What is a Clinical Case Report?
A Clinical case report or a case study is a form of scholarly publication in which medical professionals share rare or previously undocumented patient cases. Clinical case reports are educational resources. Writing a clinical case report requires obtaining patient consent and protecting patient anonymity. Case reports have a standard structure and format that differs from the structure and format of original research papers.
How to write a Clinical Case Report?
All case reports include the following elements: an outline, an introduction, a case, and a discussion. You may also be required to submit a literature review in certain journals.
Title
The Title should be Concise. An intriguing or catchy title can entice readers to read the report. Authors can write the title after the rest of the article to ensure that it accurately represents the tone of the case report’s main issue.
Abstract
The situation, the issue it solves, and the meaning it conveys should all be summarised in the abstract. Case study abstracts are normally very brief, no more than 150 words in length.
Introduction
Some papers require an introduction, while others prefer the case description to come right after the abstract. The reader should be able to understand why the authors decided to publish the case report by reading the introduction. Medical Writers must ensure that it is not a lengthy literature review.
Case Description
The case description should be written in chronological order, with enough detail for readers to understand how the writers arrived at the diagnosis and why they chose the treatments they did. It is critical to include only the details required to better explain the case in this section. Any data that is not necessary for understanding the diagnosis and treatment must be excluded by the authors.
Discussion
The most critical aspect of the case report is the discussion. It is this section that will persuade the journal that the case is worthy of publication. This section should begin by building on what was said in the introduction, emphasizing why the case is notable and the issue it addresses.
Conclusion
Depending on the journal’s format, a case study will conclude with a conclusion or summary points. This section should summarise the main points discussed in the case study. The author will provide advice and guidance to physicians, teachers, and researchers in this section. Some papers do not need a separate conclusion section, so it may simply be the last paragraph of the paper.
When it comes to learning how to write a case study, the most important thing to remember is the intent of the report, to raise awareness about any unusual cases encountered during one’s medical practice. It’s important to follow the journal’s case report formatting guidelines. It’s important to seek professional advice so you don’t overlook or misinterpret critical details. In today’s evidence-based medical world, well-written and properly organized case reports with diligent attention to the smallest information can contribute to the medical literature and will also enrich our knowledge.
