Manuscripts submitted to the journal must be original and must not have been published previously, either in print or in electronic form. If your article appears online in any form, it is considered to be a published article. Manuscripts cannot be submitted elsewhere while under consideration by this journal. Most articles published are review articles or case reports. Clinical quizzes and other relevant information may be submitted for review.

Because of the significant number of case reports received by the journal, it is recommended that you consider submitting a review article on the topic with the case report as a typical or atypical example. The ideal case report will have something that is not so ordinary or an uncommon complication of a common condition.

All manuscripts are subject to peer review and acceptance is based on that review. The review process can take anywhere from 1 to 4 months. If accepted, the authors will be notified of any recommended revisions. If revisions are requested, a revised manuscript should be submitted as indicated. Routine editorial changes will be made in-house to conform to house style. Accepted manuscripts are generally published within 1 year from the date of acceptance, but case reports may take longer.

Authors will have the opportunity to review the edited manuscript. This will be the author's last chance to make substantive changes to the manuscript. However, if a significant portion of the manuscript is rewritten or new data are added, the manuscript will have to reenter the peer-review process, which may delay publication. Final proofs are sent to the author as a courtesy but no substantial changes may be introduced at that point.

Copyright/Permissions

All authors are required to sign a copyright transfer form, assigning all copyrights to Ascend Media, owner of the journal. No previously published material can be used for publication in this journal, and authors cannot retain the copyright to their article.

For previously published material, such as tables or figures, authors are required to obtain written permission to adapt or reproduce (in print and electronic formats) such materials from the original publishers and/or authors and to provide copies of all permission letters

Conflict of Interest

Authors are required to disclose any financial interests (direct or indirect) and any affiliations or involvement (competitive or amiable) with organizations that have a financial interest in the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. All authors are required to sign a conflict of interest disclosure form.

Manuscript Format

Microsoft Word is the preferred format for the manuscript; do not use Portable Document format. Each manuscript must contain the following elements:

Cover letter : Identify the corresponding author and provide complete contact information, including address, telephone, fax, and e-mail. Specify all sources of outside support and disclose any financial interests in the material discussed in the manuscript, and disclose that this is an original manuscript. Verify that the manuscript has not been submitted elsewhere and has not been published in any form, including online and will not be submitted for publication to any other journal while it is under consideration with Resident & Staff Physician.

Title page : Include a concise title for the manuscript. List the name, degree, and affiliation of each author. Include a word count (including references and tables) and the total number of tables and figures

Abstract : Prepare an unstructured abstract of about 150 words that summarizes the main points of the manuscript and conveys why it is important for the readership of this journal. Case reports do not need an abstract

Text : Manuscripts are intended to be comprehensive yet concise. Maximum length for Review Articles: 2500 words. Maximum length for Case Reports: 1500 words. Double-space throughout and number pages consecutively. Spell out abbreviations at first mention.

Tables/Figures : Authors are encouraged to create tables, figures and/or diagnostic/treatment algorithms to highlight key practice points. Authors must give full reference to materials barrowed from another source and obtain permission to use the materials. Number all elements in the order cited in the text. Include a title for each table/algorithm and a title and caption for each figure. Provide a key for special characters/abbreviations. Resolution of digital graphics must be at least 300 dots per inch (dpi). Do not embed graphics into the manuscript. If submitting printed photos, include 2 high-quality copies of each.

References : Limit references to 25 for Review Articles and 15 for Case Reports. Use the most current data from primary sources and avoid references older than 20 years and textbooks. Please do not use your word processing program's endnote or footnote feature. Prepare a separate reference section instead. Number references sequentially in the order cited in the text. All references must be verified by the authors and must conform to the format prescribed by the AMA Manual of Style. Provide the names of the first three authors followed by "et al." Examples:

1. Aday LA, Begley CE, Lairson DR, et al: A framework for assessing the effectiveness, efficiency, and equity of behavioral healthcare. Am J Manag Care. 1999;5(special issue):SP25-SP44.

2. Friedman C, Elstein A, Wolf F, et al: Measuring the quality of diagnostic hypothesis sets for studies of decision support. In: proceedings of the Ninth World Congress on Medical Informatics. Amsterdam, The Netherlands: los Press; 1998:864-868.

3. Netscape Communications Corporation Company Backgrounder. Available at: www.netscape.com/company/about/backgrounder.html. Accessed March 19, 1999.

Submitting the Manuscript

US mail: Send an original and 2 copies of the manuscript, as well as a copy saved on a CD-ROM or 3.5" diskette. Label the CD or diskette with the first author's last name and indicate the program used. Send digital graphics (at least 300 dpi) as separate image files rather than embedded in the manuscript. Include 2 high-quality copies of all printed photos.

Mail to: D. Buffery, Editor, Resident & Staff Physician, 103 College Road East, Princeton, NJ 08540.

E-mail: Manuscripts can now be submitted electronically to Dorothy Matsukas, Editorial Assistant, at: . Tel: 609-524-9536. Send digital graphics (at least 300 dpi) as separate image files rather than embedded in the manuscript.

Submission Checklist

Before mailing your submission, please review the following list to ensure that your package is accurate and complete:

• Provide the corresponding author's complete mailing address and telephone, fax, and e-mail information.
• Include an abstract of no more than 150 words.
• Create a list of references, cited in the order in which they appear in the text. Do not use your word processing program's endnote or footnote feature.
• Submit digital graphics as separate image files rather than embedded in the manuscript. Resolution of digital graphics must be at least 300 dpi.
• Obtain permission to reproduce material from other sources.
• If submitting via US mail, include the original manuscript and 2 copies, and an electronic version on a labeled 3.5" diskette or CD-ROM.

The journal now accepts manuscripts electronically. Manuscript must be saved as a Word document, and all images must be saved individually as an image file (eg, jpeg, tiff, etc.). Digital graphics must be saved as high-resolution of at least 300 dpi. If you are not familiar with this terminology contact our Editorial Assistant (see below). Save digital images as separate image files rather than embedded in the manuscript.

Be sure to follow these directions, especially regarding electronic images. Images not saved appropriately or saved within the Word document will delay the peer-review process significantly. If you prefer to send the images via regular mail, contact our Editorial Assistant (see below) for more information. Include at least 2 high-quality copies of all printed photos.

Send your entire manuscript electronically to: Dorothy Matsukas, Editorial Assistant, at: . Tel: 609-524-9536.

All quizzes are subject to peer review. A quiz must include at least 1 clinical photo but no more than 4. The image to accompany the quiz section must be pertinent to the diagnosis and provide a clue to the specific diagnosis. Also provide a very brief description of the relevant presenting symptoms and 4 possible diagnoses, with only 1 correct. The answer should provide a brief discussion (<500 words) of the diagnosis, relevant signs and symptoms, how to arrive at the diagnosis, and why the other diagnoses are wrong.

Be sure to include the medical field of the case and your contact information. Only high-quality images will be considered for publication

How to Send the Manuscript

By mail: Include at least 2 copies of each image and a manuscript saved as a Word file on a disk or a CD Rom. Mail to: Photo Quiz, Resident & Staff Physician, 103 College Road East, Princeton, NJ 08540.

Electronically: All digital images must be saved as high-resolution of at least 300 dpi. They must be saved in an image format (not in the Word document), as a jpeg, gif, or tiff file. Save each image at 100% of the original size. Do not embed the images in the manuscript. This will slow the peer-review process.

E-mail to: . For assistance with electronic submission, call Dorothy Matsukas at 609-524-9536.

The purpose of this series is to provide a succinct summary of the most pertinent information about a medical condition. For this reason, adhering to the following format is important. Articles not following these instructions will be returned to the author. We cannot fit more than 3 images on the page.

This series offers a 1-page format for high-quality, color or black-and-white images of classic bedside, radiographic, or laboratory findings. Submit duplicate prints of each image along with a figure legend, clinical summary of 175 words or less, and the diagnosis. Do not include references.

Mail to: Editor, Resident & Staff Physician, 103 College Road East, Princeton, NJ 08540.

Or e-mail to: . For assistance with submission contact Dorothy Matsukas at 609-524-9536.

Readers are invited to submit cases associated with a diagnostic ECG presented as a question and answer format. Cases should represent comon but often not recognized conditions, striking examples of less common but classically described conditions, or just plain interesting ECG cases. Provide a brief description of the presenting condition, a high-quality diagnostic ECG, and a brief discussion of the condition, as well as why this ECG reveals the diagnosis.

Mail to: Editor, Resident & Staff Physician, Ascend Media, 103 College Road East, Princeton, NJ 08540.

Electronic submissions send to Dorothy Matsukas, Editorial Assistant: . Save the digital ECG as high-resoluion, 300 dpi file, and send as a separate jpeg or jif file. Do not embed in the article.