Frequently Asked Questions

Medical doctors and pharmacists are eligible to apply if they meet all core eligibility criteria. Applicants must:

• Work in one of the participating countries (Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, Slovakia or Slovenia);
• Work in one of the nine eligible medical fields (Dermatology, Gynecology, Intensive Care Medicine and Anesthesiology, Neurology, Ophthalmology, Pediatrics, Pharmacy, Pulmonology and Allergology, or Rheumatology);
• Be actively involved in clinical practice (at least 60% of their employment);
• Have published an original research article in an international journal with a Journal Impact Factor (JCR) of at least 1.500 within the eligible publication period; and
• Fulfil all additional eligibility requirements described in the Terms and Conditions.

Applicants must spend at least 60% of their professional employment providing direct patient care in eligible healthcare institutions. For medical doctors, this includes activities such as diagnosis and treatment decisions. For pharmacists, eligibility is limited to those working in clinical healthcare settings such as hospitals, community healthcare centers or retail pharmacies. Positions primarily based in academia, research institutes, government institutions or the pharmaceutical industry are not eligible.

Yes. Applicants must have permanent residence in one of the participating countries and must have been employed (at least 60%) in a healthcare institution within the IMA territory during the time the research was conducted.

Yes. Surgeons who are performing surgeries in the eligible fields may submit their research and may apply to any of the eligible medical fields, provided the submitted research fits that field and all other eligibility criteria are fulfilled.

Yes, provided they fulfil all eligibility criteria. Pharmacologists who are medical doctors should apply in the medical specialty that best matches their clinical practice and published research if they are actively involved in clinical practice and meet all other eligibility requirements. Pharmacologists (medical doctors) cannot apply in the Pharmacy category.

The Pharmacy category is intended for pharmacists who are actively engaged in clinical practice, including those working in hospitals, community healthcare centers and retail pharmacies. Pharmacists whose primary role is in academia, research institutions or the pharmaceutical industry are generally not eligible unless they also fulfil the required clinical practice criteria. Medical doctors with research in pharmacology should normally apply within the medical specialty that corresponds to their clinical practice rather than in the Pharmacy category.

Yes. The majority of the research must be conducted within the International Medis Awards territory. This includes clinical work, patient recruitment, data collection and analysis.

Yes, provided that the majority of the research was conducted within the International Medis Awards territory. This includes the majority of the study activities, such as participant recruitment, clinical work and statistical analysis.

Yes, if you are also actively involved in clinical practice. Applicants whose primary role is academic or research-based, without regular clinical work involving patients, are generally not eligible. However, clinicians who hold academic or research appointments may apply, provided that at least 60% of their employment is dedicated to clinical practice and they meet all other eligibility requirements.

Yes, if they meet all eligibility requirements, including clinical practice involvement and publication criteria.

Yes. However, keep in mind that eligibility is based on your professional status during the research period.

First authors, corresponding authors, leading authors and last authors may submit their work directly. Other co-authors may also apply if they provide signed consent from the first author (or leading co-author, where applicable). However, each individual research paper may be submitted to the contest only once. Should multiple authors of the same article submit an application, the authors will be asked to reach a consensus on which application should remain active and which submission(s) should be withdrawn.

Yes. You may submit multiple eligible research papers. However, each individual publication should meet all the eligibility criteria and may only be submitted once to the International Medis Awards.

The Awards welcome a broad range of clinical research designs, including randomized clinical trials, observational studies, cohort studies, case-control studies, diagnostic studies, real-world evidence studies, descriptive studies, secondary data analyses, case series, case reports and other recognized clinical research methodologies. Please refer to the Terms and Conditions for more detailed information.

Yes. Only original research articles that have been officially published, either online or in print, within the eligible publication period may be submitted. Manuscripts under review, accepted but not yet published articles, and preprints are not eligible.

No. Industry-sponsored studies are not eligible. This also includes research sponsored or financed by organizations or foundations supported by the pharmaceutical industry.

The online application must be completed in English. This ensures consistent evaluation by the International Scientific Committee across all participating countries.

All applications are first checked against the eligibility criteria. Eligible submissions are then independently evaluated by the International Scientific Committee using predefined scientific assessment criteria, including clinical relevance, originality, study design and other evaluation parameters described in the official evaluation methodology.

Eligible applications become official International Medis Awards nominees. Following scientific evaluation, two finalists are selected within each medical field, and one winner is chosen for each category.

Before beginning the online application, you should have:

• The published article in PDF format;
• The journal's Impact Factor (JCR);
• Information about your institution and clinical appointment;
• Details of your publication and research type; and
• Signed first-author consent if you are applying as “other co-author”.

Because the application form cannot be saved and completed later, preparing these documents in advance will make the submission process much easier.

Medical doctors are expected to submit research that corresponds to the field in which they are clinically practicing. If your publication is multidisciplinary, you should choose the category that best reflects both your clinical work and the primary scientific focus of the research.