Submissions

Author Guidelines

Thank you for your interest in contributing to the British Surgical Academy Journal (BSAJ). We welcome high-quality submissions that align with our mission to enhance surgical education through multimedia content and concise, evidence-based articles. To ensure your submission meets our editorial standards, please review the following guidelines carefully.

1. Types of Submissions

BSAJ accepts three primary types of submissions:

1. Educational Surgical Videos
• Description: We invite high-quality, peer-reviewed video content that showcases surgical procedures, techniques, or workflows. Videos should aim to teach critical aspects of a procedure, provide step-by-step guides, and highlight key surgical skills.
• Submission Requirements:
• Length: Maximum 10-15 minutes, focusing on clarity and educational value.
• Accompanying abstract (see Section 4).
• Include key timestamps or annotations within the video for easy navigation.
• Ensure high-quality resolution (1080p or higher) and professional editing where possible.
• Include patient consent and ethical approval where applicable.
2. Surgical Animations
• Description: We accept animations that visually demonstrate complex surgical procedures, anatomical structures, or steps of a procedure that are difficult to capture in live recordings.
• Submission Requirements:
• Length: Maximum 5-10 minutes, focusing on clarity of concepts.
• Accompanying abstract (see Section 4).
• Animations should be professional, clear, and accurate, with well-labeled diagrams and annotations where necessary.
• Include appropriate references for any scientific data used in creating the animation.
3. Essay-Style Educational Content
• Description: We welcome concise, essay-style reviews of key surgical topics, innovations, or best practices. Essays should offer evidence-based insights or summaries of surgical techniques, emerging trends, or notable advancements in the field.
• Submission Requirements:
• Word count: 1,500-2,500 words.
• Focus on a clear educational message, supported by up-to-date references.
• Include a structured abstract (see Section 4).
• Content should be concise, authoritative, and aimed at both trainees and experienced professionals.

2. General Submission Guidelines

• Language: Submissions must be in English and written in a clear, professional tone.
• Originality: The submission must be original and not previously published or under consideration elsewhere. Plagiarism will result in immediate rejection.
• Peer Review: All submissions undergo a double-blind peer review process. Authors are encouraged to ensure their submissions meet the highest quality standards before submission.
• Ethics: Submissions involving patient data or images must include appropriate patient consent and institutional ethical approval, as applicable. Authors should ensure compliance with the Declaration of Helsinki and any relevant national guidelines.
• Before making a submission, authors are responsible for obtaining permission to publish any material included with the submission, such as photos, documents and datasets.
• All authors identified on the submission must consent to be identified as an authors.

3. Continuing Medical Education (CME) Questions

Each submission to BSAJ must be accompanied by five questions related to the content. These questions will be used for Continuing Medical Education (CME) purposes to assess the reader’s understanding of the material.

• Question format: Multiple-choice or true/false questions are preferred.
• Content: The questions should be directly related to the key learning points of the submission.
• Answers: Provide correct answers with brief explanations for each question to clarify the reasoning behind the correct choice.

4. Abstract Guidelines

Each submission must include a structured abstract, summarizing the content, educational objectives, and key insights.

• Word count: 150-250 words.
• Structure: The abstract should be broken down into:
1. Introduction: Briefly state the purpose of the content.
2. Methods (for videos/animations): Summarize the surgical technique or animation process.
3. Main Findings: Highlight key educational takeaways or surgical techniques demonstrated.
4. Conclusion: Summarize the overall impact and educational value of the content.

5. Technical Specifications

• Video submissions:
• Format: MP4, MOV, or AVI.
• Resolution: Minimum 1080p, with clear audio commentary or captions.
• Length: 10-15 minutes (educational surgical videos) or 5-10 minutes (surgical animations).
• Written content:
• Format: Word document (.doc or .docx).
• Word count: 1,500-2,500 words for essay-style educational content.
• Citations: Use Vancouver citation style, with references listed at the end.

6. Submission Process

1. Prepare your manuscript or multimedia submission: Ensure that it adheres to the above guidelines and is formatted appropriately.
2. Submit online: All submissions should be uploaded via the BSAJ submission portal (link to be provided on the official BSAJ website).
3. Review Process: Submissions will be reviewed by experts in the relevant field. You may be asked to make revisions before your work is accepted for publication.

7. Post-Acceptance and Publication

Once accepted, authors will be notified of the publication schedule. Published content will be available in open-access format on the BSAJ website, making it freely accessible to the global surgical community.

Authors may be contacted to participate in further promotion of their work through interviews, webinars, or collaborative efforts with BSAJ’s educational partners.

For any queries or further guidance, please contact the BSAJ editorial team at [email address] or visit our FAQ section on the journal’s website.

An editor may desk reject a submission if it does not meet minimum standards of quality. Before submitting, please ensure that the study design and  argument are structured and articulated properly. The title should be concise and the abstract should be able to stand on its own. This will increase the likelihood of reviewers agreeing to review the submission. When you're satisfied that your submission meets this standard, please follow the checklist below to prepare your submission.