What We Publish

ASCR welcomes original research, systematic reviews and meta-analyses, high-quality case series and case reports with clear educational value, technical notes, protocols, data notes, negative and replication studies, quality-improvement (QI) reports, health-services and outcomes research, implementation and dissemination studies, and surgical education research. We also consider consensus statements, guidelines, and viewpoints that synthesize evidence to inform practice, provided methodology and conflicts of interest are transparent.

Surgical Spectrum & Related Fields

We cover general surgery and subspecialties including trauma and acute care, minimally invasive and robotic surgery, oncologic surgery, endocrine, vascular, colorectal, hepatopancreatobiliary, thoracic, transplant, plastic and reconstructive, burn and wound care, orthopedic trauma interfaces, neurosurgical interfaces, and pediatric surgery. Perioperative medicine, anesthesiology interfaces, critical care, enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS), infection prevention, and rehabilitation science fall within scope when the surgical context is central. Method papers in biomedical engineering, biomaterials, imaging, and device development are welcome if they demonstrate translational or clinical relevance.

Open Science & Reproducibility

ASCR champions reproducibility and reuse. We encourage preregistration of clinical trials and, where appropriate, observational analyses; sharing of de-identified datasets and analysis code in trusted repositories; and the use of persistent identifiers for datasets, software, instruments, and institutions. When legal or ethical constraints limit sharing, authors should provide a transparent data-availability statement describing conditions for access, de-identification procedures, and repository metadata. For computational work, we recommend environment capture (e.g., container files) and precise versioning of packages and models.

Reporting Standards

Manuscripts should follow appropriate EQUATOR Network guidelines. Trials should align with CONSORT and its surgical extensions; observational studies with STROBE; systematic reviews with PRISMA and PRISMA-S (for search strategies); animal research with ARRIVE; diagnostic/prognostic accuracy with STARD or TRIPOD; quality improvement with SQUIRE; case reports with CARE. Figures and tables must be interpretable without the main text through self-contained legends, clear units, and definitions of abbreviations. Any AI/ML studies should specify dataset provenance, splitting schemes, performance metrics, calibration, and external validation plans.

Inclusions and Exclusions

Ethics, Registration, and Patient Partnership

For interventional human studies, prospective registration in a recognized registry is expected. Human research must include IRB/ethics approval identifiers and informed-consent statements appropriate to the design. Animal studies should report protocol approval and humane care standards. We endorse meaningful patient and public involvement where feasible—particularly in developing outcomes that matter to patients, co-designing consent materials, and interpreting patient-reported results.

Equity, Diversity, and Global Surgery

ASCR encourages submissions from all regions and income settings. We particularly value studies addressing access to surgical care, workforce and training models, context-appropriate technology, and perioperative safety in resource-constrained environments. Authors should discuss generalizability, including barriers to adoption in different health systems, and consider subgroup analyses that reflect demographic diversity where sample sizes allow.

Surgical Training, Simulation & Continuing Education

We welcome evaluations of curricula, simulation platforms, psychomotor skill transfer, non-technical skills (communication, teamwork, leadership), and assessment frameworks. Studies should state learning objectives, validation evidence for instruments, and links between educational outcomes and clinical performance where available. Reports on faculty development, feedback models, and mentorship structures are encouraged when they provide evidence or practical frameworks for scaling.

Special Sections & Thematic Collections

ASCR periodically curates thematic collections on emergent or cross-cutting topics—such as perioperative optimization, surgical oncology innovations, infection prevention, robotic platforms and ergonomics, digital surgery and AI, or health-equity in operative care. Calls for Papers will specify the thematic scope, article types, and any additional reporting expectations (for example, checklists for device description, usability testing, or human factors assessments). Guest editors are selected for topic expertise and absence of conflicts, and they adhere to the journal’s editorial standards and independence.

Intended Audience & Impact

Our readership includes academic and community surgeons, perioperative clinicians, anesthesiologists, intensivists, nurses, allied health professionals, data scientists working in clinical domains, health-services researchers, policymakers, and educators. We seek to influence surgical decision-making, guideline development, and health-system performance by publishing trustworthy, well-reported, and reusable research. Alongside traditional citations, we recognize broader indicators of use—policy citations, clinical guideline uptake, preprint engagement, dataset reuse, and open-source code adoption.

Is My Manuscript a Fit?

When in doubt, authors can contact the editorial office with a structured pre-submission inquiry containing the title, abstract, key outcomes, intended article type, and a statement of novelty or clinical significance. Pre-submission feedback focuses on scope fit and reporting standards; it is not a guarantee of acceptance. Authors should also consult the journal’s Author Guidelines and Submission Guidelines and Manuscript Preparation pages for formatting, length limits, figure requirements, and policy details.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do you accept preprints?

Yes. Preprinted work is welcome; please cite the preprint DOI and describe substantive changes since posting. The published version of record will link to the preprint where possible.

Are case reports considered?

Yes, if they provide generalizable insights (e.g., diagnostic challenges, complication management, decision algorithms) and include a literature context and learning points. Image-only pieces without analytic value are not considered.

What about AI/ML studies?

We expect clear data provenance, justified inclusion/exclusion criteria, transparent model development, appropriate internal/external validation, human-factors considerations for deployment, and a discussion of bias, fairness, and patient safety.

Which language and style?

Submissions should be in clear scientific English. Where language may limit comprehension, we encourage professional editing prior to submission. Figures must be legible with accessible color choices; avoid reliance on color alone to convey meaning.