PLOS Medicine 'Under Review': What Each Status Means and When to Expect a Decision
If your PLOS Medicine submission shows Under Review, here is what each status means and when to follow up.
What to do next
Already submitted to PLOS Medicine? Use this page to interpret the status and choose the next step.
The useful next step is understanding what the status usually means at PLOS Medicine, how long the wait normally runs, and when a follow-up is actually reasonable.
PLOS Medicine review timeline: what the data shows
Time to first decision is the most actionable number. What happens after varies by manuscript and reviewer availability.
What shapes the timeline
- Desk decisions are fast. Scope problems surface within days.
- Reviewer availability is the main variable after triage. Specialized topics take longer to assign.
- Revision rounds reset the clock. Major revision typically adds 6-12 weeks per round.
What to do while waiting
- Track status in the submission portal — status changes signal active review.
- Wait at least the journal's stated median before sending a status inquiry.
- Prepare revision materials in parallel if you expect a revise-and-resubmit decision.
_Last reviewed: 2026-05-16._
Quick answer: PLOS Medicine has a 2024 JCR impact factor of 15.8, accepts about 10 percent of submissions, and reports a median first-decision time of 8 to 14 weeks. If still Under Review past 4 weeks, you have likely cleared the initial editorial screen.
Submission portal and editorial contact: PLOS Medicine uses the PLOS submission system at submit.plos.org. Editorial questions go to plosmedicine@plos.org, referencing your manuscript ID.
PLOS Medicine desk-rejects roughly 60 to 70 percent of submissions in 2 to 4 weeks. If past that window, peer review is active.
While you wait
A PLOS Medicine submission readiness check flags public-health-significance gaps, methodology issues, and reporting-checklist completeness that drive most desk rejections.
PLOS Medicine's review pipeline
Status | What is happening | Typical duration |
|---|---|---|
Submitted | Administrative processing | Day 0 to 2 |
With Editor | Professional editor evaluating desk-screen fit | Days 2 to 14 |
With Academic Editor | External academic editor evaluating | Days 14 to 28 |
Under Review | External reviewers actively reviewing | Days 28 to 84 |
Required Reviews Complete | Editor synthesizing reports | 7 to 14 days |
Decision in Process | Editor finalizing decision letter | 5 to 10 days |
Decision Sent | Reject, R&R, or accept | Check email |
The editorial desk screen (about 60 to 70 percent rejected)
PLOS Medicine editors evaluate public-health significance, methodology rigor, and global-health relevance. A desk rejection usually means scope (better fit for PLOS ONE or specialty PLOS journal), weak public-health implications, or methodology gaps.
Day 0: PLOS submission upload
The submit.plos.org portal accepts the package and routes to a professional editor.
Days 1 to 14: Professional-editor desk-screen
Professional editors evaluate scope and significance before sending to an academic editor.
Days 14 to 28: Academic-editor evaluation
An external academic editor evaluates the paper and decides whether to invite reviewers.
Days 28 to 84: Peer review
Reviewer reports return on a 6 to 12 week cadence.
Days 84 to 112: First editorial decision
Major revision is the most common outcome.
Days 112 to 270: Revision rounds and acceptance
Single-revision acceptances run roughly 5 to 7 months.
When to worry
- Rejection within 1 to 7 days: Administrative issue or scope mismatch.
- Rejection within 14 to 28 days: Desk rejection.
- Still Under Review after 4 weeks: Good sign.
- Still Under Review after 14 weeks: Reviewer delay.
Readiness check
While you wait on PLOS Medicine, scan your next manuscript.
The scan takes about 1-2 minutes. Use the result to decide whether to revise before the decision comes back.
What to do while waiting
- Do not contact during the first 10 weeks unless urgent.
- Prepare a point-by-point response template focused on public-health significance, methodology rigor, and reporting-checklist items.
How PLOS Medicine compares to nearby alternatives
Feature | PLOS Medicine | JAMA Network Open | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Desk rejection rate | 60 to 70 percent | 30 to 40 percent | 50 to 60 percent | 50 to 60 percent |
Desk decision speed | 14 to 28 days | 14 to 21 days | 14 to 21 days | 2 days (no review) / 2 to 3 weeks (review) |
Total review time | 8 to 14 weeks | 6 to 12 weeks | 6 to 8 weeks | 49 days median |
Editorial bar | Public-health significance | Scientific soundness, not importance | Generalist-clinical importance + methodological rigor | Top clinical importance |
Submit if your paper passed the desk
If your PLOS Medicine paper is Under Review past 4 weeks, you have likely cleared the desk screen.
Think twice before assuming "Under Review" means safe
PLOS Medicine editors retain discretion to reject after partial review. Our PLOS Medicine manuscript fit check flags public-health-significance gaps before reviewers do.
For a free pre-upload diagnostic, use the PLOS Medicine manuscript fit check.
Last verified: PLOS Medicine author guidance, PLOS submission portal at submit.plos.org, and editorial contact at plosmedicine@plos.org.
The PLOS Medicine reviewer experience
Reviewer focus area | What PLOS Medicine asks reviewers to evaluate | How to prepare |
|---|---|---|
Public-health significance | Could this finding inform public-health practice or policy? | Frame the discussion around a specific public-health decision |
Methodology rigor | Are the methods appropriate for the study type? | Audit against PLOS Medicine reporting standards |
Reporting-checklist | CONSORT/STROBE/PRISMA where applicable | Attach completed checklist |
Global-health relevance | Does the finding extend beyond one country/region? | Discuss generalizability honestly |
Reproducibility | Are data shared per PLOS data-availability policy? | Deposit data in a public repository |
In our pre-submission review work with PLOS Medicine manuscripts
Three failure patterns generate the most consistent rejections.
Public-health implications missing. PLOS Medicine prioritizes public-health significance.
Reporting-checklist gaps. PLOS strictly enforces reporting standards.
Data-sharing plan unclear. PLOS Medicine requires deposit; vague language gets flagged.
Methodology note
This page was created from PLOS Medicine's public author guidance, PLOS submission portal documentation, and Manusights review work.
Frequently asked questions
Your manuscript has cleared admin checks and is being evaluated, either by the academic editor or by external peer reviewers. PLOS Medicine treats 'Under Review' as the active editorial period.
PLOS Medicine reports a median first-decision time of 8 to 14 weeks. Desk decisions usually arrive within 2 to 4 weeks; full peer-review decisions land 8 to 16 weeks after submission.
Wait at least 10 weeks before inquiring. Contact plosmedicine@plos.org, referencing the manuscript ID.
An external academic editor matching the subfield is evaluating the paper before inviting peer reviewers.
Yes. The 8 to 14 week median means roughly half of papers take longer.
Past 14 weeks is the right moment for a polite, factual inquiry. Silence in the first 6 weeks is normal.
Sources
Best next step
Use this page to interpret the status and choose the next sensible move.
For PLOS Medicine, the better next step is guidance on timing, follow-up, and what to do while the manuscript is still in the system. Save the Free Readiness Scan for the next paper you have not submitted yet.
Guidance first. Use the scan for the next manuscript.
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Where to go next
Start here
Same journal, next question
- PLOS Medicine Review Time: What Authors Can Actually Expect
- PLOS Medicine Submission Process: What Happens After Your Initial Submission
- How to Avoid Desk Rejection at PLOS Medicine
- Is PLOS Medicine a Good Journal? Fit Verdict
- PLOS Medicine AI Policy: ChatGPT and Generative AI Disclosure Rules for PLOS Medicine Authors
- PLOS Medicine Pre Submission Checklist: 12 Items Editors Verify Before Peer Review
Supporting reads
Conversion step
Use this page to interpret the status and choose the next sensible move.
Guidance first. Use the scan for the next manuscript.