicating that you have the patient's written, informed consent to publish the information.
  • Read the journal's submission guidelines for a definition of what that journal considers a conflict of interest. They're generally the same, but some might be stricter than others. [22] X Research source

Step 7 Compile and format your reference section.

  • If you're not familiar with the citation style used by your target journal, check online for a guide. There might also be one available at your hospital or medical school library.
  • Medical librarians can also help with citation style and references if you run into something tricky—don't just wing it! Correct citation style insures that readers can access the materials you cite.

Step 8 Get feedback on your final draft.

  • It's also a good idea to get a beta reader who isn't a medical professional. Their comments can help you figure out where you need to clarify your points.
  • Read a lot of case studies published in your target journals—it will help you internalize the tone and style that journal is looking for.

Submitting Your Report to Publishers

Step 1 Choose target journals that publish similar content.

  • Look into the background and reputation of journals before you decide to submit to them. Only seek publication from reputable journals in which articles go through a peer-review process.
  • Find out what publishing fees the journals charge. Keep in mind that open-access journals tend to charge higher publishing fees. [26] X Research source
  • Read each journal's submission and editorial guidelines carefully. They'll tell you exactly how to format your case study, how long each section should be, and what citation style to use. [27] X Research source
  • For electronic journals that only publish case reports, try BMJ Case Reports , Journal of Medical Case Reports , or Radiology Case Reports .

Step 2 Submit your manuscript according to the journal's requirements.

  • If your manuscript isn't suitable for the journal you submitted to, the journal might offer to forward it to an associated journal where it would be a better fit.
  • When your manuscript is provisionally accepted, the journal will send it to other doctors for evaluation under the peer-review process.
  • Most medical journals don't accept simultaneous submissions, meaning you'll have to submit to your first choice, wait for their decision, then move to the next journal on the list if they don't bite.

Step 3 Revise your manuscript based on peer review comments.

  • Along with your revised manuscript, include a letter with your response to each of the reviewer's comments. Where you made revisions, add page numbers to indicate where the revisions are that address that reviewer's comments.
  • Sometimes, doctors involved in the peer review process will indicate that the journal should reject the manuscript. If that's the case, you'll get a letter explaining why your case study report won't be published and you're free to submit it elsewhere.

Step 4 Complete final copy-editing if the editors approve your article.

  • Some journals require you to have your article professionally copy-edited at your own cost while others do this in-house. The editors will let you know what you're responsible for.

Step 5 Pay the article processing charge if your article is accepted.

  • With your acceptance letter, you'll get instructions on how to make payment and how much you owe. Take note of the deadline and make sure you pay it as soon as possible to avoid publication delays.
  • Some journals will publish for free, with an "open-access option" that allows you to pay a fee only if you want open access to your article. [32] X Research source

Step 6 Sign your publishing agreement.

  • Through the publishing agreement, you assign your copyright in the article to the journal. This allows the journal to legally publish your work. That assignment can be exclusive or non-exclusive and may only last for a specific term. Read these details carefully!
  • If you published an open-access article, you don't assign the copyright to the publisher. The publishing agreement merely gives the journal the right to publish the "Version of Record." [34] X Research source

How do I find a suitable case for a report?

Step 1 Keep your eye out for unusual or interesting cases.

  • A rare disease, or unusual presentation of any disease
  • An unusual combination of diseases or conditions
  • A difficult or inconclusive diagnosis
  • Unexpected developments or responses to treatment
  • Personal impact
  • Observations that shed new light on the patient's disease or condition

Step 2 Discuss possible cases with your medical team.

  • There might be other members of your medical team that want to help with writing. If so, use one of these brainstorming sessions to divvy up writing responsibilities in a way that makes the most sense given your relative skills and experience.
  • Senior doctors might also be able to name some journals that would potentially publish your case study. [37] X Research source

Expert Q&A

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  • ↑ https://www.elsevier.com/connect/authors-update/the-dos-and-donts-of-writing-and-publishing-case-reports
  • ↑ https://www.bmj.com/content/350/bmj.h2693
  • ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5686928/
  • ↑ https://health.usf.edu/medicine/internalmedicine/im-impact/~/media/B3A3421F4C144FA090AE965C21791A3C.ashx
  • ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2597880/
  • ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6476221/
  • ↑ https://www.springer.com/gp/authors-editors/authorandreviewertutorials/writing-a-journal-manuscript/title-abstract-and-keywords/10285522
  • ↑ http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2597880/
  • ↑ https://thelancet.com/pb/assets/raw/Lancet/authors/tl-info-for-authors.pdf
  • ↑ https://jmedicalcasereports.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13256-017-1351-y
  • ↑ https://guides.himmelfarb.gwu.edu/casereports
  • ↑ https://casereports.bmj.com/pages/authors/
  • ↑ https://jmedicalcasereports.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1752-1947-7-239
  • ↑ https://research.chm.msu.edu/students-residents/writing-a-case-report
  • ↑ https://www.elsevier.com/__data/assets/pdf_file/0006/98619/Sample-P-copyright-2.pdf
  • ↑ https://authorservices.taylorandfrancis.com/publishing-your-research/moving-through-production/copyright-for-journal-authors/#

About This Article

Mark Ziats, MD, PhD

Medical Disclaimer

The content of this article is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, examination, diagnosis, or treatment. You should always contact your doctor or other qualified healthcare professional before starting, changing, or stopping any kind of health treatment.

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To start a medical case study report, first choose a title that clearly reflects the contents of the report. You’ll also need to list any participating authors and develop a list of keywords, as well as an abstract summarizing the report. Your report will need to include an introduction summarizing the context of the report, as well as a detailed presentation of the case. Don’t forget to include a thorough citation list and acknowledgements of anyone else who participated in the study. For more tips from our Medical co-author, including how to get your case study report published, keep reading! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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What is a Case Report?

"A case report is a description of a single case with unique features. This includes a previously unreported clinical condition, previously unreported observation of a recognised disease, unique use of imaging or diagnostic test to reveal a disease, previously unreported treatment in a recognised disease, or previously unreported complication of a procedure. Case reports should be short and focused , with a limited number of figures and references. The structure of a case report usually comprises a short unstructured (or no) abstract, brief (or no) introduction, succinct but comprehensive report of the case, and to the point discussion" (Peh & Ng, 2010). 

Peh WC, Ng KH. Writing a case report. Singapore Med J. 2010 Jan;51(1):10-3; quiz 14. PMID: 20200769

Bmj case reports.

BMJ Case Reports search box

BMJ Case Reports accepts cases in a wide range of clinical and non-clinical specialties, so there are opportunities for students, staff and faculty in medicine, nursing and public health. 

If you're interested in publishing with BMJ, they offer a variety of resources in order to help potentials authors during the writing process. These resources include a pre-submission checklist , a case template word document , and a  patient consent document . These and other resources can all be found on their " For Authors " page.

Dell Medical School offers a  Fellowship  that allows students and faculty to publish with BMJ Case Reports for free ! For more information, contact Dell Medical School Librarian Imelda Vetter . 

Why should you publish?

For medical students and residents, case reports can act as a first step in being published in medical journals. They also offer an opportunity to engage with scientific writing and practice critical thinking skills. 

Case Report Resources

Writing a case report.

Guide from CARE (CAse REports) on how to write a case report step-by-step.

Writing a Clinical Vignette (Case Report) Abstract

The ACP's (American College of Physician) guide on how to write an abstract for a case report.

Writing an Excellent Case Report

Short article from C. Fielder Camm that explains why a case report was selected as the European Heart Journal's case report of the year.

How to choose the best journal for your case report

Comprehensive article that offers an overview of journals publishing case reviews.

Writing Case Reports: How to Enjoy the Journey

Article that provides information on writing case reports and discusses their place as a time-honored medical tradition.

How to write a case report (Video)

Youtube video from research fellow Bishoy Gubran that provides an overview of the writing process.

how to write a case report for medical students

Writing Case Reports

how to write a case report for medical students

How to Write Better Medical Papers

See chapter on Case Reports

how to write a case report for medical students

Reporting and Publishing Research in the Biomedical Sciences

See chapter on Case Reports and Case Series

  • Last Updated: Feb 18, 2024 10:33 PM
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Writing a Case Report

In both hospital and ambulatory settings, medical students will encounter a variety of situations in which they are required to further investigate a given clinical entity; such entities often require additional investigation by the medical team and can best be addressed through completing a case-based report that is informed by a working knowledge of current literature on a given topic.

What is a case report?

A case report, also known as a case study, is a detailed description of a clinical encounter with a patient. The selected patient case must lend itself to producing a paper that includes the usual components of a case report, and the case must have some noteworthy appeal that would be valuable to a broader audience.

Case reports commonly fall in a category including, but not limited to:

  • Rare diseases
  • Unusual presentation of disease
  • Unexpected events
  • Unusual combination of diseases or conditions
  • Difficult or inconclusive diagnosis
  • Treatment or management challenges
  • Observations that shed new light on a disease or condition

It is important that you recognize what is unique or interesting about your case, and this must be described clearly in the case report.

Training Requirements and Compliance

Heritage College  Policy 7.11  requires that all medical students conduct research and scholarly activities under the direction of a mentor and follow all Ohio University and Heritage College policies and procedures, including  registering  their research and scholarly activities with the Office of Research and Grants through Salesforce.  It is the student's responsibility to ensure that all requirements are met prior to engaging in research or scholarly activity.

Please note that research and scholarly activities and dissemination activities not registered in Salesforce will not be considered for inclusion on the Medical Student Performance Evaluation (MSPE).  Details about activities that will be considered for inclusion on the MSPE can be found here .

Heritage College students must also complete all required training (e.g., CITI, HIPAA).

Additional information regarding required training and research compliance can be found at https://www.ohio.edu/medicine/research/org/training-requirements-and-research-compliance .

Below are general formatting guidelines; however, you should also review journal-specific submission guidelines and several examples of case reports from your target journal in order to fully familiar with the format of published case reports in that journal.

  • typed using Microsoft Word; 12-point Times New Roman font
  • formatted with margins set at 1" for top and bottom and 1.25" for left and right
  • double-spaced, following the target journal’s guidelines and specifications
  • carefully checked for spelling, grammar, and punctuation
  • Final case report must conform to the style format and guidelines specified by the target journal’s submission guidelines (e.g., American Medical Association Manual of Style, Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association ).
  • In addition to the hard copies of the various manuals of style, such as the American Medical Association Manual of Style , Heritage College students should be able to access the clinical campus’ medical library, as well as websites that offer explanations of these styles. A helpful resource is listed below as an example.
  • The International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE)  website contains the complete, most up-to-date version of Uniform Requirements for Manuscripts Submitted to Biomedical Journals: Writing and Editing for Biomedical Publication. This is very similar to AMA style, and virtually all medical journals will accept manuscripts following this style. http://www.icmje.org/about-icmje/faqs/icmje-recommendations/
  • Title:  This should concisely convey the focus of the report.
  • Author Names and Affiliations:  Heritage College students should use their Heritage College affiliation details rather than the affiliation details of their clinical site and/or the affiliation details of their mentor (if different from HCOM/Ohio University).
  • Abstract (if required):  This should be one paragraph, typically not exceeding 125 words.  It is important to note that some journals do not require an abstract as part of a case report.
  • Key Words:  These should be MeSH (Medical Subject Headings) terms.
  • The inclusion of appropriate headings should follow rules and example case reports from the target journal.
  • Introduction:  This establishes framework of patient case.
  • Case Report:  This includes the chief complaint; history of presenting illness; pertinent family history, risk factors, review of systems and pertinent clinical, physical, structural, and pathological findings; diagnostic studies; differential diagnosis; rationale for concluding clinical diagnosis; preferred, actual, and alternative treatment as appropriate.
  • Discussion:  This includes the etiology and review of current related literature supporting or refuting diagnosis; plan of treatment; and appropriate osteopathic components, minority health issues, patient safety issues, and complementary and alternative medicine issues.
  • Comments:  This should be a summary of the most important aspects of patient care and medical significance or direction for further study.
  • Some journals will restrict the number of references that may be used in a case report.
  • Charts, graphs, illustrations, diagrams, or tables should be included on separate pages at the end of the article, with legends; some journals will limit the number of these in their submission guidelines. Some journals will specify that photos be included with the submission (e.g., dermatology cases).

Case reports typically discuss a single patient.  General guidance from Ohio University IRB is that a case report for less than three patients is not considered to meet the definition of research designed to contribute to generalizable knowledge and therefore, does not require IRB approval.  However, if the case-based paper/case report is for more than three cases, IRB review and approval will be required.   It is important that you consult with the IRB in the institution in which you are conducting the case report to determine whether or not they require IRB review/approval.     

Permission from the patient to use their data for a single case report is a basic ethical tenet.  Consent or permission from a patient could be obtained verbally or in writing and documented with the case report data.  The information given to the patient should include a brief discussion of the case, the purpose, and that specific identifying information (such as name, birthday, address, etc.) will not be used but someone may be able to identify the patient because of this rare condition.  If appropriate, a copy of the report should be shared with the patient.  The journal to which you submit your case report may request proof that consent from the patient was obtained.  You should be able to produce documentation that you obtained consent from the patient or justification why consent could not be obtained.  If you have questions, you should contact Ohio University IRB at [email protected] .

If required by the clinical campus, consent for the release of information from the patient should be obtained prior to writing the paper.

Case Report Consent Template

  • Relevant information on writing case-based papers can be found in the following journal article:  Rison: A guide to writing case reports for the Journal of Medical Case Reports and BioMed Central Research Notes. Journal of Medical Case Reports 2013 7:239 . 
  • The CARE Guidelines  provide guidance on writing case reports and provides a checklist  that explains what information you should collect and include in your case report.
  • Identify a case. If you are a medical student, you may not yet have the clinical expertise to determine if a specific case is worthy of a case report. You should seek the help of your mentor, preceptor, or another clinician to make this determination. It is common for students to ask attendings or residents if they have any interesting cases that can be used for a case report. 
  • Select a journal or two to which you think you will submit the case report. Your mentor or preceptor should be able to provide some suggestions. Journals often have specific requirements for publishing case reports, which could include a requirement for informed consent, etc. Journals may also charge publication fees (see  Does it cost to publish?  below).

Once you have identified the case, selected an appropriate journal(s), and considered permission from the patient or consent, you can collect the required information to write the case report.

Once a case has been selected, you must determine what audience would find the case useful. Once the audience has been identified, you must select a target journal as a potential venue for publication of the case report; it may be helpful to identify a few target publications and discuss these with your mentor or preceptor. The case report must then be written to conform to the submission guidelines and specifications of the specified target journal.

If you need to select on your own, here are some strategies:

  • Search for a topic, disease, or other feature of your case report.
  • When the results appear, on the left side of the page is a limiter for "article type". Case reports are an article type to allow you to limit your search results. If you do not see that option on the left, click "Additional filters".
  • Review the case reports that come up from your search and see what journals in which they are published.
  • Use JANE (Journal/Author Name Estimator)
  • Search through individual publisher journal lists.  Elsevier publishes many different medical research journals, and they have a journal finder, much like JANE. This database is exclusive to Elsevier journals. There are many other publishers of medical journals for review, including Springer, Wiley, Sage, Nature, and many others.

Once you have written a draft of the case report, you should seek feedback on your writing from experts in the field (e.g., your mentor or preceptor) or from those who have written and published case reports before.  

Heritage College students must cite their affiliation with the Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine on any dissemination activities (e.g., posters, publications).

Be aware that it may not be free to publish your case report.  Many journals charge publication fees.  Of note, many open access journals charge very large author fees.  Other journals have smaller page charges, and others will publish for free, with an "open access option".  It is best practice to check the journal's Information for Authors section or Author Center to determine what the cost is to publish.

The Research Publications Support Program, funded by the Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine Office of Research and Grants (ORG), assists Heritage College faculty, staff, and students to disseminate their research through the publication of scholarly work.  This program covers, in part, funds for the publication fee of manuscripts that have been accepted for publication in PubMed indexed or comparable databases.  It does not support nonacademic or textbook publications, manuals, or fees from for-profit publishing organizations.  Manuscripts planned to be submitted for publication are not eligible.  Match support is limited to $500 per faculty/staff member or student per fiscal year (July 1-June 30), pending availability of funds.  The $500 limit per fiscal year may be split to be used for more than one publication.  Additional information and application details can be found on the Funding Opportunities webpage .

If Heritage College students in their third or fourth year of medical school training are interested in pursuing a case series (e.g., the review of greater than three cases), students should consider developing the project in the context of a research rotation, OCOM 8944 (Original Research).  For additional activities related to the development of case-based studies, third- or fourth-year medical students are encouraged to consider OCOM 8943 (Case-Based Research).  Please contact [email protected] for additional information related to these elective research rotations.

A case report of case report pursuit by medical student

This article was migrated. The article was marked as recommended.

Medical students often seek case reports as vehicles for academic writing opportunities, conference presentation avenues, and residency/fellowship application highlights. Here we review a case where, due to unfortunate circumstances, a student made a unique diagnosis central to proper patient clinical care, wished to write up the case subsequently, but was ultimately excluded from the final work stemming from the patient case. We review the pitfalls that occurred in the process of pursuing publication of an interesting case, the educational value of pursuing case reports for students, the necessity for strong mentorship in this process, and general principles that medical students can follow regarding case report creation to avoid being "burned".

Undergraduate Medical Education, Case Report, Mentorship, Medical Student, Academic Medicine, Medical Teaching, Communication

Introduction

Medical students often seek case reports as vehicles for academic writing opportunities, conference presentation avenues, and residency/fellowship application highlights. Here we review a case where, due to unfortunate circumstances, a student made a unique diagnosis central to proper patient clinical care, wished to write up the case subsequently, but was ultimately excluded from the final work stemming from the patient case. Below, we will review the pitfalls that occurred in the process of pursuing publication of an interesting case and general principles that medical students can follow regarding case report creation to avoid being “burned”. The medical specifics of this case will be generalized to maintain anonymity.

A third-year medical student, on a mandatory inpatient rotation, was assigned to care for a patient with an unusual constellation of neurologic symptoms. The attending physician noted several distinct, unusual characteristics of the patient’s presentation, but given limited non-diagnostic lab results and imaging, the team was unable to reach a definitive diagnosis. After independently performing an extensive literature search, the medical student eventually found a disease reflecting the patient’s presentation and physical examination, with a notable exception of pre-existing disease for which the diagnosis was a rare complication.

The student then performed a focused review and identified 20+ published case reports concerning the diagnosis, and developed a spreadsheet to compare these reports. When approached by the student about the possible diagnosis, the attending physician did not feel strongly about the suggestion. When presented the student’s review, the team’s senior resident agreed with the potential diagnosis. After discussing it privately with the attending physician, the senior resident was able to convince the attending physician to consult a specialist team.

A fellow from the consultant team assessed the patient. The medical student discussed the potential diagnosis with the fellow, and provided the consultant team with printouts of the case reports. The fellow informed the medical student that the patient could not possibly have such a diagnosis, because it was a rare complication of a disease the patient did not have. With time, both attending physicians of the primary and consultant team decided to include the rare diagnosis in the differential. A biopsy was performed, and confirmed the rare diagnosis. Definitive treatment could now be initiated.

At this time, the medical student proposed write up of the case with the primary team attending physician. Enthusiastic at the time, the attending physician agreed it was worthy for publication since it would be the first presentation of this disease without antecedent disease history. However, the attending physician stipulated any write-up should wait until evidence the patient responded to therapy. One week later, the attending physician rotated off service. The student completed the inpatient rotation. Two months later, the team’s senior resident completed residency training. The medical student continued to follow the patient’s treatment course and kept communication with the attending physician every 2 months. Four months later, the patient was found to have responded to treatment, but the student was unable to reach the attending to confirm the next step in writing up the case.

Five months after initial accurate diagnosis of the patient, a different resident reached out to the student about writing up the case as an abstract for presentation at a national conference. The student responded, but still pursued writing the case as a manuscript, and could not receive confirmation from the resident or the initial attending physician. When the student happened to rotate through the consultant service that same month, he discussed the unique case with the specialist attending physician. To the student’s surprise, the attending informed him that the fellow originally consulted for the patient was writing up the case for publication. The student reached out to the fellow. The fellow responded that the case write-up was complete, and there was nothing the student could do to help.

The medical student reached out again to the attending physician of the primary team, who acknowledged awareness of the case report authored by the consultant team. The attending physician had been asked to review a component of it prior to publication, and thus was included in the author list. The medical student was not included in the authorship. The medical student then sought guidance from a third-party mentor not involved in the case. The medical student was advised that as a member of the inpatient service, the primary attending is the acting representative for the student with the consulting team. The student, cautiously restated his desired involvement in the manuscript and requested to be advocated for by the primary attending. The attending stated there was little to do at this point, as it appeared that the consultant service conducted its own background and literary search, and in the situation of clinical case reports co-managed by multiple specialties, “it is a race to publication”.

Case reports provide medical students and physicians-in-training the opportunity to begin engaging in simpler scientific medical writing before pursuing more advanced forms of medical writing (e.g. research manuscripts, book chapters). Case reports also afford an early opportunity to publish outside of formal scientific research projects. ( Har-el, 1999 ; Mishra, 2015 ) They engage a pertinent clinical question, and give students practice in research and assessment skills that forge strong clinicians. ( Florek and Dellavalle, 2016 ) Packer et al. identified five educational benefits of case reports for medical students ( Packer et al., 2017 ):

1. Developing observation and pattern recognition skills. Students who engage in writing case reports become better at recognizing and understanding nuances of disease presentations.

2. Developing hypothesis-generating skills. Students learn self-criticism and hone hypothesis-generating skills through engaging in discourse, refining arguments, and anticipating criticisms.

3. Understanding patient-centered care. Students appreciate the individual variations in disease presentation, progression, and treatment outcomes because case reports focus upon an individual patient.

4. Writing skills and rhetorical versatility. Students engage in the four classical rhetorical modes of narrative, descriptive, expository, and argumentative writing, which ultimately improves communication skills in all aspects of medicine.

5. The case report as a “mini-thesis”. Students answer a clinical question, support a possible answer, and contribute their synthesis to the scientific literature body.

Despite these advantages, medical students face major challenges and barriers in the process of writing case reports. In one survey-based study examining writing and presenting case reports among 84 fourth-year medical students, only approximately one-third had written or presented a case report. Almost all (99%) believed that finding a good mentor was a key component to finding success in the process, while major perceived barriers included a lack of formal training and the lack of a mentor. ( Jha et al., 2018 ) This study highlights the essential role solid mentorship plays in supporting engaged, motivated students choosing to write case reports. The study also corroborates clearly the significant challenges encountered by the student in the case above.

Mentoring and role modeling are critical components of the formal, informal, and hidden medical education curriculum. Poor role modeling experiences can leave lasting negative impacts on students and change student behavior to become aversive towards similar situations ( Mileder, Schmidt and Dimai, 2014 ). Thus, when students experience poor role modeling related to a fundamental form of medical literature, it may have profound effects upon their future, including career decisions. ( Mileder, Schmidt and Dimai, 2014 )

In the case above, did mentors exhibit poor role modeling in failing to include the student in co-authoring the report. Authorship issues are a common source of conflict during the pre-publication stage. The position of the first author is highly coveted and reflects an individual’s time and dedication towards manuscript preparation and publication. The last author of the paper identifies the senior individual providing guidance and oversight. Universities have additional guidelines for determining who else is a co-author. Our institution recommends steps to avoid authorship disputes, with a focus on clearly defining the role of each author and on early, frequent, and open communication during the drafting process.(Office of Research Conduct and Compliance, Thomas Jefferson University, 2017)

If a dispute occurs, the research group should first attempt to resolve the conflict internally. If the disagreement remains unresolved, then they should consult a senior third-party colleague. If all else fails, refer to institutional policy and involve senior administrative level colleagues. The International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) provides guidelines to determine how individuals qualify for authorship and to prevent gift authorships and unethical distribution of credit. Authors should meet all of the following three conditions: 1) Make substantial contributions to conception and design, acquisition of data, or analysis and interpretation of data; 2) draft the article or revise it critically for important intellectual content; and 3) provide final approval of the version to be published. Those who are involved with the manuscript but do not meet these criteria should be listed in the acknowledgments section. ( Gopikrishna, 2010 ; Rison, 2013 )

The medical student in the presented case would not have met authorship criteria based on clinical involvement alone, but might have been listed in the acknowledgments section. Had the primary attending physician advocated for the student to be included in the writing process, however, the student would have had an opportunity to meet criteria for authorship. For instance, given the continued interest exhibited by the student through consistent communication, the primary attending physician could have established early communication between the specialty service already writing the patient case and the motivated medical student. And when the specialty service initially contacted the primary attending to review the component of the patient case report, the primary attending could have advocated at that junction on behalf of the medical student.

As exemplified in this case, medical students cannot necessarily rely on the advocacy of attending physicians. Any student interested in writing up a potentially interesting clinical case is advised to immediately approach all involved parties and constantly engage in communication from the onset of idea conception. It is not sufficient to only have dialogue with the primary team members, as evidenced in this case. One party’s reluctance to engage in an academic written activity should serve as impetus for student communications with other involved team members, to secure concrete mentoring in project development. Dialogue should be frank, and conversations should be documented to confirm responsibilities of all parties involved. Early, inclusive communication is critical to increase the number of potential mentors for manuscript production, establish early leadership in a project’s development, and prevent unpleasant late surprises.

Teaching faculty should support medical students who are interested in writing case reports because the process provides students with unique educational opportunities. Lack of quality mentorship is a major barrier for medical students pursuing case report completion. To increase mentor/mentee relationships resulting in concrete academic accomplishments, students should contact multiple teaching faculty involved in the case early and engage in communication amongst all potential co-authors. Identification of a communicative mentor, discussing authorship, dividing project responsibilities early, and maintaining frequent communication through all stages of academic production is central to a student’s success in writing a case report.

Take Home Messages

• Medical students should express interest early in pursuing a case report and identify supportive and communicative mentors.

• Communication should be established early between all parties involved in the care of the patient and maintained frequently throughout production of the manuscript.

• Authorship and project responsibilities should be discussed early.

• Case reports are unique educational opportunities for medical students and mentorship is an essential component of this learning experience.

• Mentors should maintain open communication with students.

Notes On Contributors

Jonathan C. Li, BS is a fourth-year medical student at Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University. He is pursuing a career in Combined Internal Medicine and Pediatrics.

Jennifer Fisher Wilson, MS, ELS, is the Senior Writer/Editor for the Office for Professional Writing, Publishing, and Communication at Jefferson (Philadelphia University+Thomas Jefferson University). She is a former writer for Annals of Internal Medicine and The Scientist.

Wayne Bond Lau, MD is Professor of Emergency Medicine at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital. He contributes to EM through clinical care, basic research (cardiac ischemia/reperfusion injury), and education of medical students/residents at Jefferson. As Director of the Jefferson Chinatown Clinic, he has cared for Philadelphian underserved communities for over a decade.

Declarations

The author has declared that there are no conflicts of interest.

Ethics Statement

Thomas Jefferson University—Office of Human Research provided exemption from IRB approval from FORM OHR-34, item 9 stating: “(9) Case reports of one or two cases. (Three or more case reports in one series require IRB review). While one or two case reports do not require IRB review, they do require review by the Privacy Office.”

External Funding

This article has not had any External Funding

Acknowledgments

Publication made possible in part by support from the Thomas Jefferson University + Philadelphia University Open Access Fund.

Bibliography/References

  •   Florek A. G., Dellavalle R. P. (2016) Case reports in medical education: a platform for training medical students, residents, and fellows in scientific writing and critical thinking.Journal of Medical Case Reports. 10 , p. 86. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13256-016-0851-5
  •   Gopikrishna V. (2010) A report on case reports.Journal of Conservative Dentistry: JCD. 13 (4), pp. 265–271. https://doi.org/10.4103/0972-0707.73375
  •   Har-el G. (1999) Does it take a village to write a case report?Otolaryngology--Head and Neck Surgery: Official Journal of American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery. 120 (6), pp. 787–788. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0194-5998(99)70314-1
  •   Jha P., Thakur A., Klumb J., Bhandari S. (2018) Perceptions of Fourth-Year Medical Students on Writing and Presenting Case Reports.Cureus. 10 (3), p. e2341. https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.2341
  •   Mileder L. P., Schmidt A., Dimai H. P. (2014) Clinicians should be aware of their responsibilities as role models: a case report on the impact of poor role modeling.Medical Education Online. 19 , p. 23479. https://doi.org/10.3402/meo.v19.23479
  •   Mishra S. (2015) Are medical breakthroughs declining - The importance of case reports?Indian Heart Journal. 67 Suppl 3, pp. S1–S3. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ihj.2016.01.005
  •   Office of Research Conduct and Compliance, Thomas Jefferson University (2017) GUIDELINES FOR AVOIDING AND RESOLVING AUTHORSHIP DISPUTES.Available at: https://www.jefferson.edu/content/dam/university/research/compliance/Guidelines%20for%20Avoiding%20Resolving%20Authorship%20Disputes.pdf (Accessed:2 February 2019).
  •   Packer C. D., Katz R. B., Iacopetti C. L., Krimmel J. D., et al. (2017) A Case Suspended in Time: The Educational Value of Case Reports.Academic Medicine: Journal of the Association of American Medical Colleges. 92 (2), pp. 152–156. https://doi.org/10.1097/ACM.0000000000001199
  •   Rison R. A. (2013) A guide to writing case reports for the Journal of Medical Case Reports and BioMed Central Research Notes.Journal of Medical Case Reports. 7 , p. 239. https://doi.org/10.1186/1752-1947-7-239

Comments on this article Comments (0)

Open peer review.

This review has been migrated. The reviewer awarded 4 stars out of 5

A well written and interesting paper that describes some of the pitfalls that students can fall into in their pursuit of scholarship, and some of the difficulties arising from lack of recognition by faculty. It points to some salient issues relating to the faculty- student relationship. This well written and descriptive paper prvides some possible answers that we all need to take notice of.I fully recommend this paper to all those involved with mentoring or supervision of students

Competing Interests: No conflicts of interest were disclosed.

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  • COMMENT ON THIS REPORT

This is a novel and important manuscript and one which deserves as wide an audience as possible in my opinion. The authors are to be commended for addressing an important issue in medical education with balance and professionalism. Their case study highlights the often vulnerable position of medical students in the training hierarchy. According to principles of natural justice, the medical student in the case described should have been afforded the opportunity to contribute to or even to prepare the first draft of the case report, based on a diagnosis first suggested by that same student. Unfortunate timing with lack of continuity of clinical staff, questionable role modelling and the complete lack of mentorship conspired to prevent the student from realising a worthy ambition of co-authoring a case report with which he/she was intimately involved. I feel only admiration for the student involved and hope that this encounter with the sometimes dysfunctional power relationships in clinical practice will not discourage future publication attempts. This case study is very well written and well supported by reference to the literature. The set of recommendations provided will itself be an important contribution to the medical education literature and I believe that it will help in the creation of ‘ground rules’ which will serve to guide clinical teams who may face similar situations in future. We must cherish our learners and support them in their efforts to advance and grow in knowledge. The opposite, unfortunately, occurred in the case described but lessons have luckily been learned.

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Alongside their report, reviewers assign a status to the article:

Reviewer Reports

  • Gerard Flaherty , National University of Ireland Galway
  • Trevor Gibbs , AMEE

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A guide to writing case reports for the Journal of Medical Case Reports and BioMed Central Research Notes

Richard a rison.

1 Presbyterian Intercommunity Hospital Health Stroke Program, Los Angeles County Medical Center, University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine, 12401 Washington Blvd, Whittier, CA 90602, USA

Case reports are a time-honored, important, integral, and accepted part of the medical literature. Both the Journal of Medical Case Reports and the Case Report section of BioMed Central Research Notes are committed to case report publication, and each have different criteria. Journal of Medical Case Reports was the world’s first international, PubMed-listed medical journal devoted to publishing case reports from all clinical disciplines and was launched in 2007. The Case Report section of BioMed Central Research Notes was created and began publishing case reports in 2012. Between the two of them, thousands of peer-reviewed case reports have now been published with a worldwide audience. Authors now also have Cases Database, a continually updated, freely accessible database of thousands of medical case reports from multiple publishers. This informal editorial outlines the process and mechanics of how and when to write a case report, and provides a brief look into the editorial process behind each of these complementary journals along with the author’s anecdotes in the hope of inspiring all authors (both novice and experienced) to write and continue writing case reports of all specialties. Useful hyperlinks are embedded throughout for easy and quick reference to style guidelines for both journals.

Introduction: the importance of case reports

Case reports are a time-honored tradition in the medical profession. From Hippocrates (460 B.C. to 370 B.C.), and even arguably further back since the papyrus records of ancient Egyptian medicine (c. 1600 B.C.) to modern day, physicians of all specialties have described interesting cases involving all specialties [ 1 , 2 ]. Published case reports provide essential information for optimal patient care because they can describe important scientific observations that are missed or undetected in clinical trials, and provide individual clinical insights thus expanding our knowledge base [ 3 ].

The publication of case reports has indeed become a standard lexicon of the medical literature. Examples abound. Few practicing physicians would not know for instance the significance and subsequent discovery of a disease whose first description in 1981 began with the title in the medical case report literature as: “A preliminary communication on extensively disseminated Kaposi’s sarcoma in a young homosexual man” [ 4 ]. There is no neurologist that I know who is unfamiliar with the disease whose description began in 1817 by James Parkinson (1755 to 1824) with the title “An essay on the shaking palsy.” [ 5 ].

Yes, both of the above-mentioned famous diseases (the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome and Parkinson’s disease) were first described in the case study format. The act of recording, discussion with colleagues, and publishing our clinical observations with patients remains essential to the art of medicine and patient care. As Osler once said “Always note and record the unusual…Publish it. Place it on permanent record as a short, concise note. Such communications are always of value.” [ 6 ].

But how and when should we do this? Early case reports were little more than personal communications between colleagues about unique and interesting patients seen in their respective medical practices. This anecdotal reporting has evolved into an accepted form of scholarly publication with the ability to rapidly disseminate knowledge to a broad medical audience [ 7 ] using the generally accepted format of a title, abstract, introduction (background), case presentation, discussion, conclusions, and references. Many biomedical journals publish case reports and provide authors with guidelines that provide instruction for acceptance criteria, content, and format and give advice on relevant patient case reports that merit publication [ 3 ].

There are already many well-written published articles on how and when to write a good case report (please see Recommended further reading section at the end). I will not re-invent the wheel, but within this editorial I hope to provide an informal guide on how and when to write a case report for BioMed Central (BMC), in particular the Journal of Medical Case Reports ( JMCR ) and BioMed Central Research Notes ( BMCRN ). The utility of the newly created Cases Database will also be discussed. Relevant and useful website links will be used throughout to allow the reader easy access to further information on BMC requirements. I also hope to impart to the reader a brief overview of case report editorial flow in both JMCR and BMCRN along with the complementary relationship between both journals. I will also give anecdotes of how I personally approach things.

Definitions

What exactly is a case report? From peer-reviewed journals to Wikipedia (and yes, I read Wikipedia like we all do) definitions are readily available and generally agreed upon. A simple online search shows the following definition from “thefreedictionary.com” [ 8 ]: “Case Report A report of a single case of a disease, usually with an unexpected presentation, which typically describes the findings, clinical course, and prognosis of the case, often accompanied by a review of other cases previously reported in the biomedical literature to put the reported case in context.” Wikipedia [ 9 ] has this to say: “In medicine, a case report is a detailed report of the symptoms, signs, diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up of an individual patient. Case reports may contain a demographic profile of the patient, but usually describe an unusual or novel occurrence. Some case reports also contain a literature review of other reported cases.” Whether one uses the above definitional references or older more classic ones [ 10 ], all are in agreement.

How to start: the patient

Things start at the bedside or in the office with the most important person involved: the patient. Patients and their stories (including from their friends, coworkers, and family) are our portal to writing the case report. Patients (both in-patients and out-patients) are assessed, we confer with colleagues, appropriate investigations then follow, and treatment if possible begins. If I encounter an in-patient on call then I follow him or her throughout his or her hospitalization and, I hope, timely discharge. The patient is then followed and reexamined in the office over the course of time to see how the clinical course evolves. I usually wait 6 months over the course of multiple visits before I actually begin to write a case report so as to allow enough time for the clinical course to play out. Of course if the patient is hospitalized with an acute and rapid illness then this time may be much shorter, but I still follow him or her with daily neurologic examinations.

Collegial discussion and the Internet: our modern day water cooler

When an interesting condition is encountered in either the hospital or the office setting, I discuss the case in person with both my local neurology colleagues and colleagues of other specialties to see if they have encountered before the clinical scenario that I am dealing with at the time. This is usually a quick face-to-face nursing station conversation. If the case is particularly challenging then I will contact my local university colleagues for their opinion (especially if an urgent transfer needs to be arranged). I then “hit the books”, or at least I used to. Nowadays I usually “hit the keyboards” which are plentiful at every hospital nursing station and in my office. Indeed, the Internet seems to have become our modern day replacement for office water cooler conversations. Since it is readily available (and free to me because I am a member of the staff) in the hospital in which I see patients and in my office, I usually start with UpToDate® [ 11 ] and then click the links to individual references. Further reading is then supplemented by both PubMed [ 12 ] (free) and Cases Database (also free) [ 13 ] (see later). If I feel that a particular patient warrants a case report, then I continue to read more and more. There are also medical list servers and medical online communities to which one can post a case with de-identified images online and petition the advice of colleagues worldwide. I use both Neurolist [ 14 ] (a membership-only service, but membership is free) and The American Academy of Neurology (AAN) for my specialty and/or subspecialties [ 15 ] (also a membership-only service, the fee of which comes out of my yearly AAN dues). Another useful list server is sermo® [ 16 ], which has free membership. Teaching grand rounds at one’s local university or hospital, poster presentations, and simple discussion with professors giving lectures at local seminars are also good (and previously “traditional”) places to start. I have always preferred an in-person encounter to discuss a case with a colleague or professor, but given the current day and age (daily workload, travel costs, time away from the office and family, and so on), I have found Internet-based discussion (keeping all patient information anonymous of course) very helpful.

The BMC series, JMCR , and BMCRN : a brief history

The BMC series is a group of open access, peer-reviewed journals that spans most areas of biological and clinical research. There are currently 65 journals in the series, including (alphabetically) BMC Anesthesiology to BMC Women’s Health. Some of these publish case reports within their respective disciplines, and some do not [ 17 ].

JMCR is an online, open access journal under BMC auspices dedicated mainly to the publication of high quality case reports, and aims to contribute to the expansion of current medical knowledge (please see specific publication criteria below). It was created and founded by Michael Kidd and colleagues in 2007 and at the time was believed to be the world’s first international medical journal devoted to publishing case reports from all clinical disciplines. In the 5 years since its launch, JMCR has published over 2000 case reports. In 2011, case reports were downloaded from the journal’s website over 1,500,000 times [ 18 ].

BMCRN is also an online, open access journal under BMC auspices publishing scientifically sound research across all fields of biology and medicine. The journal provides a home for short publications, case series, and incremental updates to previous work with the intention of reducing the loss suffered by the research community when such results remain unpublished. BMCRN began publishing case reports in 2012 and now has a dedicated section for case reports [ 19 ].

Please read on to see the complementary relationship of case reporting between the two journals, how they relate to other journals in the BMC series, and further information on editorial work flow including specific publication criteria.

Cases Database: an invaluable resource

Since the launch of JMCR in 2007 and the more recent introduction of case reports to the BMCRN , which aims to have a broader scope, BMC has acknowledged and continues to acknowledge the value of case reports to the scientific literature. To further strengthen this commitment, BMC in conjunction with Michael Kidd have developed the invaluable new resource of Cases Database, a continually updated, freely accessible database of thousands of medical case reports from multiple other publishers, including Springer, British Medical Journal, and PubMed Central. By aggregating case reports and facilitating comparison, Cases Database provides a simple resource to clinicians, researchers, regulators and patients to explore content and identify emerging trends [ 20 ].

http://www.casesdatabase.com/

I find Cases Database indispensable when I research a particular patient’s condition. It is very helpful in seeing if a particular condition has been reported before and what treatment the authors have performed. It is an invaluable resource which can be used to check and see if previous cases have been reported before and how other authors have managed their patients with similar clinical conditions. When I last checked, Cases Database had in its repository 27,915 peer-reviewed medical case reports from 250 journals (!) [ 13 ]. Cases Database is quickly becoming my first go to when reading about a patient’s condition and symptoms.

When to write a case report

How does one determine when to write an actual case report? What constitutes and what are the criteria for publication? Different journals have different criteria, but here are the criteria for JMCR and BMCRN .

JMCR [ 21 ] publishes original and interesting case reports that contribute significantly to medical knowledge. Manuscripts must meet one of the following criteria: unreported or unusual side effects or adverse interactions involving medications; unexpected or unusual presentations of a disease; new associations or variations in disease processes; presentations, diagnoses and/or management of new and emerging diseases; an unexpected association between diseases or symptoms; an unexpected event in the course of observing or treating a patient; findings that shed new light on the possible pathogenesis of a disease or an adverse effect.

http://www.jmedicalcasereports.com/authors/instructions/casereport

BMCRN [ 22 ] has somewhat different publication criteria: BMCRN considers medical case reports that describe any clinical case. Case reports submitted to BMCRN do not need to be novel, but must be authentic cases and have some educational value along with representing at least an incremental advance in the field. BMCRN will not consider case reports describing preventive or therapeutic interventions because these generally require stronger evidence.

http://www.biomedcentral.com/bmcresnotes/authors/instructions/casereport

Neither BMCRN nor JMCR will consider case reports where there are ethical concerns.

JMCR and BMCRN have the following definitions that authors should know: a single case report, two case reports, or a case series (greater than two reported cases). Both journals follow this format and accept submissions with these title structures.

I tend to classify case reports in my mind generally as follows: diagnosis-related, management-related, or both [ 10 ]. Either type should have clear and concise take-home messages and teaching points. I personally keep a stack of charts labeled “Curious Cases” on a bookshelf within my small office next to my desk which is always within my field of view at work, adhering to the “out of sight, out of mind” principle. Over the years that space has grown and, admittedly, I have cases dating back over the entire span of my years in practice (now over 13 years) which I simply have not gotten around to yet (!).

BMC editorial workflow for case reports: a brief glimpse

If a BMC Series journal editorial team considers a submitted case report unsuitable for their respective specialty journal (and now a growing list of Springer journals that BMC is now affiliated with), the authors are given the option to transfer their manuscript to BMCRN . If this option is exercised, then the BMC editorial team (usually the Case Report Section Editor for BMCRN in conjunction with the appropriate Associate Editor) determines if the manuscript is suitable for BMCRN or if it is more suitable for JMCR (based on the criteria listed above). The manuscripts will then be forwarded on to the respective Deputy and/or Associate Editors for peer review depending on which of the journals the author(s) agree(s) to. Peer reviewers are solicited (usually at least one at BMCRN and at least two at JMCR ). The peer review comments (which are open and identifiable at JMCR and blinded at BMCRN ) are then usually sent to the authors for appropriate revisions and rebuttals (unless it is felt that the manuscript should be rejected outright, at which time the editorial office sends the authors an explanatory letter). After these revisions and rebuttals have been performed, the revised manuscript and rebuttals are sent back to the respective editors for a final decision and recommendations. These decisions and recommendations are then forwarded on to the Editor-in-Chief for final approval for publication. At JMCR , manuscripts are professionally copyedited before being sent off to the production team for publication, whereas at BMCRN the authors are requested to obtain their own professional copyediting (if needed) before publication (the respective costs being reflected within the different article processing charges for both journals). When the manuscripts are published in both journals, they are in the preliminary form before being converted to the final form after production.

Author satisfaction consistently ranks high for the overall process in both journals.

The actual case report

Now let us discuss the brass tacks of writing the actual case report by going through the individual sections that will comprise the manuscript. I will present them in a sequence that matches the journals’ website requirements and provide easily accessible hyperlinks to both respective journals.

The first page of the manuscript should be a dedicated title page, including the title of the article. The title should be a clear and short description of the case with a list of the full names, institutional addresses and email addresses for all authors. There should always be at least one corresponding author who is clearly identified. Abbreviations within the title should always be avoided.

http://www.jmedicalcasereports.com/authors/instructions/casereport#formatting-title

http://www.biomedcentral.com/bmcresnotes/authors/instructions/casereport#title

I usually end the title with “…: a case report” or “…: two case reports” or “…: a case series”. I also try to avoid any puns or overly cute wording within the title and try to keep things strictly descriptive and clear. The title needs to accurately describe the case – after all, this may be all that someone reads. If a cute or clever title is used that obscures what the case is really about, then it may be even less likely that the manuscript is read.

The Abstract should be “short and sweet”. It should not exceed 350 words. Abbreviations or references within the Abstract should not be used. The Abstract should be structured into three sections: Background, an introduction about why this case is important and needs to be reported. Please include information on whether this is the first report of this kind in the literature; Case presentation, brief details of what the patient(s) presented with, including the patient’s age, sex and ethnic background; Conclusions, a brief conclusion of what the reader should learn from the case report and what the clinical impact will be. Is it an original case report of interest to a particular clinical specialty of medicine or will it have a broader clinical impact across medicine? Are any teaching points identified?

http://www.jmedicalcasereports.com/authors/instructions/casereport#formatting-abstract

http://www.biomedcentral.com/bmcresnotes/authors/instructions/casereport#abstract

I find this is the most important part because this is often all that people will read and its availability will allow easy retrieval from electronic databases and help researchers decide their level of interest in the case report. The Abstract should be a concise and condensed version of the case report and should include the same main sections of the main text and be as succinct as possible [ 3 ]. This is the last thing that I usually write as it tends to flow easily after I have invested my time in thought and writing of the manuscript.

This section is comprised of three to ten keywords representing the main content of the article. It is important for indexing the manuscript and easy online retrieval.

http://www.jmedicalcasereports.com/authors/instructions/casereport#formatting-keywords

http://www.biomedcentral.com/bmcresnotes/authors/instructions/casereport#formatting-keywords

Introduction (Background)

The Introduction ( JMCR ) or Background ( BMCRN ) section should explain the background of the case, including the disorder, usual presentation and progression, and an explanation of the presentation if it is a new disease. If it is a case discussing an adverse drug interaction the Introduction should give details of the drug’s common use and any previously reported side effects. It should also include a brief literature review. This should give an introduction to the case report from the standpoint of those without specialist knowledge in the area, clearly explaining the background of the topic. It should end with a very brief statement of what is being reported in the article.

http://www.jmedicalcasereports.com/authors/instructions/casereport#formatting-intro

http://www.biomedcentral.com/bmcresnotes/authors/instructions/casereport#background

The Introduction or Background serves as the sales pitch for the rest of the manuscript. It should be concise and salient [ 3 ] and immediately attract the reader’s attention to entice him or her to read on.

Case presentation

This should present all relevant details concerning the case. The Case presentation section should contain a description of the patient’s relevant demographic information (without adding any details that could lead to the identification of the patient); any relevant medical history of the patient; the patient's symptoms and signs; any tests that were carried out and a description of any treatment or intervention. If it is a case series, then details must be included for all patients. This section may be broken into subsections with appropriate subheadings.

http://www.jmedicalcasereports.com/authors/instructions/casereport#formatting-case

http://www.biomedcentral.com/bmcresnotes/authors/instructions/casereport#presentation

This is one of the most integral sections. The case should be described in a concise and chronological order. One should usually begin with the primary complaint, salient history (including significant family, occupational, and other social history along with any significant medications taken or allergies), followed by the physical examination, starting with the vital signs presented at the examination, along with pertinent investigations and results. There should be enough detail (but not too much) for the reader to establish his or her own conclusions about the validity. It should contain only pertinent information and nothing superfluous or confusing [ 3 ].

This is an optional section in JMCR for additional comments that provide additional relevant information not included in the case presentation, and that put the case in context or that explain specific treatment decisions.

http://www.jmedicalcasereports.com/authors/instructions/casereport#formatting-discussion

This section should evaluate the patient case for accuracy, validity, and uniqueness and compare and contrast the case report with the published literature. The authors should briefly summarize the published literature with contemporary references [ 3 ].

Although this section is optional in JMCR (and not even listed separately on the BMCRN guidelines website), I find that most authors write this section, or an expanded conclusions section incorporating the elements listed above.

I personally write a separate discussion section and conclusions section for each case report that I author.

Conclusions

This should state clearly the main conclusions of the case report and give a clear explanation of their importance and relevance. Is it an original case report of interest to a particular clinical specialty of medicine or will it have a broader clinical impact across medicine? Information should be included on how it will significantly advance our knowledge of a particular disease etiology or drug mechanism (if appropriate).

http://www.jmedicalcasereports.com/authors/instructions/casereport#formatting-conclusion

http://www.biomedcentral.com/bmcresnotes/authors/instructions/casereport#conclusions

This should be short and concise with clear take-home messages and teaching points [ 3 ].

Patient’s perspective

This section is an opportunity for patients to add a description of a case from their own perspective. The patients should be encouraged to state what originally made them seek medical advice, give a description of their symptoms, whether the symptoms were better or worse at different times, how tests and treatments affected them, and how the problem is now. This section can be written as deemed appropriate by the patients, but should not include identifying information that is irrelevant to the case reported. As medicine becomes more person-centered, the voice of the individual patient becomes even more important, both to assist in clinical decision making, and for medical education.

http://www.jmedicalcasereports.com/authors/instructions/casereport#formatting-patients

This optional section is unique to JMCR , and I believe adds an important new dimension to the traditional case report. Most authors still do not yet take advantage of this, but I hope as time goes on and more and more open access case report manuscripts are published that this section will be routinely used, not just in JMCR but also in BMCRN and all other BMC clinical journals. I recall one manuscript in particular where the patient himself was requesting publication as soon as possible because of his terminal disease. He wanted his message out there and be available to all to read before he died.

List of abbreviations

When abbreviations are used in the text they should be defined in the text at first use, and a list of abbreviations can be provided, which should precede the Competing interests and Authors’ contributions sections.

http://www.jmedicalcasereports.com/authors/instructions/casereport#formatting-abbreviations

http://www.biomedcentral.com/bmcresnotes/authors/instructions/casereport#formatting-abbreviations

Both JMCR and BMCRN publish case reports over a wide range of medical and surgical specialties, and it is important for the reader who may not be within that particular specialty to readily access a quick list of common technical abbreviations. Also, given the open access nature of both journals, please keep in mind that non-medical professionals may read the manuscript as well.

This section is compulsory for BMC. It should provide a statement to confirm that the patient has given their informed consent for the case report to be published. The written consent should not routinely be sent in along with the manuscript submission (because of patient privacy issues), but the BMC editorial office may request copies of the consent documentation at any time. The following wording is recommended: “Written informed consent was obtained from the patient for publication of this case report and accompanying images. A copy of the written consent is available for review by the Editor-in-Chief of this journal.” If the individual described in the case report is a minor, or unable to provide consent, then consent must be sought from his or her parents or legal guardians. In these cases, the statement in the ‘Consent’ section of the manuscript should be amended accordingly. Please keep in mind that manuscripts will not be peer reviewed if a statement of patient consent is not present.

http://www.jmedicalcasereports.com/authors/instructions/casereport#formatting-consent

http://www.biomedcentral.com/bmcresnotes/authors/instructions/casereport#consent

In practice, I always start with written consent from the patient. If the patient is incapacitated or deceased, then I obtain consent from the patient’s next-of-kin. Once this is obtained then I place it in the patient’s chart for safe keeping. I find that most patients and family members are quite agreeable to publication as long as their details are anonymous. BMC has very clear and explicit consent criteria and consent forms in multiple languages. I always keep a consent form within my office (and carry a few in my doctor’s handbag for hospital consults) for ready access. After I have obtained consent, I place it in the patient’s chart and keep it my office.

If the patient has died, then I try to obtain consent from the patient’s next-of-kin. This is usually done via telephone or postal mail. If the deceased patient’s family is amenable (and usually they are), then I send them (I never use email when it comes to patient-identifying information) the pre-filled out consent form in their language with a return envelope and paid for postage via the postal service. If I am unable to obtain consent this way in a case involving a patient who has died, then I write in the Consent section the following: “Written informed consent could not be obtained from the deceased patient’s next-of-kin for publication of this case report and accompanying images despite all reasonable attempts. Every effort has been made to protect the patient’s identity and there is no reason to believe that our patient would have objected to publication.”

If the patient was last known to be living but untraceable (or mentally incapacitated without next-of-kin consent), then I just simply do not publish the case.

For further information, please see JMCR and BMCRN website consent section hyperlinks as listed above.

Competing interests

A competing interest exists when one’s interpretation of data or presentation of information may be influenced by a personal or financial relationship with other people or organizations. Authors must disclose any financial competing interests and should also reveal any non-financial competing interests that may cause embarrassment were they to become public after the publication of the manuscript. Authors are required to complete a declaration of competing interests. All competing interests that are declared will be listed at the end of published article. Where an author gives no competing interests, the listing should read “The author(s) declare that they have no competing interests”.

http://www.jmedicalcasereports.com/authors/instructions/casereport#formatting-competing

http://www.biomedcentral.com/bmcresnotes/authors/instructions/casereport#formatting-competing

I do not usually find any problems with competing interests in the case reports that I publish, but the section should always be completed in our era and in the spirit of complete disclosure.

Authors’ contributions

In order to give appropriate credit to each author of a paper, the individual contributions of authors to the manuscript should be specified in this section.

An ‘author’ is generally considered to be someone who has made substantive intellectual contributions to a published study. To qualify as an author one should: 1) have made substantial contributions to conception and design, or acquisition of data, or analysis and interpretation of data; 2) have been involved in drafting the manuscript or revising it critically for important intellectual content; and 3) have given final approval of the version to be published. Each author should have participated sufficiently in the work to take public responsibility for appropriate portions of the content. Acquisition of funding, collection of data, or general supervision of the research group, alone, does not justify authorship. All contributors who do not meet the criteria for authorship should be listed in an Acknowledgements section. Examples of those who might be acknowledged include a person who provided purely technical help, writing assistance, or a department chair who provided only general support.

http://www.jmedicalcasereports.com/authors/instructions/casereport#formatting-contributions

http://www.biomedcentral.com/bmcresnotes/authors/instructions/casereport#formatting-contributions

I have found over the years a trend towards multi-authored case report manuscripts by many different individuals involved in the care of a patient(s). In my setting, it is usually me, a medical student or resident, a second-opinion tertiary colleague, and/or a pathologist or radiologist (if applicable). But I also recognize that there are situations that warrant more co-authors. The above criteria though for co-authorship should always be followed, and I have seen editorial situations where peer reviewers (including Associate Editors) have questioned what they felt was excessive authorship.

Authors’ information

This section includes any relevant information about the author(s) that may aid the reader’s interpretation of the article and understanding of the standpoint of the author(s). This may include details about the authors’ qualifications, current positions they hold at institutions or societies, or any other relevant background information. Please refer to authors using their initials. Note this section should not be used to describe any competing interests.

http://www.jmedicalcasereports.com/authors/instructions/casereport#formatting-information

http://www.biomedcentral.com/bmcresnotes/authors/instructions/casereport#formatting-information

In practice, I have frankly also personally used this section to advertise my services and “tout” my certifications and subspecialties (along with any co-authors and affiliated institutions) to my surrounding local community. This has in turn given me a modest increase in business (which has been completely non-monetary to date), usually in the form of email-based queries, many of which come from patients outside of my locality.

Acknowledgements

Authors should acknowledge anyone who contributed towards the article by making substantial contributions to conception, design, acquisition of data, or analysis and interpretation of data, or who was involved in drafting the manuscript or revising it critically for important intellectual content, but who does not meet the criteria for authorship. Also included should be the source(s) of funding for each author, and for the manuscript preparation. Authors must describe the role of the funding body, if any, in the: design, collection, analysis, and interpretation of data; writing of the manuscript; and decision to submit the manuscript for publication. Please also acknowledge anyone who contributed materials essential for the study. If a language editor has made significant revision of the manuscript, I recommend that you acknowledge the editor by name, where possible. Authors may also like to acknowledge (anonymously) the patient on whom the case report is based. If a scientific (medical) writer is used, this person should be included in the Acknowledgements section, including their source(s) of funding. Authors should obtain permission to acknowledge from all those mentioned in the Acknowledgements section.

http://www.jmedicalcasereports.com/authors/instructions/casereport#formatting-acknowledgements

http://www.biomedcentral.com/bmcresnotes/authors/instructions/casereport#formatting-acknowledgements

I have had colleagues who do not want to participate in the actual writing of the manuscript or do any actual “work” who have instead preferred to be mentioned in this section only.

Authors must search for and cite published case reports that are relevant to the case they are presenting. There should be no more than 15 references usually, although BMC does publish manuscripts with more references particularly if there is an extended literature review. Unless it is of historic interest, please keep the references as contemporary as feasible (for example, within the last 5 years or so). Please avoid excessive referencing.

http://www.jmedicalcasereports.com/authors/instructions/casereport#formatting-references

http://www.biomedcentral.com/bmcresnotes/authors/instructions/casereport#formatting-references

Cover letter

This is a separate document that should be written and uploaded with the main manuscript submission. I usually write this after I have written the Abstract. The cover letter should be addressed to the Editor-in-Chief in a formal manner and include all of the authors’ contact information. It should clearly and concisely state the title of the manuscript, and why the authors feel that their case report should be published based on any already available literature on the topic at hand. From an editor’s viewpoint, the cover letter is exceptionally important as that is the first thing that he or she reads and serves as the gateway to the Abstract and then the rest of the manuscript.

BMC author academy: help for all

Both JMCR and BMCRN have a large number of non-native English-speaking authors. Since JMCR and BMCRN are both BMC publications whose editorial offices are based in England, the language of publication is of course English. The BMC author academy is a joint program by BMC and Edanz [ 23 ] aimed at equipping writers for successful publication. Their materials have been developed from training workshops that Edanz gives to researchers worldwide and are not just limited to case reports. BMC recommends Edanz for authors who want to have their manuscript edited by a native speaker of English who is a scientific expert. Edanz provides scientific editing and related services that raise the quality of manuscripts to the standard needed to be understood at peer review.

http://www.biomedcentral.com/authors/authoracademy

I find that most non-native English-speaking authors have their manuscripts reviewed informally by a native English-speaking colleague and/or friend who is usually mentioned within the Acknowledgements section. This is understandable to keep costs down. However, please be aware that poor grammar and frequent spelling mistakes can be an impediment to editorial work flow and peer review. The editorial staff for both JMCR and BMCRN are acutely aware and sensitive to this given the large number of international submissions. At both JMCR and BMCRN , submitted manuscripts with questionable grammar and spelling are returned back to the authors by the editorial staff if it is felt that the grammar and spelling mistakes would impede peer review. If these issues are minor and it is felt that they would not impede peer review, then the manuscripts are sent off to peer reviewers (when appropriate).

Final checklist and the rule of C s

After I have completed a case report, I like to run through my long-winded (but useful) “rule of Cs” which is as follows.

Is it C lear, C oncise, and C oherent? Does it C onvey your message? Have you used C ases Database to look for any previously similar reported cases, and included them, if appropriate, in your references? Have you C onferred with your C olleagues on the C ontent? Will it C ause the reader to be C urious? Did you obtain C onsent? Does it C ontain all of the necessary information? Does it C omply with BM C guidelines? Do you think that it may need C opyediting? Do your C o-authors C oncur with the C ompleted paper? C an you C ut anything unnecessary out? Are your findings likely to be a C oincidence or by C hance alone? If so, then mention this in the Discussion section. Is the writing style C onsistent? Many times I find co-authored manuscripts have different writing styles within the same paper depending on who wrote what section. There should be a C entral, C orresponding author who is in C harge and oversees all of this. Is the C ase report written in a C hronological fashion with respect to the patient’s history and C hain of events? Is there anything that can be C ut out and have it still C ontain the C ompulsory information? Is it C oncise? Have you C onveyed C uriosity for your C ase report within your C over letter to the editorial team? Remember: your C over letter is the sales pitch to the editorial team! Make it C ount! Have you used within the manuscript C opyrighted information from another source? If so, do you need and/or have permission for use? After C ompletion, wait a C ouple of days before final submission to C lear your mind and read the manuscript again to C atch any mistakes that you may have made while you were C aught up in the C ompletion of it. Are the references C ontemporary? C an it be C omprehended by the average (“ C ”) reader? Remember, both JMCR and BMCRN are open access and freely available to anyone with an Internet C onnection and C omputer. C ast as wide a net as possible and C apture your C olleagues’ and other readers’ C uriosity. And first and foremost as a C linician: was the C are of your patient C ompetent and C ompassionate? (that is, are there any ethical concerns that may preclude peer review and publication?).

Summary and parting advice

Case reporting can be fun and a lifelong hobby, both for novice and experienced authors alike. It is now integral and widely accepted within published medical literature and today’s electronic information and data-sharing age. By following the above recommended steps and general overview, I hope to encourage BMC authors to continue to write and submit manuscripts to both JMCR and BMCRN . After your manuscript is complete, please follow the rule of “Cs”, especially “ C lear, C oncise, C oherent, C onsent, C ompassion, and C ompetence”, which will be appreciated by both reviewers and editors. Do not be afraid to obtain help from native English speakers for your manuscript. Also, please adhere to deadlines and follow instructions given by the editorial office, especially regarding any revisions. Editors read many different manuscripts and the longer it takes to get back a manuscript after revisions have been requested the less fresh that manuscript is in mind. Lastly, consider volunteering as an Associate Editor and/or reviewer within your specialty for both journals. I do for both, and the experience has improved both my writing and editing skills and daily interactions with patients.

Recommended further reading

I recommend the following further instructive reading on how and when to write a case report: References [ 3 , 7 , 10 , 24 ] (the last referenced article is in German, but one should readily be able to obtain an English translation if needed through a local librarian. It is well worth reading.)

I also recommend the following instructive BMC-related editorials and commentaries concerning the modern-day importance of case reports: References 2, 18, and 19.

I thank Professor Michael R. Kidd for his valuable advice and comments on this manuscript.

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  • Rison RA. Neurology case reporting: a call for all. J Med Case Reports. 2011; 7 :113. doi: 10.1186/1752-1947-5-113. [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
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  • Goetz CG. The history of Parkinson’s disease: early clinical descriptions and neurological therapies. Cold Spring Harb Perspect Med. 2011; 7 (1):a008862. [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ Google Scholar ]
  • Thayer WS. Osler, The Teacher Sir William Osler, Bart. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins Press; 1920. pp. 51–52. [ Google Scholar ]
  • Carleton HA, Webb ML. The case report in context. Yale J Biol Med. 2012; 7 :93–96. [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ Google Scholar ]
  • Weblink. “ http://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/case+report ” Accessed on August 11 th , 2013.
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  • Peh WCG, Ng KH. Writing a case report. Singapore Med J. 2010; 7 (1):10. [ PubMed ] [ Google Scholar ]
  • Weblink. “ http://www.uptodate.com/home ” Accessed on August 11 th , 2013.
  • Weblink. “ http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed ” Accessed on August 11 th , 2013.
  • Weblink. “ http://www.casesdatabase.com/ ” Accessed on August 11 th , 2013.
  • Weblink. “ http://www.neurolist.com/ ” Accessed on August 11 th , 2013.
  • Weblink. “ http://www.aan.com/ ” Accessed on August 11 th , 2013.
  • Weblink. “ http://www.sermo.com/ ” Accessed on August 11 th , 2013.
  • Weblink. “ http://www.biomedcentral.com/authors/bmcseries ” Accessed on August 11 th , 2013.
  • Kidd MR, Saltman DC. Case reports at the vanguard of 21 st century medicine. J Med Case Reports. 2012; 7 :156. doi: 10.1186/1752-1947-6-156. [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
  • Cabán-Martinez AJ, Beltrán WF. Advancing medicine one research note at a time: the educational value in clinical case reports. BMC Res Notes. 2012; 7 :293. doi: 10.1186/1756-0500-5-293. [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
  • Weblink. “ http://www.casesdatabase.com/about ” Accessed on August 11 th , 2013.
  • Weblink. “ http://www.jmedicalcasereports.com/ ” Accessed on August 11 th , 2013.
  • Weblink. “ http://www.biomedcentral.com/bmcresnotes ” Accessed on August 11 th , 2013.
  • Weblink. “ http://www.edanzediting.com/ ” Accessed on August 11 th , 2013.
  • Schneemann M, Ruggieri F. [Publish your case report]. [ Article in German ] Praxis ( Bern 1994 ) 2013. pp. 253–259. doi:10.1024/1661-8157/a001229. quiz 60–61. [ PubMed ]

Suspect charged with murder after woman who went on run found dead on University of Georgia campus

Laken Riley, 22, was found with "visible injuries," the university said.

A suspect was taken into custody a day after a woman who went for a run on the University of Georgia's Athens campus was found dead due to "foul play," school officials said Friday.

The victim, Laken Hope Riley, 22, was found in a wooded area on campus on Thursday with "visible injuries," the university said. She died from blunt force trauma, according to University of Georgia Police Department Chief Jeffrey Clark.

A suspect in her death, 26-year-old Jose Antonio Ibarra, has been charged with malice murder, felony murder, aggravated battery, aggravated assault, false imprisonment, kidnapping, obstructing an emergency call and concealing the death of another. He was denied bond during an initial court appearance on Saturday and is being held at the Clarke County Jail.

PHOTO: Laken Riley is seen in an undated photo.

Clark told reporters Friday evening they took three to four people into custody in connection with the murder but only plan to arrest Ibarra, who is from Venezuela.

"The evidence suggests that this was a solo act," he said.

Police do not believe he knew the victim and do not have a motive, according to the chief.

"I think this was a crime of opportunity, where he saw an individual and bad things happened," Clark said.

"Key input" from the community, physical evidence and video footage from campus security cameras helped lead investigators to the suspect, who lives in Athens, the chief said.

"There are no indications of a continuing threat to the community related to this case at this time," Clark said.

The Justice Department said Saturday that Ibarra's brother, Diego Ibarra, had also been arrested during the course of the investigation for presenting a fake green card after officers approached him because he matched the description of the suspect. Diego Ibarra has been charged by federal complaint with possessing a fake green card and is in state custody.

MORE: Killer remains at large in University of Colorado double homicide: Police

A friend reported Riley missing shortly after noon on Thursday when she failed to return home from a run at the school's intramural fields earlier that morning, the university said.

University police officers subsequently found her behind a lake near the fields "unconscious and not breathing," the university said. Officers attempted to provide medical aid but she was pronounced dead at the scene.

Riley was a junior at the Augusta University College of Nursing who studied at its Athens campus, the school said. She had previously attended the University of Georgia.

"This sudden loss of one of our students is truly heartbreaking," the Augusta University College of Nursing said in a statement on Friday.

She graduated from River Ridge High School in Woodstock, Georgia, in 2020, where she ran on the school's cross-country team for four years.

"Her passion for health care science and running are to be admired," River Ridge High School cross-country coach Keith Hooper said in a statement to ABC News. "She will always accompany us as we run."

Classes were canceled at the nursing school on Friday, with counselors available to staff and students.

PHOTO: The University of Georgia in Athens, Georgia, is seen on Feb. 22, 2024.

MORE: Missing Virginia Tech student remains a mystery nearly 1 week on: 'This is making sense to no one,' his mom says

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation and Athens-Clarke County Police Department are assisting in the homicide investigation, the university said.

"We have been fully briefed on this terrible situation," the university said in a statement . "We want to assure you that the safety and welfare of our campus community is our top concern."

The incident follows the "sudden death" of a student in the campus' Brumby Hall Wednesday night, the school said. A cause of death has not been released.

Chief Clark said there is no connection between the two deaths.

Classes will resume on Monday, the school said, calling the past 24 hours a "traumatic time" for the university.

PHOTO: A sign for the University of Georgia is seen, May 28, 2004, in Athens, Ga. A woman was found dead Feb. 22, 2024, on the campus of the University of Georgia after a friend told police she had not returned from a morning run, the university said.

University officials recommended that students travel in groups when possible and download the school's safety app.

Clark urged anyone with information on the incident to contact the University of Georgia Police Department.

There has not been a homicide on the campus in the past 20 years, according to Clark.

ABC News' Luke Barr, Alyssa Gregory, Jason Volack and Nick Uff contributed to this report.

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16-year-old student dies after fight in high school bathroom; ambulance not called

A 16-year-old student died at the hospital on Feb. 8, the day after the teen was allegedly...

Editor’s note: Due to conflicting reports of the teen’s gender identity, gendered terms were removed except in direct quotations from family and friends. The teen’s first name after a clarification from the student’s mother.

OWASSO, Okla. (Gray News) - Police in Oklahoma are investigating the death of a 16-year-old high school student who was involved in a fight at school.

The student, Nex Benedict, died at the hospital on Feb. 8, the day after a fight in a bathroom at Owasso High School, authorities said.

Police said they are working to learn exactly what happened to the 16-year-old.

Officers said they were called to the hospital by Benedict’s parent around 3 p.m. on Feb. 7, where the parent told officers the 16-year-old was involved in a fight at school.

Police said no fight was reported to them before the teen’s parent told them.

According to a statement from the school district , the school has “cooperated fully” with the investigation.

The school said misinformation surrounding the case has been spread in recent days, but they confirmed an altercation happened on school grounds Feb. 7 and a student died the next day.

The school said the students involved in the fight were inside the restroom for “less than two minutes” and the fight was broken up by other students who were in the bathroom at the time. A staff member was also involved in breaking up the fight, according to the school.

All students involved in the fight went to the principal’s office and nurse’s office.

The school’s statement said that all students involved in the altercation were assessed by the school nurse, and it was determined that an ambulance was not needed.

“Out of an abundance of caution, it was recommended to one parent that their student visit a medical facility for further examination,” the school said.

It’s unclear why it was determined that an ambulance wasn’t needed, and it’s also unclear if Benedict was the student who was recommended to visit a medical facility.

The school said parents of students involved in the fight were given the option to file a police report.

For privacy reasons, the school is not stating what consequences students involved in the fight will be facing at school.

However, the school said, in part, “Any notion that the district has ignored disciplinary action toward those involved is simply untrue.”

The school finished their statement by saying:

“The loss of a student, a member of the Ram Family and the Owasso community, is devastating. We recognize the impact that this event has had on the entire school community and it is our priority to foster an environment where everyone feels heard, supported, and safe. If there is ever a concern about student safety or well-being, please reach out to a teacher, counselor or principal at your child’s school. As we continue to mourn the loss of this student, our hearts go out to their family and they will continue to be in our prayers. We are here to support them and everyone who has been affected by this situation.”

Benedict’s funeral was held Thursday. The Bikers Against Child Abuse motorcycle club led everyone to the teen’s final resting place, Ridge Lawn Cemetery in Collinsville.

Benedict’s mother, Sue Benedict, described her child as a straight-A student and an animal lover who loved to cook, often making up new recipes.

“She was tough but a great kid,” Sue Benedict said at the funeral service.

The teen’s friend, Alexandria Davidson, said her friend was fun to be around and lovable to everybody.

“At first, I didn’t feel anything. I couldn’t. What am I supposed to feel at that point? Knowing that someone that I could have used to know, someone I used to walk in the halls with, someone I could have been to class with is no longer a part of our lives, no longer part of the community. It’s a community that I love, and now she’s gone,” Davidson said.

Police said they don’t know if the fight was the cause of Benedict’s death or if a separate medical issue was at play.

Officers are waiting for medical reports and an autopsy before releasing more information.

Detectives said they are also interviewing witnesses as they determine if any criminal charges will be filed.

A GoFundMe page has been set up to help the family pay for the funeral.

Copyright 2024 Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. KJRH via CNN Newsource contributed to this report.

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Police release preliminary autopsy information on death of 16-year-old owasso high school student.

the Owasso Police Department released an update on the investigation into Nex Benedict's death on Wednesday

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Police say an initial autopsy report indicated that a nonbinary 16-year-old Owasso High School student who died earlier this month did not die as a result of trauma.

| MORE | What we do and don't know as Owasso police investigate 16-year-old high school student's death

On Wednesday, the Owasso Police Department released an update on the investigation into Nex Benedict's death. While the investigation continues, police said "preliminary information from the medical examiner’s office is that a complete autopsy was performed and indicated that the decedent did not die as a result of trauma."

The official autopsy report will be released at a later date. Police added that other comments on the cause of death are pending until toxicology results and other ancillary testing results come back.

According to police and Owasso Public Schools, students got into a fight on Feb. 7 in a bathroom at the school's west campus. Other students in the bathroom as well as a teacher supervising outside the restroom broke up the fight.

Both police and the district say all students involved in the fight walked under their own power to the assistant principal's office and the nurse's office. They also say the school nurse recommended that Benedict visit a medical facility for further examination even though it was determined that an ambulance wasn't required.

| MORE | Parents of Owasso High School student who died correct errors of misidentifying their child

Later that day, a school resource officer went to Bailey Medical Center – where Benedict was being examined. The school resource officer spoke with Benedict and their parent about a fight at Owasso High School.

Police said before this report, they had not received information about a fight at the high school on Feb. 7.

Benedict was released from the hospital but had to be rushed back the next day before police said they were transported to the St. Francis pediatric emergency room, where they later died.

The news of Benedict's death and the investigation has caught international attention. Their parents have set up a GoFundMe page to help Benedict's family. As of Wednesday, the page had raised almost $75,000.

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  • What we do and don't know as Owasso police investigate 16-year-old high school student's death
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How to write a case report

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  • Peer review
  • Rahij Anwar , locum registrar in trauma and orthopaedics 1 ,
  • Huma Kabir , clinical fellow in paediatrics 2 ,
  • Rajesh Botchu , senior house officer in trauma and orthopaedics 3 ,
  • Shah Alam Khan , assistant professor 4 ,
  • Nitish Gogi , senior house officer in trauma and orthopaedics 5
  • 1 Royal London Hospital, Bexleyheath, London DA6 8DR
  • 2 Queen Mary's Hospital, Bexleyheath, London DA6 8DR
  • 3 Maidstone Hospital, Maidstone ME16 9PQ
  • 4 Department of Orthopaedics, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Ansari Nagar, New Delhi, India
  • 5 Russels Hall Hospital, Dudley DY1 2LU

Rahij Anwar and colleagues give advice on the practical details of writing case reports

Research has become an integral part of medical careers. A case report is a way of communicating information to the medical world about a rare or unreported feature, condition, complication, or intervention by publishing it in a medical journal.

When to start

Be on the look out for a case report from the start of your basic surgical or medical training. This will introduce you to the research world, and if your report is published it will be an asset to your CV. Any kind of research entails a lot of hard work and persistence. Your thought processes should be geared towards research in your postgraduate career, and you should use every opportunity you get for writing a report. So if you come across something unusual, discuss it with a consultant, particularly one who is keen on research.

Many consultants have huge amounts of material in the top drawers of their desks, waiting to be published. All they want is an enthusiastic medic who will help share their load in writing and getting it published. They are usually helpful if you ask them about this.

How to start

A senior doctor's help is a must from the beginning. He or she may know from their experience what cases are suitable for publication. Do an extensive literature search--PubMed, Medline, Ovid, Embase, and even search engines like Google will give you a vast amount of information related to the condition or feature you are after. Narrow down the search to your actual topic. If this comes up with very few search results, it means (assuming your search method is correct) that the case is rare and the report is therefore more likely to be published.

Your hospital library staff can help (especially in the beginning) by doing your searches for you and then getting relevant literature from other sources, if necessary. So don't be afraid to ask them. It is always useful to read in a standard textbook or appropriate journal everything about the topic that your case report relates to. Note down or photocopy important references at the end of the chapter or article and follow them up.

Obtaining consent from the patient is not only good medical practice but also mandatory for some journals, such as the BMJ (which has its own consent form on bmj.com). If there is no standard form, make up your own. It is useful to have the patient's contact details on the form just in case you want to trace him or her later. It is also polite to ask permission from the doctor in charge of the patient's management.

How to collect information related to the case

After you have done the groundwork, collect all the material for the case report. Use the patient's notes to record the details of all the events in the patient's care--that is, history, examination findings, results of investigations with dates, and operative findings, if any, together with the details of the actual intervention and follow ups. Get copies--do not take the originals (they are the patient's only records for future reference). You are allowed to have copies only of radiographs, slides, photographs, and so on, but in this electronic age it is better to use a digital camera for your personal copies of radiographs and clinical photographs. This avoids many potential problems and saves a lot of time. Make sure you return the notes and radiographs to their original source. You should also visit the patient again and make sure you have got the facts right.

Which journal to choose

Again, the advice of your supervising consultant is useful. Select a journal that you think would be the most appropriate for your case report. For example, unusual injury presentations are more likely to be accepted in the journals such as Trauma rather than more mainstream, general interest journal. The BMJ does not publish case reports, only Lesson of the Week. In other words, be sensible in choosing the journal.

Download or copy the information for authors for that particular journal and keep the hard copy safely in a folder with all the other information about the case. It is also useful to have a copy of any case report from a previous issue of the journal to get an idea of the presentation. It is extremely important to understand the basic format required by the journal. Your case report may be rejected because it does not conform to the standard format, no matter how good the content is. Margins, spacing, figure numbering, and style of references (Vancouver, Harvard, and so on), all are important aspects.

How many colleagues should be included?

The honest answer is not many: the supervising consultant and maybe one or two other colleagues, depending on how sincere and helpful they have been in collecting information or literature. You or your consultant (discuss with him or her) must be the first author. Do not ever give photographs or any other material related to your case report to anyone who you think might misplace them.

How do I write it?

It is best to write everything in one stretch. Piecemeal writing consumes time because you have to go over everything repeatedly. The following format is the most common way of writing a case report.

Introduction

Describe your case report in one sentence. Also mention how rare it is.

Case report

You have to summarise the information that you have gathered: a brief history and important and relevant positive and negative findings with details of investigations, treatment, and the condition of the patient after treatment. Don't include unnecessary details. Remember, this part should read like an interesting story, which your reader should enjoy.

One common form of presentation is to divide it into separate paragraphs with history, examination, investigation, treatment, and outcome in separate paragraphs--a textbook style of presentation without the headings.

Remember that the probability of getting any research work published in a reputable journal is determined primarily by how well your arguments are presented scientifically --that is, how your report is supported or discussed. The first paragraph may explain the objective of reporting the case.

You must subsequently describe whatothers have written before about the condition or any related feature. Be generous in quoting the literature but don't go into unnecessary details.

The third and most important stage in the discussion is to substantiate the message you are trying to convey. Your reviewers want proof of the rarity of the condition and the scientific explanations for it. If you don't do this, they are likely to reject your report immediately. So you must be able to describe the cause of the condition or why a particular procedure or feature was chosen. How did it influence the outcome? How does it differ from usual and what are your recommendations? Are there any lessons to be learnt? All (or at least, most) of these questions need to be answered in the discussion.

Box 1: Stages in writing a case report

Finding a rare case

Literature search

Collecting information related to the case, including consent

Summarising and writing

Revising and editing

Box 2: Format for writing a case report

the real story

Clinical features

Investigations

Treatment and outcome

review of literature

Recommendations, if any

This is not always necessary in a case report but if it is, summarise your message in a few sentences.

The reference section is boring and time consuming but extremely important. Keep to the style (Vancouver, Harvard, etc) that your journal requires. The references should be in the form of numbers as you go along (usually 1, 2, 3, etc, as superscripts or in brackets in the order of appearance, as required by your journal). It is useful to put the same number on your hard copy of the reference.

Finishing touches

Expect to have to edit and revise the report about three times. Make sure you use the spell and grammar check on your computer. Every section of the case report--discussion, reference, etc--should start on a new page. Get the senior author (usually supervising consultant) to review the finished report and then write a covering letter. All the other documents, including photographs, copyright, and so on, as required by the journal, should be attached to the final copy of the report before sending it to the journal.

You are allowed to have a party once you have put your completed case report in the mailbox. Not for celebration but for preparation. Your search for the next case report should start the next day.

Originally published as: Student BMJ 2004;12:60

how to write a case report for medical students

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Family of second kansas city shooting suspect also starts gofundme for medical bills: report.

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The family of the second suspect charged with murder in the Kansas City parade shooting appears to have set up two fundraisers to pay for his medical bills, just a day after it was revealed that the other gunman’s family tried to do the same , according to a report.

Dominic Miller, 18, who allegedly fired the gun that killed a mother of two at the Kansas City Chiefs’ Super Bowl celebration last week, saw about $85 donated for his medical expenses in a since-deleted GoFundMe page started by his older sister, Haylee Scott, the Daily Mail reports .

The page claimed that “time[s] would be tough” for Miller after he was struck during the chaotic gunfight that ensued when a group he was with took issue with the other accused gunman, Lyndell Mays, staring at them.

The family of Kansas City Super Bowl parade shooting suspect Dominic Miller appears to have set up two online fundraisers for his medical bills.

Along with the GoFundMe page, Miller’s mother, Jamie Batres, allegedly started another fundraiser on Classful to help her visit him while he’s in the hospital.

The page on Classful, a crowdfunding site meant to help teachers, describes Miller as a “Kansas City Chiefs victim 18 years old fighting for his life.”

The Classful fundraiser, which has raised no money as of Thursday evening, says Batres “needs help with a hotel, food, [and] transportation to get back and forth to the hospital” where Miller is reportedly in the ICU “fighting for his life.”

The fundraiser also included images of Miller, who had yet to be pictured, sleeping in a hospital bed with a breathing apparatus attached to him.

Donald Trent, Miller’s grandfather, told the Mail that his grandson was recovering from surgery after being shot in the abdomen.  

Lyndell Mays, the other shooting suspect, also had a GoFundMe page set up earlier this week.

Miller’s family could not be immediately reached for comment. GoFundMe and Classful did not immediately respond to the Post’s request for comment.

The fundraisers for Miller come just a day after the GoFundMe page for Mays, 23, was deleted as his mother, Teneal Burnside, asked people to help her son through a “tragic time.”

“Getting shot multiple times at a time that was [meant] to bring so much joy to so many has [brought] pain and sadness to all that was attending,” the now-deleted fundraiser said.

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The fundraiser had reportedly raised $100 for Mays’ medical bills before it was taken down.

Both Mays and Miller were charged with second-degree murder, as well as two counts of armed criminal action and unlawful use of a weapon.

The parade shooting left one person dead and 22 others injured.

Police noted that the bullet recovered from the victim’s body came from Miller’s 9mm handgun, according to court records.

The deceased was identified as Lisa Lopez-Galvan, with 22 others injured in the gunfight, including both shooters and 12 children .

Both Mays and Miller are currently being held on $1 million bonds.

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The family of Kansas City Super Bowl parade shooting suspect Dominic Miller appears to have set up two online fundraisers for his medical bills.

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  1. Guidelines To Writing A Clinical Case Report

    The most common reasons for publishing a case are the following: 1) an unexpected association between diseases or symptoms; 2) an unexpected event in the course observing or treating a patient; 3) findings that shed new light on the possible pathogenesis of a disease or an adverse effect; 4) unique or rare features of a disease; 5) unique therap...

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    1. Background 2. Case presentation 3. Observations and investigation 4. Diagnosis 5. Treatment 6. Outcome 7. Discussion Does a case report require IRB approval? Case reports typically discuss a single patient. If this is true for your case report, then it most likely does not require IRB approval because it not considered research.

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    The writing of a case report rests on skills that medical students acquire in their medical training, which they use throughout their postgraduate careers: these include history taking, interpretation of clinical signs and symptoms, interpretation of laboratory and imaging results, researching disease aetiology, reviewing medical evidence, and w...

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    In this study, medical students indicated that lack of formal training and lack of mentorship were significant barriers to writing and presenting cases. There are several journal-specific guides and instructions on how to write clinical case reports but despite this, junior doctors still find it difficult to write up a case report.

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    1 A case study report is an academic publication describing an unusual or unique case. Academic medical journals publish case study reports to inform and educate other medical practitioners. Case study reports might also prompt additional scholarly research on the medical condition or treatment plan discussed in the report. [1]

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    Use the patient's notes to record the details of all the events in the patient's care—that is, history, examination findings, results of investigations with dates, and operative findings, if any, together with the details of the actual intervention and follow ups.

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    Case reports have fallen out of favour, but they still have a role to play Given the unpredictable and challenging nature of medicine, many medical students will have come across a patient who has not been a textbook case. The patient may have presented in an unusual way, had a strange new pathology, or reacted to a medical intervention in a manner that has not been seen before.

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    Case reports are a time-honored, important, integral, and accepted part of the medical literature. Both the Journal of Medical Case Reports and the Case Report section of BioMed Central Research Notes are committed to case report publication, and each have different criteria.Journal of Medical Case Reports was the world's first international, PubMed-listed medical journal devoted to ...

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  27. Family of second Kansas City shooting suspect also starts GoFundMe for

    The family of Dominic Miller, the second gunman charged with murder in the Kansas City parade shooting, appears to have set up two fundraisers to pay for his medical bills, according to a report.