ABSTRACT

The aim of our study is to examine and evaluate data of medical student journals from around the world for the year 2020.

In this observational study 20 medical student journals were examined. Data analyzed comprised of the year of foundation, country of origin, number of issues per year, types of articles published, and the total number of articles published in a year. Issues that were published in 2020 only were taken into consideration.

In 2020, the majority of medical student journals were based in the United States of America, followed by Canada. There were only four indexed (Scopus, Science Citation Index Expanded, PubMed) medical student journals; three were from the United States of America, and one from Canada. In comparison with other journals, the Yale Journal of Biology and Medicine had the most published issues. They also have the most crowded editorial board. Overall, the median of people on the editorial boards and advisory boards were 17.5 and 14, respectively. The median for issues per year was 2. The median number of publications in medical student journals in 2020 was 23. Among them, 13.1% were original research articles, 10.8% review articles, 9.4% case reports, 4.9% editorials, and 2.9% letters to the editor. The remaining 59.0% were publications that fell into the "others" category.

In conclusion, the majority of medical student journals are based in North America and Europe, and a substantial amount of the published articles falls into the “others” category. Considering the lack of effective guidance and regulations with relevance to indexing. Medical student journals face certain challenges regarding visibility, accessibility, and publishing articles. However, provided that the editors of medical student journals remain keen, motivated, and focused, medical student journals will contribute to the scientific community by creating a supportive and intellectual environment for aspiring researchers where they can enhance their understanding of scientific research and publishing skills.

Keywords: Medical students, medical student journal, publications