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Authors should be aware of the broad general readership of the Journal. Highly technical articles, such as those involving physiological experiments on laboratory animals and at the cellular level, will not be accepted. Please send such articles to a specialised physiology journal instead. Brevity and clear expression are essential.

All manuscripts submitted to the Journal are assumed to be sent to it exclusively unless otherwise stated, and all material must first go through the review process before being accepted for publication or becoming eligible for open access.

Please refer to the Author instructions and submission guidelines when making your submission.

Accepted submissions

The following forms are to be completed and submitted only if your submission is accepted for publication: Copyright Form (one per submission), ICMJE Uniform Disclosure Form for Potential Conflicts of Interest (one per author). If your accepted submission is an article, viewpoint or clinical correspondence, please also send in a completed media form.

Read before submitting

Please ensure you have read our submission guidelines below before submitting.

Ethical approval is usually required to publish your manuscript in the NZMJ. Typically, this should be arranged before the study has been undertaken.

The recommendations of the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) states, “All investigators should ensure that the planning, conduct, and reporting of human research are in accordance with the Helsinki Declaration as revised in 2013. All authors should seek approval to conduct research from an independent local, regional or national review body (e.g., ethics committee, institutional review board), and be prepared to provide documentation when requested by editors.”

See the ICMJE recommendations for further information: https://www.icmje.org/recommendations/browse/roles-and-responsibilities/protection-of-research-participants.html

The New Zealand Medical Journal is fully available to individual subscribers and does not incur a subscription fee. This applies to both New Zealand and international subscribers. Institutional subscribers are encouraged to subscribe. The value of institutional subscriptions is essential to the NZMJ. By continuing to support the New Zealand Medical Journal, institutions demonstrate a commitment to academic excellence and professional development. Contributions help support valuable medical research and the continued advancement of the medical field within New Zealand and internationally.

Please submit all contributions to the journal online via the Manuscript Manager website: https://nzmj.manuscriptmanager.net. All submissions must include an anonymised manuscript. Your manuscript must not include the names of the authors.

All submissions must include an accompanying letter that states:

  • “I (We) accept full responsibility for the conduct of the study, had access to the data, and controlled the decision to publish”

  • Any potential conflicts of interests

  • All sources of funding, which will be published with the paper

All submissions must include a title page document that includes the submission’s title, the authors’ names and affiliations and the names of any referees you would like us to exclude or include for whatever reason.

  • 19 January

  • 2 February

  • 23 February

  • 8 March

  • 22 March

  • 12 April

  • 3 May

  • 17 May

  • 7 June

  • 21 June

  • 5 July

  • 19 July

  • 2 August

  • 23 August

  • 6 September

  • 27 September

  • 18 October

  • 8 November

  • 29 November

  • 13 December

The term ‘Pacific’ is often used as a broad descriptor for the peoples and cultures originating from the Pacific islands, a diverse and culturally rich region that includes Polynesia, Micronesia and Melanesia. A number of terms are often used interchangeably in New Zealand when talking about Pacific peoples, including Pasefika, Pasifika, Pacifica and Tangatao le Moana. While this provides flexibility and inclusivity, it also presents challenges. For example, there is no ‘c’ in any of the Polynesian languages, however, Pasefika is derived from the Samoan language and is not recognised as a word in the Niuean or Tongan dictionaries.

When talking about or engaging with Pacific communities, the following principles should be applied:

  • Use Pacific as the generic term to describe/refer to a group of Pacific nations.

  • Use Pacific peoples when referring to multiple population groups.

  • When talking about or to a small number of specific communities then use the correct Pacific island nation name(s).

  • Avoid Pasefika or Pasifika if the audience/subject is the general Pacific population.

  • If one specific Pacific community is the sole audience then you can use the relevant translation of the word ‘Pacific’. For example, Pasefika for Samoan audiences and Pasifiki for Tongan audiences.

  • Pacifica is not acceptable.

Credit: Health NZ - Te Whatu Ora

Types of Submissions

Editorials

Editorials are usually commissioned. Editorials on specialist topics should be written with a general audience in mind.

The basis and strength of evidence for key statements must be clear.

For example

  • based on well-designed randomised controlled trials, meta-analysis or systematic reviews
  • based on well-designed cohort or case-control studies
  • based on uncontrolled studies or consensus.

Format

  • Word Limit

    1200

  • Reference Limit

    30

  • Reference Style

    Vancouver

The journal does not hold itself responsible for statements made by any of its contributors. Statements or opinions expressed in the journal reflect the views of the author(s) and do not reflect official policy of the New Zealand Medical Journal or Pasifika Medical Association Group (PMAG), unless stated as such.

Articles

Articles should be written with awareness of the broad general readership of the Journal. The basis and strength of evidence for key statements must be clear.

Layout guideline

Title

The title should be without abbreviations.

Abstract

This should not exceed 200 words and should describe the core of the paper’s message, including essential numerical data.
Use four headings: Aims, Methods, Results and Conclusions.

Body

There should be a brief introduction (no heading) followed by these sections: Methods, Results and Discussion.

Tables, figures and images

Tables, figures and images should be inserted into the text where they are first mentioned. State the total number on your submission’s title page document.
Separately, attach high-resolution versions of images as .jpg, .tiff, .png or .eps files with you submission.

Conflicts of interest

At the end of the manuscript, briefly list any conflicts of interest.

References

In-text: Use superscript numbers for in-text citations.
Reference list: Use Vancouver style for references.

Titles of journals are abbreviated according to the style used by Index Medicus for articles in journals. Include all authors where there are four or less; for five or more authors, include only the first three authors followed by “et al.” Personal communications and unpublished data should also be cited as such in the text (with the year of the communication).

Format

  • Word Limit

    3000

  • Reference Limit

    30

  • Reference Style

    Vancouver

Links

The journal does not hold itself responsible for statements made by any of its contributors. Statements or opinions expressed in the journal reflect the views of the author(s) and do not reflect official policy of the New Zealand Medical Journal or Pasifika Medical Association Group (PMAG), unless stated as such.

Viewpoints

Viewpoint articles may be submitted at any time or solicited by the editorial board. Viewpoints on specialist topics should be written with a general audience in mind.

Viewpoints may contain a small number of headings but no sub-headings.

For example

  • based on well-designed randomised controlled trials, meta-analysis or systematic reviews
  • based on well-designed cohort or case-control studies
  • based on uncontrolled studies or consensus.

Format

  • Word Limit

    3000

  • Reference Limit

    30

  • Reference Style

    Vancouver

The journal does not hold itself responsible for statements made by any of its contributors. Statements or opinions expressed in the journal reflect the views of the author(s) and do not reflect official policy of the New Zealand Medical Journal or Pasifika Medical Association Group (PMAG), unless stated as such.

Clinical correspondence

Case reports are brief, simple reports written for a general audience.

Accompanying medical images should be concise, clear, interesting and original, with all patient-identifying data removed.

Case reports

Case reports should be written for a general audience and have a clear, simple message.

Case reports should contain these sections:
Introduction, Case report and Discussion.

You must 1) obtain patient consent (written or verbal) and 2) confirm you have obtained patient consent in the accompanying letter with your submission (we do not need a copy of written patient consent). If the patient died, then ask their next of kin. We do not need a copy of the patient consent form.

Medical Images

Medical images should be concise, clear, interesting and original. All patient-identifying information/data must be removed from images.

Include a short, descriptive label with each image and use arrows to point out special features.

Along with your manuscript, attach high-resolution versions of images as .jpg, .tiff, .png or .eps files with you submission.


You must 1) obtain patient consent (written or verbal), and 2) confirm you have obtained patient consent in the accompanying letter with your submission (we do not need a copy of written patient consent). If the patient died, then ask their next of kin. We do not need a copy of the patient consent form.

Format

  • Word Limit

    600

  • Reference Limit

    10

  • Table Figure Limit

    3 [a short film clip of a significant feature may be included]

  • Reference Style

    Vancouver

Format

  • Word Limit

    200

  • Reference Limit

    4

  • Reference Style

    Vancouver

The journal does not hold itself responsible for statements made by any of its contributors. Statements or opinions expressed in the journal reflect the views of the author(s) and do not reflect official policy of the New Zealand Medical Journal or Pasifika Medical Association Group (PMAG), unless stated as such.

Letters

All letters are reviewed by the editor and most are sent for external peer review.

Consider submitting long letters as Viewpoints

Format

  • Word Limit

    800

  • Reference Limit

    10

  • Reference Style

    Vancouver

Research letter

  • Word Limit

    1000

  • Reference Limit

    12

  • Reference Style

    Vancouver

The journal does not hold itself responsible for statements made by any of its contributors. Statements or opinions expressed in the journal reflect the views of the author(s) and do not reflect official policy of the New Zealand Medical Journal or Pasifika Medical Association Group (PMAG), unless stated as such.

Obituaries

The New Zealand Medical Journal encourages publication of obituary notices. Normally these will be constructed by a colleague and/or close friend. Each obituary will be considered by a member of the Editorial Board and may be edited. Proofs will not be provided, but we may seek further information from you.

Layout guidline

In constructing an obituary notice, please begin with the full name of the deceased. Keep it brief (up to 600 words), but longer obituaries will be considered.

  • Date of birth

  • Date of death

  • Qualifications and honours (and years, if known)

  • Details of family surviving the deceased

  • Details of the author of the obituary notice (occupation and city/town)

  • Include the person’s professional achievements, best personal qualities, and (if possible) their interests and pastimes including club and society memberships.

Format

  • Word Limit

    600

  • Image

    jpg

  • If possible, please either provide a separate digital (jpg) photo of the person with the manuscript, or post a hard copy photo together with your address details so we can return it to you after we scan it to: NZMJ Pasifika Medical Association Group, 7a Pacific Rise, Mt Wellington, Auckland 1060. See previously published obituary examples for guidance on length, content, and style. Finally, send the Word document and photo to nzmj@pmagroup.co.nz

The journal does not hold itself responsible for statements made by any of its contributors. Statements or opinions expressed in the journal reflect the views of the author(s) and do not reflect official policy of the New Zealand Medical Journal or Pasifika Medical Association Group (PMAG), unless stated as such.