<?xml version="1.0"?><ownershipDocument><schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-08-12</periodOfReport><notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16><issuer><issuerCik>0001035688</issuerCik><issuerName>SELECT MEDICAL CORP</issuerName>        <issuerTradingSymbol>SEM</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner><reportingOwnerId><rptOwnerCik>0000918697</rptOwnerCik><rptOwnerName>ORTENZIO ROBERT A</rptOwnerName></reportingOwnerId><reportingOwnerAddress><rptOwnerStreet1>4716 OLD GETTYSBURG ROAD</rptOwnerStreet1><rptOwnerStreet2>P.O. BOX 2034</rptOwnerStreet2><rptOwnerCity>MECHANICSBURG</rptOwnerCity><rptOwnerState>PA</rptOwnerState><rptOwnerZipCode>17055</rptOwnerZipCode><rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription></reportingOwnerAddress><reportingOwnerRelationship><isDirector>1</isDirector><isOfficer>1</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther><officerTitle>CEO and President</officerTitle></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><derivativeTable><derivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Non-qualified Stock Options (right to buy)</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>29.05</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-08-12</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>A</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value></value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>800000</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>0</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>2004-08-12</value><footnoteId id="F1" /></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2013-08-11</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>800000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>800000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeTransaction></derivativeTable><footnotes><footnote id="F1">The original option grant of 800,000 options vests over three years in equal parts of 1/3rd of the total per year, beginning on 08/12/04.</footnote></footnotes><remarks></remarks><ownerSignature><signatureName>/s/ Robert A. Ortenzio</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-08-14</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

