Author Guidelines
Everything you need to know about writing for DrInsight — from qualification standards and submission requirements to style guides and editorial standards.
DrInsight reaches over 500,000 patients, caregivers, and healthcare professionals every month. By contributing to our platform, you help us fulfil our mission of making accurate, evidence-based medical information accessible to everyone — regardless of geography, income, or background.
Massive Reach
Your articles reach patients across our verified medical platform.
CPD/CME Credit
Receive a CPD/CME recognition letter for each published article on request.
Author Profile
A full, verified author bio page showcasing your credentials and publications.
Paid Opportunities
Honorarium paid per published article for qualified medical authors.
Fight Misinformation
Help counter harmful medical misinformation with clinically accurate content.
Portfolio Building
Published articles are citable for academic and professional portfolios.
Editorial Support
Dedicated editorial team assists you throughout the writing and review process.
Analytics Access
See how many readers your articles reach, their engagement, and ratings.
DrInsight welcomes contributions from qualified healthcare professionals and health science experts. We have three contributor categories, each with specific eligibility requirements.
Medical Doctors
Licensed physicians (MBBS, MD, DO, MBChB) actively practising in any clinical specialty. Can write clinical overview, symptom guide, drug guide, and professional reference articles.
Allied Health Professionals
Registered nurses, pharmacists, physiotherapists, dietitians, psychologists, and other licensed health professionals. Can write wellness, nutrition, rehabilitation, and mental health content.
Medical Academics
Researchers, professors, and academics with active clinical or research involvement in health sciences. Can write research explainers, evidence reviews, and educational content.
- Individuals without a recognised medical or health science qualification
- Pharmaceutical, device, or supplement company employees writing about their own products
- Authors with undisclosed conflicts of interest related to article content
- Anyone writing outside their recognised specialty or professional scope
All authors must meet specific qualification requirements before their first article is published. Your credentials are verified by our Editorial team and displayed on your author bio page.
| Requirement | Medical Doctors | Allied Health | Academics |
|---|---|---|---|
| Degree | MBBS / MD / DO / MBChB or equivalent | Recognised professional degree | PhD / Masters + active research |
| Licence | Active, unrestricted licenceRequired | Active professional registrationRequired | Active institutional affiliationRequired |
| Experience | Minimum 3 years post-graduation clinical experience | Minimum 3 years active professional practice | Minimum 3 years research / teaching |
| Specialty scope | Must write within recognised specialtyStrictly enforced | Must write within professional scope | Must write within research area |
| Disciplinary status | No current disciplinary proceedingsRequired | No current disciplinary proceedings | No academic misconduct findings |
| COI disclosure | Mandatory — updated per articleRequired | MandatoryRequired | MandatoryRequired |
| Review required | Independent peer review by Tier 1 specialistYes | Physician sign-off requiredRequired | Peer review by specialist required |
- All credentials verified by Editorial team before first publication
- Annual re-verification of licensure status for all active authors
- Authors must notify DrInsight immediately if licensure is suspended or revoked
- Verified credentials are publicly displayed on your author bio page with a verification badge
Clinical Overview Articles
Comprehensive patient-facing guides covering conditions, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention.
Professional Reference Articles
Technical clinical content for healthcare professionals — pathophysiology, management protocols, clinical pearls.
Drug & Medication Guides
Educational drug information — indications, dosing ranges, side effects, interactions, and patient counselling.
Research Explainers
Accessible summaries of new clinical trials, systematic reviews, and significant research findings.
Symptom Guides
Patient-facing content helping readers understand symptoms, possible causes, red flags, and when to seek care.
Health & Wellness Articles
Evidence-based general wellness content — nutrition, exercise, sleep, mental wellbeing, and prevention.
Before beginning your article, please confirm the following to avoid rejection at submission stage.
All articles must follow our standard structure. Patient-facing and professional articles have slightly different requirements.
- Key Takeaways box — 4–6 bullet points at the top (patient-friendly summary)
- What is [Condition]? — Plain language definition (2–3 paragraphs)
- Causes & Risk Factors — Evidence-based, comprehensive
- Signs & Symptoms — Clear, patient-friendly language
- Diagnosis — How it's diagnosed; what tests are involved
- Treatment Options — Current evidence-based treatment approaches
- Prevention — Where applicable, evidence-based prevention strategies
- When to See a Doctor — Red flags and urgency guidance (required)
- Medical Disclaimer — Standard disclaimer (auto-added by Editorial)
- References — Minimum 5 numbered, DOI-linked references
- Clinical Summary Box — ICD-10 code, key diagnostic criteria, first-line treatment
- Epidemiology & Pathophysiology — Incidence, prevalence, mechanisms
- Diagnostic Criteria — Current classification (DSM-5, ICD-11, specialty guidelines)
- Differential Diagnosis — Key differentials with distinguishing features
- Investigations — Appropriate workup with evidence basis
- Management Protocols — Step-by-step, guideline-referenced
- Pharmacotherapy — Drug names (generic + brand), doses, monitoring
- Special Populations — Pregnancy, paediatrics, elderly, renal/hepatic impairment
- Clinical Pearls — 3–5 practical clinical tips
- References — Minimum 8 peer-reviewed, DOI-linked references
- Drug Overview Box — Generic name, brand names, drug class, availability
- Indications — Approved indications; off-label uses clearly labelled
- Mechanism of Action — Plain language explanation
- Dosing — General reference ranges only (never prescriptive); age-specific where relevant
- Contraindications — Absolute and relative (comprehensive)
- Side Effects — Common, serious, and black box warnings prominently displayed
- Drug Interactions — Clinically significant interactions
- Monitoring Parameters — Required lab monitoring, frequency
- Patient Counselling Points — What patients should know
- Dosing Disclaimer — Auto-added: "Dosing is for educational reference only"
- Patient-facing articles: Plain language, Flesch-Kincaid Grade 8–10, compassionate, non-alarmist
- Professional articles: Technical, precise, evidence-referenced, clinical terminology expected
- Both: Active voice preferred, present tense for established facts, no jargon without explanation
- Headings: H2 for main sections, H3 for subsections — no H4 or deeper in patient articles
- Paragraphs: Maximum 4 sentences per paragraph in patient-facing content
- Lists: Use bullet points for 3+ items; avoid lists with fewer than 3 items
- Bold text: Use sparingly — only for key terms, warnings, or critical clinical points
- Numbers: Spell out 1–9 in body text; use numerals for 10+, all statistics, doses, ages
- Drug names: Generic name first, brand name in parentheses on first mention — e.g. metformin (Glucophage)
- Statistics: Always cite source inline — e.g. "...affecting 1 in 10 adults (WHO, 2023)"
- Avoid: Hyperbolic language, exclamation marks, first-person ("I recommend..."), and directly addressing readers as "you" in professional articles
- Always use person-first language: "person with diabetes" not "diabetic person"
- Use "died by suicide" not "committed suicide" — follow all safe messaging guidelines
- Avoid stigmatising terms: "addict" → "person with substance use disorder"
- Never state specific diagnoses for readers: "you may have X" — use "a doctor can determine if..."
- Dose ranges must always be labelled "general reference only" — never as prescriptions
- Off-label uses must always be explicitly labelled as "off-label" or "not approved for this use"
- Experimental treatments must always be labelled "experimental" or "investigational"
- Emergency symptoms must always include guidance to call emergency services immediately
- Use gender-neutral language where clinically appropriate — "the patient" rather than assuming gender
- Acknowledge where clinical evidence is based on specific populations and may not generalise
- Note regional availability differences for medications and treatments where relevant
- Avoid cultural assumptions in examples — use globally relatable contexts
- Consider diverse age groups in examples — not just working-age adults
✅ Do Include
- Evidence-based statements with citations
- Red flag symptoms and when to seek emergency care
- Limitations of current evidence where relevant
- Plain language explanations of medical terms
- Balanced presentation of treatment options
- Specific population considerations (pregnancy, children, elderly)
❌ Do NOT Include
- Specific diagnoses for readers based on symptoms
- Prescriptive dosing instructions
- Unsubstantiated health claims
- Promotion of specific brands or products
- Anecdotal evidence without clinical support
- Claims that are not supported by cited sources
- Content that could delay emergency treatment
- Tier 1 (Required for clinical claims): Systematic reviews, meta-analyses, Cochrane reviews, clinical practice guidelines from WHO/CDC/NHS/AHA/ADA/ESC/NICE and equivalent bodies
- Tier 2 (Accepted with Tier 1 support): Randomised controlled trials (RCTs), cohort studies, case-control studies, peer-reviewed observational studies
- Tier 3 (Supporting only — not standalone): Expert consensus statements, case series, recognised specialist textbooks (within last 10 years)
- Wikipedia or any user-edited content
- Non-peer-reviewed health websites or blogs
- Pharmaceutical company promotional materials or press releases
- Preprint studies not yet peer-reviewed (may be noted as "emerging research" only)
- Retracted studies — always check for retraction before citing
- AI-generated content presented as research evidence
- Sources older than 10 years (unless landmark studies with explicit justification)
- Minimum sources: 5 per clinical article · 8 per professional reference article · 3 per wellness article
- Format: Numbered inline citations [1] with full reference list at end
- Link format: All sources must include a direct PubMed URL or DOI link — e.g. https://doi.org/10.1016/...
- Preferred age: Within 5 years. Maximum: 10 years (landmark studies excepted)
- Statistics: Every statistic must include source and year inline in text
✉️ Topic ProposalFirst step
Email your proposed topic to contact@drinsight.org with a 2–3 sentence outline. Receive approval or feedback within 3–5 business days before writing.
📋 Author Brief Received
Receive your detailed author brief — including target audience, required word count, source requirements, safe messaging guidance if applicable, COI disclosure form, and submission deadline.
✍️ Write Your ArticleYou are here
Write using the required structure for your article type. Submit as a Google Doc or Word document (.docx). Include all inline citations. Complete and attach the COI disclosure form.
🖊️ Editorial Pre-Screen
Our editorial team reviews your submission within 3–5 business days for structure, completeness, source quality, and style guide compliance. Returned with feedback if pre-screen fails.
🔬 Medical Peer ReviewQuality gate
An independent specialist reviewer evaluates clinical accuracy, completeness, safety, and balance. Standard review time: 7 business days. You will receive revision requests or approval notification.
✅ Revisions (If Required)
You have 5 business days to address reviewer comments and resubmit. Maximum 2 revision cycles. If revisions are not completed within deadline, article is returned to queue.
📌 Final Sign-Off & Publication✓ Published
Senior Editor gives final approval. Your article is published with your full author byline, credentials, reviewer credit, publication date, and all citations. You receive a publication confirmation email.
📊 Post-Publication
Access your article analytics dashboard. Receive reader feedback notifications. Be notified when your article is due for scheduled re-review. Earn your CPD/CME recognition letter on request.
- Topic approval response: 3–5 business days
- Editorial pre-screen: 3–5 business days from submission
- Medical peer review: 7 business days standard · 14 days maximum
- Revision window: 5 business days to address reviewer comments
- Final sign-off to publication: 2–3 business days after final approval
- Total typical timeline: 3–5 weeks from submission to publication
Start Writing for DrInsight
Join our network of — verified medical authors contributing to the most trusted medical platform in the region. Your expertise can help — patients make better health decisions.
- Named byline on every published article with full credentials
- Verified author bio page with photo, credentials, and all published articles
- Honorarium paid per published article (rates shared on application)
- CPD/CME recognition letter issued on request for each published article
- Article analytics — views, time on page, rating, and engagement data
- DOI-linked publications citable for academic portfolios and CVs
- Editorial support throughout writing and revision process
- Authors retain ownership of their original content
- By submitting, authors grant DrInsight a worldwide, royalty-free, non-exclusive licence to publish, display, and distribute the content
- DrInsight may edit content for clarity, length, and style guide compliance
- Authors will be notified of any substantial editorial changes before publication
- Content may be unpublished if it becomes clinically outdated or inaccurate — authors are notified
- Authors may request retraction of their content with written justification
Authors may use AI writing tools as a drafting aid only. However: all AI-generated or AI-assisted content must be disclosed at submission. Content must be substantially reviewed, verified, and rewritten by the author — not submitted as generated. Articles found to be primarily AI-generated without disclosure will be rejected and the author account suspended.
All authors must disclose any financial, professional, or personal relationships that could influence — or appear to influence — the content they produce. Disclosure is mandatory and published transparently on every article.
Minor COI
Disclosed and published on the article. Author may proceed with writing. Disclosure visible to all readers.
Moderate COI
Disclosed and published. Additional independent reviewer assigned to provide extra oversight of article.
Significant COI
Author recused from writing this article. Reassigned to a topic without conflict. No exceptions.
- Detailed, constructive editorial feedback on every submission
- Transparent review process — you will always know where your article is in the pipeline
- Respectful communication — all revision requests are specific, evidence-based, and professionally phrased
- Your author profile is maintained and updated with every new publication
- You are notified before any significant changes to your published article
- You are notified when your article is scheduled for re-review and invited to update it yourself
- Fundamental clinical inaccuracies that cannot be corrected through revision
- Content that could directly harm readers if acted upon
- Plagiarism — content not original or copied from another source
- Undisclosed conflicts of interest discovered after submission
- AI-generated content submitted without disclosure
- Fabricated or misrepresented citations
- Content written outside the author's recognised specialty or scope
✍️ New Author Applications
authors@drinsight.orgApply to join our author network. Response within 3–5 business days.
📋 Topic Proposals & Briefs
editorial@drinsight.orgSubmit topic ideas or request a writing brief. Response within 3–5 business days.
📤 Article Submissions
submissions@drinsight.orgSubmit completed articles for editorial pre-screen and peer review.
💰 Payments & Contracts
payments@drinsight.orgQueries about honoraria, author agreements, and CPD/CME letters.
📝 Corrections & Updates
corrections@drinsight.orgRequest corrections or updates to your published articles.
📍 Mailing Address
DrInsight Inc.
Badin
Pakistan
- New author applications: 3–5 business days
- Topic proposal decisions: 3–5 business days
- Editorial pre-screen feedback: 3–5 business days from submission
- Medical peer review: 7–14 business days
- General inquiries: 5–7 business days