U.S. Pharmacist is a peer-reviewed journal that educates pharmacists about drugs (Rx and OTC) and their clinical applications, the current status of drug therapy in specific disease states, the skills and techniques necessary to counsel patients to achieve optimal outcomes, the legal and ethical aspects of contemporary pharmacy practice, and the principles and techniques required to practice pharmacy effectively. Our educational mission is to develop and publish articles that facilitate pharmacists’ ability to remain current with medical knowledge and clinical skills, enhance professional competence, and improve patient care.

The following describes our submission guidelines and requirements for CE and non-CE journal articles. Questions should be directed to Rob Davidson, Editor-in-Chief, at 201-623-0981, or rdavidson@uspharmacist.com.

Journal Article Requirements

  • All articles must be original and exclusive to U.S. Pharmacist.
  • Articles may be edited for length and clarity.
  • Acceptance for print applies to the journal, all supplements, and online.
  • Each non-CE article should include text of approximately 2,500 words, including references and tables. All articles, non-CE and CE, should include an abstract of approximately 100 words. Sidebars and case studies are acceptable.
  • Each CE article should include text of approximately 5,000 words, including an abstract, goal, objectives, references, tables, and exam (see Continuing Education Requirements).
  • MS Word format is required. Double-spaced text is preferred. Order as follows: title page, body text, sidebars, references, tables, and figure captions.
  • Follow AMA Style (AMA Manual of Style, 10th ed.).
  • Include a title page with all author contact information (names, titles, affiliations, city/state, phone/fax numbers, and e-mail addresses). Indicate corresponding author.
  • Include graphics (e.g., charts, graphs, figures, tables, photos, diagnostic images). Supply captions. Images should be high-resolution (300 dpi or higher; EPS, JPEG, PDF, TIFF). Attach each image separately (do not embed in the Word document).
  • All tables and figures should be cited in the text of the article. Tables should be created using tabs for columns or in table format.
  • Authors must have no conflict of interest that reasonably could be expected to prejudice or compromise their presentation of the subject matter.
  • Patient information, such as a name or other identifying information (including a patient’s initials or hospital number) should not be included in the text of articles or in photographs unless it is essential for scientific purposes and the patient gives written informed consent for publication.

Reference Requirements

  • Articles should contain no more than 40 references.
  • All references should be cited in the text in numerical sequence.
  • At the end of the article, on a separate page, references should be numbered consecutively in the order they are cited in the text. Do not use auto numbering or Endnotes.
  • References should follow AMA Style (AMA Manual of Style, 10th ed.). For example:
    1. Neumiller JJ, Wood L, Dobbins E, et al. Tetrabenazine for the treatment of Huntington’s chorea. US Pharm. 2009;34(1):47-55.
    2. Pray WS. Nonprescription Product Therapeutics. 2nd ed. Baltimore, MD: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; 2006.
  • Faculty members are responsible for the accuracy and completeness of references as well as for obtaining permission to reproduce any copyrighted materials. Copies of the correspondence granting permission should be included in your submission.
Continuing Education Requirements
  • Postgraduate Healthcare Education, LLC is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education as a provider of continuing pharmacy education.
  • The target audience is pharmacists and pharmacy technicians.
  • Each CE article should include text of approximately 6,000 words. Order as follows: title page, goal, objectives, faculty disclosure, abstract, body text, sidebars, references, tables, figure captions, and exam (including answer key).
  • Goal: A goal statement must be provided that indicates the overall purpose of the activity. This statement should be from one to two sentences.
  • Objectives: Three to five educational objectives must be provided that describe what the participant will learn by participating in the activity. The objectives should be one sentence each and based on the activity content. Indicate which objectives also apply to pharmacy technicians.
  • Disclosure: Two forms of disclosure are required: affiliation/financial and unlabeled use. The faculty disclosure policy is intended to protect all parties involved from any potential conflict of interest that may arise from the activity. Full disclosure gives participants the knowledge from which they may form their own judgments. Disclosure information is prominently stated in all educational activities.
  • Examination: Include 10 multiple-choice questions with four possible answers (A through D) based on the content of the article. No true/false questions will be accepted. An answer key should be provided with the exam.
  • Patient information, such as a name or other identifying information (including a patient’s initials or hospital number) should not be included in the text of articles or in photographs unless it is essential for scientific purposes and the patient gives written informed consent for publication.

Evaluative Review

In the majority of cases, manuscripts are peer-reviewed and an honorarium is offered based on the article’s complexity and length. U.S. Pharmacist looks for the following when reviewing the article for appropriateness:

  • Is the material presented current and clinically relevant to the targeted audience?
  • Is the article balanced and unbiased?
  • Are the appropriate agents presented?
  • Is the title reflective of the content?
  • Are clinical studies cited and supported with references?
  • Are the safety profiles and adverse effects addressed for all agents presented?
  • Are unlabeled uses of drugs/products disclosed?
  • For CE articles, do the educational objectives reflect the content?

Timeline

U.S. Pharmacist will notify authors of the manuscript deadline. The article must be received on or before the date given as per the contract.

Manuscript Submission

  • Please contact the Editor-in-Chief (rdavidson@uspharmacist.com) to assess interest before submitting any manuscripts. While we will entertain all subject matter, we are particularly interested in articles that correspond to our “Editorial Focus” therapeutic areas: cardiovascular diseases, endocrinology, gastroenterologic disorders, infectious diseases, neurologic diseases, new drugs, ophthalmology, pain management, pediatric/adolescent health, psychotropics, respiratory diseases, and women’s health (see Media Kit for Editorial Calendar).
  • As previously discussed, the text file should be saved in MS Word.
  • For graphics, 300 dpi or higher resolution at 100% is necessary. We accept the following types of files: EPS, JPEG, PDF, TIFF. Attach each image separately (do not embed in the Word document).
  • All submissions should be sent electronically via e-mail to the Editor-in-Chief (rdavidson@uspharmacist.com).