Guidelines

Submission Preparation Checklist

Authors must verify compliance with all items before submitting. Non-compliant manuscripts will be returned immediately.

• Originality: The submission has not been previously published, nor is it currently under consideration by another journal.
• Format & Layout: Manuscripts must be in Microsoft Word (.doc/.docx), double-spaced, 12pt Times New Roman, with all figures and tables embedded at appropriate points.
• References: Citations must strictly follow the customized Vancouver system with all active reference software links completely removed (converted to flat and unlinked plain text).
• Cover Letter: A signed letter from the corresponding author must outline the work's clinical significance and confirm approval by all co-authors.
• Authorship & Copyright: Authors must upload the official JoNMC Authorship, Individual Contribution & Copyright Declaration Form signed personally by all listed co-authors. This confirms compliance with ICMJE criteria and agreement to copyright retention under the CC BY 4.0 license (proxy signatures are strictly banned).
• Ethical Approval & Patient Privacy: A scanned copy of the official Institutional Review Committee (IRC/IRB) approval letter is mandatory for all studies involving humans or animals. Additionally, clinical case reports utilizing patient details or medical images must include a signed JoNMC Patient Informed Consent Form.

Types of Articles (Acceptable Article Formats)

• Research Papers (Original Articles): Full-length primary data reports. Non-expedited processing.
• Review Articles: Comprehensive systematic appraisals. Mandatory pre-submission email pitch required.
• Short Communications: Fast-track findings. Maximum 12 pages, 100-word unstructured abstract, 20 references, 4 data displays.
• Case Reports & Letters to the Editor: Brief clinical evaluations or commentaries subject to editorial review.

All manuscripts undergo peer review, with Letters to the Editor evaluated directly by the editorial team

Research papers (Original Articles) are full-length reports of original research. The scope includes basic science, clinical results, or practical applications. These manuscripts undergo standard peer review and are not eligible for expedited processing.

Review articles are concise and comprehensive appraisals of research and clinical outcomes in a field of current interest. All review articles are subject to the normal review process. Contributors are encouraged to contact the Editor-in-Chief via email at editorjonmc2012@gmail.com before undertaking a review in order to determine its suitability.

Short Communications

Short communications are brief, definitive reports of highly significant and timely findings. At the discretion of the Editor, these submissions receive rapid review and, if accepted, are fast-tracked for publication in the next scheduled biannual issue.

• Format: Maximum 12 double-spaced pages, 100-word abstract, short introduction, abbreviated methods, results, and a concise discussion.
• Limits: Maximum of 20 references and 4 data displays (figures or tables).
• Policy: Reviewed within 1 to 2 weeks via rapid double-blind peer review. Minor revisions must be resubmitted within 5 business days. Manuscripts requiring major structural revisions lose fast-track status and will be either rejected outright or transitioned to the standard peer-review pipeline at the editor's discretion.

Manuscript Submission and Processing Charges

The journal does not charge any fees for the submission or processing of manuscripts. Publishing in JoNMC is completely free of charge for authors.

Language and Editing

All manuscripts must be written in clear, grammatically correct English. Both American and British English usages are accepted, but authors must maintain a consistent style throughout the entire text without mixing them. Authors who feel their manuscripts require editing to eliminate spelling or grammatical errors are strongly encouraged to seek independent professional language editing services prior to submission.

Authorship and Contributions

All authors must meet the journal's authorship criteria. An Authorship and Contribution Form must be completed and submitted with each manuscript, clearly specifying the contribution of each author. The corresponding author is responsible for ensuring all authors have approved the submitted manuscript and the authorship/contribution information. A brief Author Contributions statement, summarizing each author's role as declared in the Authorship and Contribution Form, must also be included in the final manuscript and will appear in the published article. This requirement applies to articles submitted from August 2026 onwards; articles submitted prior to this date were not subject to it.

ICMJE Authorship Criteria & Undertaking

JoNMC strictly enforces the four core ICMJE criteria. Every author must fulfill all four components:

1. Substantial contributions to the conception, design, or acquisition/analysis of data.
2. Drafting the work or critically revising it for important intellectual content.
3. Approval of the final version to be published (not only the initial submission).
4. Agreement to be accountable for all aspects of the work.

Submission Requirements:

• Personal Signatures Required: All listed authors must personally sign the official Authorship Declaration Form. The journal strictly prohibits proxy signatures or senior authors signing on behalf of absent colleagues.
• Author Metadata: Each author must provide their full name, active email address, and institutional affiliation current at the time the research was conducted.
• Group Authorship: Submissions under a corporate or collective name must specify the key individuals responsible for the work; other contributors should be listed in the Acknowledgments.

Changes to authorship

Authors are expected to consider carefully the list and order of authors before submitting their manuscript and provide the definitive list of authors at the time of the original submission. Any addition, deletion or rearrangement of author names in the authorship list should be made only before the manuscript has been accepted and only if approved by the journal Editor. To request such a change, the Editor must receive the following from the corresponding author: (a) the reason for the change in author list and (b) written confirmation (e-mail, letter) from all authors that they agree with the addition, removal or rearrangement. In the case of addition or removal of authors, this includes confirmation from the author being added or removed.

Only in exceptional circumstances will the Editor consider the addition, deletion or rearrangement of authors after the manuscript has been accepted. While the Editor considers the request, publication of the manuscript will be suspended. If the manuscript has already been published in an online issue, any requests approved by the Editor will result in a corrigendum.

Authorship Disputes

If authors are unable to reach agreement on authorship, contribution, or order, the corresponding author must notify the Editor-in-Chief in writing. The Editor-in-Chief will request individual statements from each disputing author and may, where necessary, refer the matter to the authors' institution(s) for resolution, following COPE's guidance on authorship disputes. Publication will be paused until the dispute is resolved.

Submission of Manuscripts

Authors may submit manuscripts using any of the following official channels:

• JoNMC Online Portal: Submit directly via our standalone website at https://jonmc.info.np/register
• NepJOL Online Portal: Submit via the centralized NepJOL system at https://www.nepjol.info/index.php/JoNMC/user/register
• Direct Email: Send all manuscript files and declaration forms to editorjonmc2012@gmail.com.

Correspondence Note: Regardless of the submission method, all subsequent peer-review communications, editorial decisions, and revision requests will be conducted via email.

Suggested and Opposed Reviewers

Authors must suggest four competent, independent reviewers in their field and may name specific individuals they wish to exclude from the evaluation process due to competing interests.

• Submission Format: The names, full institutional affiliations, and institutional email addresses of the suggested reviewers must be uploaded as a separate document during submission.
• Conflict of Interest Rule: Suggested reviewers must not be past or present collaborators, must not belong to the same institution as any of the co-authors, and must have verifiable institutional email addresses.
• Editorial Discretion: The Editor-in-Chief reserves the absolute right to utilize or ignore the suggested names and may select completely independent referees from the journal's external reviewer pool.

PREPARATION

Use of Word Processing Software

Save your manuscript file in the native format of the word processor used (e.g., .doc or .docx).

Text Layout Rules:

• Use a simple single-column layout.
• Avoid using options to justify text or hyphenate words.
• Use standard styling like bold, italics, subscripts, and superscripts where necessary.
• Do not add complex formatting codes, as they will be removed during processing.

Table Formatting Rules:

• Create tables using one continuous grid per individual table, not a separate grid for each row.
• Use tabs instead of spaces to align columns if you do not use a table grid.

Final Check:
Use the spell-check and grammar-check functions of your word processor before submitting to avoid unnecessary errors.

Article structure
All manuscripts submitted for publication to the JoNMC should include the following

1.Covering Letter
All submissions must include a formal covering letter explaining why the manuscript is suitable for JoNMC.

• Justification: The letter must state the scientific significance and relevance of the work.
• Corresponding Author: One author must be designated as the primary correspondent.
• Responsibility: This author is fully responsible for managing communications, revisions, and final approvals with the editorial board.

2. Manuscript
Authors can register and submit their manuscripts through any of the following channels:

• JoNMC Online Portal: Register here for free to upload your files and enter your article details.
• NepJOL Online Portal: Register here for free to submit and track your manuscript via the NepJOL network.
• Direct Email: Send all manuscript files and declaration forms directly to editorjonmc2012@gmail.com.

Fees and Charges:

• There are no fees for submission, processing, or publication.

Manuscript Length and Format:

• Manuscripts must be concise, between 2,000 and 4,000 words in length.
• This word limit strictly excludes the title page, abstract, and references.
• All correspondence (decisions/revisions) is sent via email.

Manuscript Text Architecture

Title
Title of the article should be short, continuous (broken or hyphenated titles are not acceptable) and yet sufficiently descriptive and informative so as to be useful in indexing and information retrieval.

Author Names and Affiliations

• Name Accuracy: State the given names and family names clearly, ensuring exact spelling.
• Numerical Superscripts: Use sequential superscript numbers (e.g., ¹, ²) immediately after each author’s name and before the corresponding address to link them.
• Corresponding Author: Place an asterisk superscript (*) next to the name of the designated corresponding author.
• Address Layout: List the full institutional addresses (department, hospital/university, city, country) directly below the names.

Corresponding author: Clearly indicate who will handle correspondence at all stages of refereeing and publication, also post-publication. Ensure that the e-mail address and ORCID is given and that contact details are kept up to date by the corresponding author. The corresponding author's name and email address will be printed on the full-text version of the published article.

Present/permanent address. If an author has moved since the work described in the article was done, or was visiting at the time, a 'Present address' (or 'Permanent address') may be indicated as a footnote to that author's name. The address at which the author actually did the work must be retained as the main, affiliation address. Superscript Arabic numerals are used for such footnotes.

Abstract
A concise and factual abstract is required. The abstract should state briefly the purpose of the research, the principal results and major conclusions. An abstract is often presented separately from the article, so it must be able to stand alone. For this reason, References should be avoided, but if essential, then cite the author(s) and year(s). Also, non-standard or uncommon abbreviations should be avoided, but if essential they must be defined at their first mention in the abstract itself. The Abstract should be structured (only for original research as Background, Materials and Methods, Results and Conclusion) and should not exceed 250 words. In articles submitted as Rapid Communications, abstracts should be approximately 100 words in length.

Keywords
A set of 3 to 5 suitable keywords must be provided immediately following the abstract. Keywords should be arranged alphabetically and separated by commas. Authors are required to select terms from the official NLM MeSH Browser to ensure standardized medical nomenclature and maximize article discoverability in global indexing databases.

Introduction
State the objectives of the work and provide an adequate background, avoiding a detailed literature survey or a summary of the results.

Materials and Methods

Provide sufficient operational details to allow the research to be fully reproduced. Methodology that has already been published must be indicated by a formal citation, and only the relevant modifications should be described in detail. Additionally, authors must explicitly state the name of the approving Institutional Review Committee (IRC) or ethics body, along with the official ethical clearance reference number, within this section.

Results

Results must be presented in a clear, objective, and concise manner. This section should focus strictly on reporting the primary and secondary findings of the study, utilizing text, tables, and figures to display data efficiently without narrative interpretation or speculative discussion.

Discussion
It must explore the significance and clinical implications of the findings rather than repeating the results. A combined "Results and Discussion" section is not acceptable. Authors must briefly compare their data with relevant literature, address study limitations, and avoid excessive or unrelated citations.

Conclusion
The main conclusions of the study must be presented in a short, standalone Conclusions section at the end of the manuscript. It should not form a subsection of the Results or Discussion. The conclusions must be concise and directly supported by the data presented in the study

Acknowledgement
Collate acknowledgements, if any, in a separate section at the end of the article before the references and do not, therefore, include them on the title page, as a footnote to the title or otherwise. List here those individuals who provided help during the research (e.g., providing language help, writing assistance or proof reading the article, etc.).

Conflict of Interest

Authors must disclose any financial, personal, or professional relationships that could influence or bias their work. If no conflicts exist, state: "The authors declare no conflicts of interest." This statement must be placed at the end of the manuscript before the reference list.

Data Availability Statement

For original research articles submitted from August 2026 onwards, authors must include a Data Availability Statement describing the availability of data supporting the findings. Articles submitted before this date were not subject to this requirement.

Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Authors may use AI-assisted technologies to improve the language, readability, or organization of their manuscript. AI tools must not be listed as authors. Any use of AI beyond basic spelling or grammar correction must be disclosed in the manuscript through an AI Use Statement. Authors should refer to the Journal's Artificial Intelligence (AI) Use Policy for complete guidance.

References

Citation in text

Please ensure that every reference cited in the text is also present in the reference list (and vice versa). Any references cited in the abstract must be given in full. Unpublished results and personal communications are not recommended in the reference list, but may be mentioned in the text. If these references are included in the reference list, they should follow the standard reference style of the journal and should include a substitution of the publication date with either 'Unpublished results' or 'Personal communication'. Citation of a reference as 'in press' implies that the item has been accepted for publication.

Web references
As a minimum, the full URL should be given and the date when the reference was last accessed. Any further information, if known (DOI, author names, dates, reference to a source publication, etc.), should also be given. Web references can be listed separately (e.g., after the reference list) under a different heading if desired, or can be included in the reference list.

References in a special issue

Please ensure that the words 'this issue' are added to any references in the list (and any citations in the text) to other articles in the same Special Issue.

References & Citation Formatting

JoNMC utilizes the Vancouver referencing system with customized punctuation modifications (see examples below).

• No Active Software Links: Authors must completely remove all active field codes, hyperlinks, and hidden metadata generated by reference management software (such as EndNote, Mendeley, or Zotero) before submitting.
• Plain Text Only: All citations and the final bibliography list must be converted into completely flat, unlinked plain text. Submissions containing active electronic reference links will be returned to the authors.

Reference style
Text: Indicate references by number(s) in square brackets in line with the text. The actual authors can be referred to, but the reference number(s) must always be given. Example: '..... as demonstrated [3, 6]. Barnaby and Jones [8] obtained a different result ....'

List: Number the references (numbers in square brackets) in the list in the order in which they appear in the text. Examples:

Reference to a journal publication

[1] Deo KK, Yogi P, Niroula A, Maharjan S, Appendicitis among Patients Admitted to the Department of Surgery of a Tertiary Care Centre: A Descriptive Cross-sectional Study, J Nepal Med Assoc. 61:257 (2023) 10-13. DOI: 10.31729/jnma.7980. PMID: 37203909.

Reference to a book:

[2] W. Strunk Jr., E.B. White, The Elements of Style, fourth ed., Longman, New York, 2000.

Reference to a chapter in an edited book:

[3] G.R. Mettam, L.B. Adams, How to prepare an electronic version of your article, in: B.S. Jones, R.Z. Smith (Eds.), Introduction to the Electronic Age, E-Publishing Inc., New York, 2009, pp. 281–304.

Reference to a website:

[4] Cancer Research UK, Cancer statistics reports for the UK. http://www.cancerresearchuk.org/aboutcancer/statistics/cancerstatsreport/, 2003 (accessed 13.03.03).

Figure Captions

Each illustration must include a clear, separate caption; do not embed captions directly within the image file. A caption must consist of a brief title and a concise description of the illustration. Minimize text inside the images, and explicitly define all symbols and abbreviations used.

Illustrations

Submit all illustrations in JPEG or TIFF format (maximum file size: 1 MB). Number them consecutively using Arabic numerals, and include a clear title and an explanation of all symbols in the figure legends.

• Photomicrographs: Include internal scale markers to maintain magnification accuracy during printing. Ensure all symbols, arrows, and lettering contrast sharply with the background.
• Copyrighted Material: Fully acknowledge any previously published material. You must submit written permission from the copyright holder along with the manuscript.

Tables
Please submit tables as editable text and not as images. Tables can be placed either next to the relevant text in the article, or on separate page(s) at the end. Number tables consecutively in accordance with their appearance in the text and place any table notes below the table body. Be sparing in the use of tables and ensure that the data presented in them do not duplicate results described elsewhere in the article. Please avoid using vertical rules.

Table Footnotes: Place any explanatory notes or footnotes directly below the table body. Use these footnotes strictly to define statistical indicators, symbols, or clinical abbreviations (e.g., p-value, SD, BMI) used within that specific table. Do not place these explanations in the table caption or main text.

Submission Checklist

The following checklist is a quick tool to verify your article prior to final submission. Please consult our detailed Guide for Authors for formatting specifics.

Author & Contact Information

• Corresponding Author: One author must be explicitly designated as the corresponding author.
• Contact Details: Ensure their full institutional email address and full postal address are clearly included on the title page.

File Components & Completeness
Ensure all mandatory files are fully prepared and contain the following:

• Keywords: 3 to 5 terms selected strictly from the NLM MeSH Browser.
• Figure Captions: Compiled completely as a text list on a separate page.
• Tables: Included with clear titles, data descriptions, and explicit table footnotes.

Essential Technical Considerations

• Language & Quality: The entire manuscript must be thoroughly spell-checked and grammar-checked.
• Citation Accuracy: Every source mentioned in the Reference list must be cited in the text body, and vice versa.
• Formatting: All references must strictly align with the journal's chosen standard citation style.
• Permissions: Written permission must be obtained (and uploaded) for any copyrighted material used from external or online sources.

Help & Inquiries

For any technical issues or editorial queries, contact our editorial desk directly via email at editorjonmc2012@gmail.com.

Downloadable Links:

1. JoNMC_Authorship_and_Copyright_Declaration_Form

2. JoNMC Patient Informed Consent Form