Elective posting on “Medical writing and publication” during MBBS curriculum: Students’ perspectives

Abstract The Graduate Medical Education Regulations by the Government of India in 2019 envisage a broader role for Indian Medical Graduates encompassing skills of a clinician, leader, communicator, lifelong learner, professional, critical thinker, and researcher. Elective posting as a part of the curriculum helps students to gain a personalized learning experience in their field of interest. Medical colleges in India offer electives for students immediately after their Phase III MBBS university examination based on the resources and expertise in their setting. In this article, final-year MBBS students have narrated their experience of an elective posting on “Medical Writing and Publication” offered by Pharmacology Department at our institute. The mentor and the coordinators of the elective posting guided students to write this article. Hence, they have also been listed as authors. The student authors narrate their understanding of the importance of medical writing, different types of articles published in a medical journal, structure of original article, different reporting guidelines for research reporting, publication ethics, and ranking parameters for journals and researchers.