Medicine Subject Guide: Citations & PMCID

When citing applicable papers in any applications, proposals, or reports you submit to the NIH, you must include the PubMed Central ID number (NOT the PubMed ID #)

Over 3 months after publication

• List the PubMed Central number (PMCID) at the end of the full citation

Less than 3 months after publication or in-press

• Add PMCID at the end of the full citation if you have it
• Add 'PMC Journal - In Process' at the end of the full citation (Submission Method A or B)
• Add a valid NIH Manuscript Submission System reference number (NIHMSID) at the end of the full citation (Submission Method C or D)

Additional instructions from NIH

Screenshot of a record in the PubMed database (Note the PubMed logo in the top left corner).

• Note the differences between the PubMed ID # and the PubMed Central ID #.
• You can also look for the 'Free PMC Article' link to go to PubMed Central and view the full-text article.
• The 'Grant Support' from NIH will often be listed in the PubMed record.  Just click the plus sign to view the Grant.

Screenshot of an article in the PubMed Central database. Note the PubMed Central logo in the top left corner.