September 28, 2025
BMJ Group’s Research to Publication programme: Empowering global research excellence
Dr Sarah Abdi, Editor of the Research to Publication (RtoP) Programme at BMJ Group, recently led two impactful outreach activities in the Middle East. These initiatives directly engaged with clients to foster high-quality research and publication skills, underscoring BMJ’s commitment to supporting the global research community.
The first event was a comprehensive workshop titled “How to write and publish high-quality manuscripts?”. Delivered to 14 Rheumatologists from the Emirates Society for Rheumatology, the workshop provided crucial insights into the manuscript writing and publication process, addressing common challenges and strategies for success. It was structured around three key stages:
- Getting the early stages of research right: This session covered formulating the right research question, choosing an appropriate study design, and writing study protocols, emphasising relevant reporting guidelines for researchers.
- Practicalities about conducting research studies: This session discussed important ethical considerations for researchers, pitfalls to avoid during data collection that could impact manuscript quality, and how to use generative AI in medical writing responsibly and ethically.
- Important considerations when writing and publishing your study: This session focused on writing manuscripts in a way that appeals to editors, including the information they seek, and how to avoid common scientific misconduct practices.
The workshop concluded with a keynote session by BMJ Open Editor-in-Chief Adrian Aldcroft, who discussed important topics during the publication process such as journal selection, avoiding predatory journals, and the peer review process. All participants found the topics insightful and regarded them as a valuable contribution to their research-to-publication journeys, reflected in an overall workshop rating of 9.5 out of 10.
The second key activity was an online lecture by Dr Abdi on “How to conduct and publish evidence syntheses.” This session, attended by 99 participants from Qatar Primary Healthcare Corporation, clarified what evidence synthesis, such as systematic reviews, is, emphasising its role in generating new knowledge and identifying gaps in evidence. Dr Abdi explained the importance of a systematic approach, highlighting the SALSA framework (Search, Appraisal, Synthesis, Analysis). The lecture also explored in detail how to select the best evidence synthesis approach to address research questions and how to conduct each of the SALSA steps systematically. Throughout the lecture, Dr Abdi illustrated how to conduct these steps using an example from her work in the field of elderly care.
These are anonymous quotes about the lecture:
“Thank you for organising such a valuable session. It’s clear that a lot of expertise and effort went into it.”
“Thanks for a very comprehensive topic and presentation”
These outreach efforts by Dr Abdi are part of BMJ’s broader commitment to equip healthcare professionals and researchers with the necessary skills to conduct high-quality research and publish their work in international journals. The RtoP programme itself is an online research methodology and publishing programme developed by BMJ Group and the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). It comprises 8 collections, 52 courses, and over 200 hours of online learning. BMJ continuously reviews and updates the RtoP content, adding new topics suggested by users and customers, such as a planned new collection on case reports.
Dr Abdi’s active engagement with clients in regions like the Middle East demonstrates BMJ’s dedication to supporting researchers globally, ensuring they have the tools and knowledge to contribute effectively to evidence-based medicine.