What Makes a Good Case Report?

Does every medical breakthrough start in a lab? Think again. Some may begin with a clinician’s insight and a well-written case report. Case reports are often viewed as entry-level publications in medicine, seen as low on the evidence hierarchy. But they’ve marked key milestones in medicine—from the first reports about AIDS to the recognition of thalidomide’s side effects. Case reports can fill critical gaps by spotting rare conditions, flagging unexpected drug reactions, or generating new research ideas. They can even help clinicians build essential writing and reasoning skills. They’re a powerful way to showcase clinical expertise and contribute to the literature. And for first-time authors, writing a case report can be an excellent entry point into academic publishing. 

Things know before you publish a case report  

While every patient or case a clinician or medical researcher works with is important to them, not every clinical anecdote will make a good case report. If a case simply repeats what’s already known without offering new insight, it may not be worth writing up. And although case reports are often considered one of the more “easier” types of academic papers, there are still important factors you need to understand to master the art of writing and publishing impactful ones. So, consider these points before you put pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard). 

Choose a compelling case: A strong case report has a clear reason to be reported. Pick a case that is novel, rare, or illustrates an important point. So, what does that mean? It could be a case that documents a never-before-known condition, an uncommon presentation of a common disease, or an interesting or unusual treatment outcome. Ask yourself: What is the message or lesson from this case, and how can it help others in the field? See the case through its entire clinical course. It is even suggested to wait for around six months before beginning to write the case report. 

Tip: Do a literature search to ensure the case or the core message or results you are trying to highlight haven’t been published already. 

Include all relevant team members: Ensure you include all the clinicians and team members who were directly involved in the case. Not only will their input be valuable for accuracy, but medical journals also expect that authors of a case report are actually involved in the patient’s care. Especially if you are a student or junior doctor, don’t try to go it alone. Discuss the case with your seniors or mentors, since they will be able to help you identify gaps or errors and also the key points to include, which will be crucial in guiding your write-up. 

Tip: Check your target journal’s authorship criteria to ensure you’ve included all relevant contributors. 

Collecting all the details: Details really do make all the difference! Make sure you have all relevant data from the patient’s journey, including the history, physical exam findings, imaging and lab results, and follow-up information. If your patient was diagnosed via a specific test, for instance, an MRI, include the results (when required and feasible, consider including the image as a figure). Covering these bases can go a long way in lending credibility and validity to your diagnosis or observations. 

Tip: Ensure you have access to the required and relevant medical notes, hospital records, and laboratory results. 

Get the patient’s consent: This is non-negotiable. Before writing a case report for publication, always get clear, written, informed consent from the patient, or from a parent or legal guardian if the patient is a minor or unable to give consent themselves. Ideally, patients should know and understand that their case will be published and what that entails. For instance, let them know their case won’t just be published and seen widely, but that even if you remove names and details, there is still a chance they might be recognized. They should also have the chance to read the report and check any images. You can either use your institution’s consent form or one provided by the journal (check with your target journal, as using their own form is mandatory for some journals). 

Tip: Keep a record of the written consent in case you need to produce it at some point. 

Protect the patient’s privacy: Even if you have their consent, never compromise your patient’s privacy. Anonymize all data and images. And this doesn’t just apply to their names, remove any identifying details to protect confidentiality, in both the text and images. If you include a patient photo or imaging that has any identifying features, ensure you have explicit permission and, usually, a statement in the manuscript that consent for publication of the image was obtained. Some journals like The BMJ require authors to submit a signed patient consent form provided by the journal when identifying details are to be published. 

Tip: If can be easy to miss some details so always double check if all identifiable patient data is anonymized. 

Target the right journal: Not all journals may have a case report section, so first check if the journal you are targeting publishes case reports. Also ensure that your topic fits within its scope, as this may vary among different journals even for case reports. For example, some journals may be more inclined to publish rare diagnostic cases, while others may prefer publishing novel surgical techniques. There may also be instances where a case might be suitable for more than one journal. Say, if it is a pediatric cardio case, which may work well for a pediatrics journal or one that focuses on cardiology. So, make sure you choose a journal whose scope not only aligns with your case but also reaches your target audience. Other important factors to consider may include the impact factor, indexing, and publishing model (e.g., open access requirements). 

Tip: Reading a few recently published case reports from the journals you are considering can give you a sense of the kind of cases they publish, the style and expectations. 

Follow journal formatting guidelines: Journal formatting requirements, which may seem like little things can actually trip up authors and not following them can lead to rejections. To avoid delays in publication or desk rejections, make sure you follow the target journal’s instructions to the T, including manuscript structure (sections), formatting, citation style, word count, and number of images and their formatting. 

Tip: Some journals provide case report templates—check if your target journal requires one and be sure to use it as instructed. 

Write clearly and accurately: Ensure that your writing is clear and that the case is presented accurately. Make sure the timeline of events is clear and include negative results or findings when relevant. Use straightforward sentence structure and define abbreviations when required. Ensure that your interpretations, conclusions, and recommendations are clear and consistent. 

Tip: Only include content that hasn’t been published elsewhere, even in the form of abstracts or posters. If presented before, acknowledge this and check your target journal’s policies regarding such submissions. 

Also read: Importance of a case report and how to create an effective one 

A well-written case report can be a reflection of your clinical insight, critical thinking, and commitment to advancing medicine. For students and early-career researchers, it’s also a chance to step into academic publishing and building their profile. Even if it is just one patient’s story, you could be shaping the questions that can shape future discoveries.