Overview for authors

Skip to Submission guidelines page.

The Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ) aims to foster excellence in the science and art of medicine and promote the health and well-being of the Canadian public.

As a general medical journal, CMAJ publishes on a wide variety of topics including, but not limited to:

• Cardiovascular health, diabetes, stroke and other chronic diseases
• Obstetrical, pediatric and geriatric health
• Primary care research
• Public health and preventive care
• Health systems research
• Randomized controlled trials and systematic reviews

In addition to this general content, CMAJ is also interested in four areas of focus — mental health, health of vulnerable populations, health services and sepsis. These specific topic areas will guide content and submissions, contribute to the evidence base, influence clinical practice and raise awareness among policy-makers and the public of these pressing health issues.

We selected these topics for additional focus as they are under-represented in the literature. By addressing these pressing issues, we could have a large impact on the population. As well, CMAJ has published widely on several of these issues in the past.

Why submit your manuscript to CMAJ?

• Work with a team of international medically qualified editors
• Receive high-quality, timely peer review (initial decision to review within one week)
• Benefit from widespread dissemination of articles with frequent news coverage in Canadian and international media

CMAJ is an international general medical journal that seeks to publish, in print and electronic form, "medical knowledge that matters." We publish original research, reviews, analyses, practice articles, guidelines, commentaries, medical news, letters and editorials. Our authors may come from any discipline, but our main audience comprises medical professionals.

As a founding member of the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE), we seek to exemplify the highest ethical and operational standards in medical journal publication.

Accepted articles are published at cmaj.ca, which is the journal of record as used by PubMed and other indexers. We curate some articles for our print editions, received by subscribers and members of the Canadian Medical Association, which owns CMAJ. CMAJ also translates a selection of articles into French, many of which appear in the bi-monthly print version called JAMC. To find out more, visit the JAMC page.

Are you ready to submit? Further details can be found on our Submission guidelines page.

Contact us

CMAJ
1410 Blair Towers Place
Suite 500
Ottawa ON  K1J 9B9
Tel 866-971-9171
editorial@cmaj.ca

Press release and media embargo

CMAJ issues press releases for many research articles and some other content before online publication. We will inform you if your article is to be featured in a press release. Contact information is included in the release for either the corresponding author or the author's media relations person.

Authors are encouraged to make themselves available for media interviews. If contacted, they should remind journalists that any information released to the media is under embargo until the publication date (usually 12:01 am ET on a Monday).

For more information: contact Kim Barnhardt, Senior Strategist, Communications and Partnerships, 613-731-8610 x 8413, kim.barnhardt@cmaj.ca.