Promoting transparency, reproducibility, and rigor: Medical teacher launches registered reports.

Abstract

Concerns about research integrity, reproducibility, and publication bias have prompted calls for greater transparency and rigour across the scientific process. In response, Medical Teacher is the first health professions education journal to adopt Registered Reports. This new section involves peer review of study rationale, methods, and analysis plans before data collection, with publication decisions based on methodological rigor rather than study outcomes. Only confirmatory research requiring hypothesis testing will be accepted under Registered Reports. This approach helps reduce questionable research practices, while supporting the publication of robust research regardless of results.