📝 Your First Publication in Healthcare: The Struggle Is Real (and Worth It)

[Ayushi32]

No one really prepares you for how hard your first publication will be.

You spend weeks (or months) digging through data, analyzing, writing, editing, re-editing, formatting, checking reference and much more, then you finally submit with hopeful anticipation.

And then, the rejection email lands.

“We regret to inform you…”

Oof. It hits hard. You start doubting:

• Am I even good enough?

• Did I waste all this time?

• Will I ever get published?

Here’s the truth that every researcher learns the hard way:

Rejection is not a verdict. It’s part of the process.

Even the best papers face rejection, sometimes more than once. It’s rarely personal. Sometimes your topic isn’t a fit. Sometimes reviewers want more data. Sometimes it’s timing.

But here’s what matters:

You learn.
You revise.
You resubmit.

And with each round, your paper improves. You improve.

That first rejection? It’s often the moment you stop feeling like a student and start thinking like a scientist.

Tips to push through:

• Talk to mentors or seniors, most of them have multiple rejection stories.

• Choose journals that align with your scope and audience.

• Take reviewer feedback as a gift, not a blow.

• Keep going. Seriously, don’t shelve it.

If you’re in the middle of your first submission journey: Hang in there. Rejection is not the end, it’s just revision in disguise.

You’ve already done the hard part: creating knowledge. Now it’s about finding the right home for it.

[Kothwalzabeen]

Yes its true.

[Yash1612]

Rejection in research is not a dead end it’s a stepping stone. Every “no” shapes a sharper, stronger “yes” down the line. The moment you stop fearing rejection and start treating it as feedback is the moment you truly step into the shoes of a scientist.

[dripsitapujari]

Publishing in any field of healthcare is a gradual process that involves patience, perseverance, clear thinking, and much of adaptability. A journal rejection is very much a part of the normal cycle and it never indicates personal failure. Research is not just about the generation of results and publishing it somewhere. The publication happens, when the work finds a perfect journal match (as every journal has a target audience connected with a certain field) and it should also match the standards of the research work that the journal generally prefers/accepts. Each rejection always offers significant information that helps in improving the clarity of your writing, strengthening the experimental methods towards forming a more robust story/conclusion, or finding another journal better suited to your topic. The best way to handle it is to read the editor/reviewer comments carefully, decide which points are useful (sometimes there can be unrelated suggestions), revise your work with those in mind or anything extra you feel can enhance your research story, and then re-submit without long delays (as continuous pushing of the article prevents the publication delay by keeping the process intact). Over time, this cycle builds skills in critical thinking, communication as well as strategic decision-making. So, it is healthy to view “rejections” as feedback checkpoints instead of roadblocks and to keep our focus firm on improving the research work and moving it forward perpetually.

[Rachana]

That first “we regret to inform you” teaches resilience, sharpens your work, and shifts your mindset from student to scientist. Every revision isn’t a setback it’s a step closer to the right audience for your ideas.

[drminnath]

Im trying to publish my first one , its been months on this path

[Ayushi32]

This is so true, @dripsitapujari you have given me and many people motivation through this comment

[Yashasvini]

Absolutely! @Ayushi32

Getting that first rejection can really sting but it’s totally normal and part of the journey. Every researcher goes through it. The important thing is to learn from the feedback, make your paper better and keep trying. It’s how you grow and become a stronger scientist.

Keep pushing, you’ve got this!

[DrSuneeti-Yemberi]

Thank you .

I have tried putting in my research paper for a contest during my UG years but I got rejected and I was seriously feeling ill,
Like I’m just not good enough

And then I almost gave up
But I realised failing among a group is not failure.
I just don’t have the audience yet who knows and connect with the data I’ve collected

But now I’m trying to refine it and your words are really helpful to keep me going.

[Ayushi32]

This is what I am doing, things get hard but this is what makes publishing fun. Thank you for your motivation

[Ayushi32]

You should keep working on your research, it will find it’s home soon.

[Rashmi_16]

Rejection isn’t the end , its a part of the process.

[ujalapanday2808]

thanks for motivation