Research Competitions Guidelines
General Rules and Requirements for Participation
Competition Descriptions and Specific Guidelines
Clinical Pathological Case Competition (CPC)
Resident Research Paper Competition
Research Study Poster Competition
New Innovations in Emergency Medicine
Download a PDF of the Research Competitions Guidelines
General Rules and Requirements for Participation
- Entrants must be members in the American College of Osteopathic Emergency Physicians (ACOEP) at either the Student, Resident, Associate, or Active levels.
- The residency program, hospital, or school affiliated with the entrant must be a member of the FOEM Research Network (FRN).
- All electronic submissions must be submitted online by the applicable deadline. Late entries will not be accepted.
- All protected health information must be eliminated in compliance with Federal laws prior to submission. Violation of patient confidentiality by failure to de-identify the submitted information is grounds for disqualification.
- Research submitted to FOEM competitions must be in the designated format for the specific competition. Applicants are not allowed to submit the same project for multiple competitions.
- Files submitted to accompany applications must be in one of the following formats:
- An unprotected Microsoft® Word® 2016-2023 binary (.doc) or XML (.docx) file for all documents.
- An unprotected Microsoft® PowerPoint® presentation binary (.ppt) or XML (.pptx) file for all presentations.
- Graphics (x-rays, CT/ MRI/ ultrasound, photographs) are to be optimized for display at 1024 x 768 pixels in one the following formats: Joint Photographic Experts Group (.jpg or .jpeg), Portable Network Graphics (.png). Videos must be in Windows Media Video (.wmv) or MPEG-4 Part 14 (.mp4).
- Audio files must be in Windows Media Audio (.wma) or MPEG-1/ MPEG-2 Audio Layer III (.mp3).
- Graphics, audio files, and video files must be included as separate files even if embedded into a presentation.
- Presentations must use Arial 26 point or larger font and contrasting text/ background colors.
- Abstracts must be no more than 500 words.
- References must be submitted in a separate document in format consistent with the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) in their Uniform Requirements for Manuscripts Submitted to Biomedical Journals: Writing and Editing for Biomedical Publication. (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK7250)
- Programs disqualified from competitions for unethical behavior, including but not limited to plagiarism or academic dishonesty, may be banned from future competitions for a period of time to be determined by the officers of FOEM.
Competition Descriptions and Specific Guidelines
The Foundation for Osteopathic Emergency Medicine (FOEM) sponsors six specific competitions during the calendar year. These are the Case Poster Competition, New Innovations in Emergency Medicine Competition, Clinical Pathological Case Competition (CPC), Oral Abstract Competition, Research Paper Competition, and Research Poster Competition. Each has its specific requirements for participants and presentation formats which are strictly adhered to.
Case Study Poster Competition
The Foundation’s Case Study Poster Competition is scheduled annually during the Spring Seminar of the American College of Osteopathic Emergency Physicians (ACOEP). The competition is open to all emergency medicine professionals, ACOEP membership is strongly encouraged.
Competition Format
Accepted Posters will be placed on digital display for a specific time prior to the beginning of the competition. During this time, conference participants will be allowed to view the poster prior to the presentation period.
Each presenter will be assigned a time frame in which they will present their poster to an audience of physicians and their peers. Posters will be digitally displayed in an interactive forum with a variety of presenters presenting simultaneously. Presenters will be expected to present their posters and answer questions multiple times within their presentation time frame. Judges will make rounds to each poster presenter in the room and judge the presenter on the poster content and presentation. At the end of the presentations, judges will adjourn to discuss their grading of the posters. Students/residents and faculty will be judged in 2 separate tracks, but only residents receive monetary awards.
Competition Requirements
All entries must be submitted on the designated form, found on the Foundation’s website or on the ACOEP website by the posted due date. Entries received after this date will not be accepted.
All applicants will be notified of their acceptance or non-acceptance by the Foundation via email. Accepted applicants will be provided with the date and times for display and judging.
Case Report Format
Any submission that does not follow the formatting or submission requirements will not be considered for acceptance in the competition.
Formatting: All manuscript documents must be submitted in Microsoft Word documents. Text must be in 12-point times new roman font. The abstract and manuscript must be double-spaced and must contain continuous line numbering in the left-hand margin. All footnote numbering must be in superscript format (Ctrl shift +) with the number following punctuation. Headlines for each portion of the case report should include ABSTRACT, INTRODUCTION, CASE REPORT, DISCUSSION, CONCLUSION, and REFERENCES. These headers must be bolded and capitalized. The entire manuscript must be 1750 words or less (excluding the abstract, legends, and references).
Cover Letter – Should be addressed to the FOEM board and be written by the presenter of the case report. The cover letter should include a brief statement of justification for inclusion in the competition, a statement on conflicts of interest, address and complete contact information of the presenter, and any grants received in conjunction with the project.
Title Page: Should include the title of the presentation (100 characters or less), all authors with corresponding titles, institutions, departments, city, state and contact emails, word count, and clearly identify whom is the corresponding/presenting author
IRB Documentation: Evidence of IRB approval, institutional policy, or signed attestation by the corresponding author in the cover letter that the institution does not require IRB approval for case reports and images
Abstract: Should be in narrative form and is limited to 100 words or less. The abstract should provide a brief overview of the manuscript and be submitted as its own separate page.
Introduction: Describe the context of the case and explain its relevance and importance. Describe whether the case is unique. If not, does the case have an unusual diagnosis, prognosis, therapy, or harm? Is the case an unusual presentation of a common condition? Or an unusual complication of a disease or management? Describe the instructive or teaching points that add value to this case. Does it demonstrate a cost-effective approach to management or an alternative diagnostic/treatment strategy? Does it increase awareness of a rare condition?
Case Report: The case should be reported in the usual case presentation sequence. The participant should describe the history of the present illness, physical examination, medical investigations (laboratory values with reference ranges, radiographic images etc.), emergency department treatments and the patient’s outcome.
Discussion: Report a literature review of the current diagnosis. Include when applicable the prevalence, pathophysiology, symptomology, diagnostic strategies, and treatments. These should include references from the literature when available.
Conclusion: Provide a summary of the diagnosis and its importance to emergency medicine
References: Must be listed in the order that they appear in the text. References must follow the American Medical Association Citation Style Guide except for the following: List up to three authors, before putting et al, delete spaces between publication year, volume, issue, and page numbers, and the DOI should be removed from all references. Journal names must also be abbreviated and italicized
Images: All images must be submitted on a separate page, be de-identified and must include contrasting black or white arrows clearly pointing to important findings. Markers must be referenced in the legend.
Poster Format
Posters must be supplied as a one-page PowerPoint presentation in widescreen (16:9) orientation to the Foundation’s staff prior to the conference. No physical posters should be printed or transported, as FOEM competitions are 100% digital.
Posters should follow the same format as the original case manuscript and must include the following headers: INTRODUCTION, CASE REPORT, DISCUSSION, CONCLUSION, and REFERENCES. Charts, graphs, and images should be included as applicable. Posters not meeting these criteria will have points deducted at the time of judging.
Case Poster Awards
The top three student/resident poster presenters will receive a written certificate, suitable for framing, from the Foundation.
Abstracts from the poster presentations will be submitted for publication in a peer-reviewed journal, e.g., WestJEM, JAOA, or the ACOEP's quarterly publication, The Pulse. While the Foundation cannot ensure publication, we will endeavor to have these published. If you wish to withhold your abstract from publication, you must notify FOEM in writing.
To see the Case Study Poster Competition Judging Criteria click here.
Clinical Pathological Case Competition (CPC)
The Foundation’s Clinical Pathological Case (CPC) Competition is scheduled during the ACOEP’s Scientific Assembly held annually in the early fall. This fun, challenging, and spirited competition draws a large crowd from academia and the general population of the Assembly by pitting residents against program faculty as difficult cases presented by residents and solved by faculty discussants.
To participate, residency or fellowship programs meeting criteria described in the General Guidelines must submit one complete application which includes the names of both a resident/fellow and faculty member who will represent the program, the case and solution, and the required entrance fee, by the posted due date. Applications received after this deadline will be returned to the institution.
Any institution found to withhold information necessary to solve the case at the time of submission or presented by the Resident Presenter that has not been made available to the Faculty Discussant will automatically be disqualified.
Scholarly Activity will be allocated to Faculty Discussants and will be acknowledged in a formal letter from the Foundation. The roles of the Resident Presenter, who must supply the case, and a Faculty Discussant, who will solve the case, are described below.
Resident Presenters’ Role
- The named Resident or Fellow Presenter must meet the criteria described in the General Requirements Section.
- Presenters must select a case from the current or recently completed academic year of training that was challenging and of interest to other emergency physicians. Presenters should have personal knowledge of the case and should be one in which they were involved. Examples of cases are the typical presentation of an unusual disease or an atypical presentation of a common disease. Cases that are impossible to diagnose without further information or studies not usually done in the Emergency Department will not be accepted.
- Presenters must submit a complete patient history that has all patient identifiers removed; failure to remove patient identifiers immediately disqualifies the resident and institution.(See General Rules)
Patient-related information should include all information available to the physician in the emergency room. All images and complete studies should be included if they were performed in the ED. Failure to remove all patient identifying information is grounds for disqualification. FOEM will blind the information about the residency before it is sent to the faculty discussant.
This information must be submitted in the format described in the General Requirement section, item 6, page 4.
The best cases present a collection of historical facts, physical findings, and test abnormalities which, when put together by an astute emergency physician in a logical manner, suggest a final diagnosis of the unusual case.
CPC Format
Resident Submission
Case reports must be submitted in writeable Word© documents described on page 4 and have 1.5” margins, with a header bearing the name of the institution, and Resident Presenter in the upper right-hand portion of the header. Pages must also be numbered. The reports should provide the following information in this order:
Physical Findings, including complaint; history of present illness, history (medical, surgical, family); allergies; medications; review of systems; physical examination (including vital signs).
Tests Ordered, including all x-rays, EKGs, EEGs, CAT Scans, laboratory tests, and other diagnostic procedures ordered. All images for each study should be included.
Test Results, please do not interpret any tests or laboratory findings
Brief Discussion of the ED course of treatment, if helpful in solving the case; however, all information available to the emergency physician must be included
The solution to the case must be submitted on a separate page titled, Case Solution, as part of the Case Report. This must include all references written in a standard editorial format.
The Resident Presenter is required to present the submitted case report and final diagnosis.
Faculty Discussant
All physicians presenting as a Faculty Discussant must hold core faculty or faculty status in the residency or fellowship program which they are representing.
Faculty Discussants will receive a case, selected at random, to solve by June 28th. The case will contain all information submitted by the presenting institution. Discussants should review the case as submitted to determine that all tests and results mentioned in the case have been submitted. It will be the responsibility of the Discussant to notify Foundation staff of missing items within ten days of receipt. The case will be sent directly to the address preference submitted on the application.
The Faculty Discussant will be required to prepare a differential diagnosis and speculate on the final diagnosis and disposition of the case. He or she will have 30 days to solve the case, prepare the required PowerPoint presentation and submit the final presentation to the Foundation by July 28th. Changes in the presentation received after that date will not be incorporated.
Presentation Format
Resident Presenters will be allocated five (5) minutes to present their case, without revealing the final diagnosis. Presentations may include a description of the history and physical examination, presenting findings, and tests ordered.
Faculty Discussants will be allocated fifteen (15) minutes to present their findings leading to the solution and speculated diagnosis of the case.
The Resident Presenter will return to the podium for a ten (10) minute presentation that will reveal the final diagnosis and disposition of the case.
Award
Resident Presenters and Faculty Discussants will be judged separately, identifying the top three presentations in each area.
Monetary prizes are for ACOEP member Students/Residents and the Faculty Members will receive a plaque.
1st Place - $500
2nd Place - $250
3rd Place - $125
To see the CPC Judging Criteria for Resident presentations click here.
Faculty presentation scoring
Faculty discussants will be evaluated on the following categories: differential diagnosis, overall oral/visual presentation, discussion/decision making, and diagnosis (in the context of solvability).
Oral Abstract Competition
The Foundation’s Oral Abstract Competition is scheduled annually during the Scientific Assembly of the American College of Osteopathic Emergency Physicians held in the fall. The Competition is open to all emergency medicine professionals that are ACOEP members.
To participate, entrants must submit a completed application and abstract describing their research, by the posted due date. Applications received after this deadline will be returned to the institution.
Abstract: This will provide the context for the study, its purpose, procedures utilized, main findings, and conclusions. It should highlight new and important outcomes of the study or observation. All abstracts must reflect the accuracy of the research reported and be no more than 500 words in length.
Research Study Abstract Format
Title - The title should reflect and concisely describe your research project. Authors - Include the author's name, degree, and institutional affiliation.
Introduction/Background - Why is the topic you have selected a problem that needs to be addressed? What is missing from the field of study that your study is going to address? Provide a one-sentence summary of the rationale for the study question.
Objective(s) - What does this study intend to resolve? Provide a one-sentence description (eg, "To determine…," "To establish…") of the study's primary objective. Authors may choose to include key secondary objectives.
Methods - A short paragraph discussing the design, setting, patients, and interventions (Refer to the descriptions below). This section describes how the study was carried out.
Design - A statement of the study's basic design (eg, randomized controlled trial, double-blind, cohort, survey, cost-effectiveness analysis). Note: Make
sure you include in the design statement a notation that the research study was approved by the IRB (institutional review board)
Setting - A one-sentence description of the clinical circumstances of the setting (eg, general community, primary care center, hospitalized care).
Patients (or other participants) - A brief description of the key eligibility criteria of the study's participants. The total number of the participants must be included and how many participants were included in each group of the study (ie study group(s), control group).
Interventions—A brief description of any interventions administered. (e.g. OMM, medications, etc.)
Main Outcome Measure(s) - A brief description of the study’s outcome measurements. (e.g. blood pressure, symptom scores, patient satisfaction scales)
Results - A brief summary of the main results along with declarations and explanations of any important findings. Authors should include the study’s relevant statistical information (e.g. confidence intervals, levels of statistical significance).
Conclusion - How does this study add to the body of knowledge on the topic? Provide a brief summary of the study's conclusions directly supported by the reported evidence. Authors may include clinical applications and any recommendations for additional study.
The application and accompanying abstract will be evaluated for its pertinence to emergency medicine and validity. If accepted, the entrant will be notified within 30 days of the deadline date and be requested to submit a multi-slide PowerPoint presentation containing the following information.
Presentation Format
Presenters will be allocated a total of ten (10) minutes for their presentation based on the following:
- An introduction explaining the question, problem, or treatment on which the research was based.
- The investigative methods utilized.
- Data, tables, and figures that validate and support the research findings.
- Discussion of the research findings.
- References.
Awards
Students/residents and faculty will be judged in 2 separate tracks, and only ACOEP member students/residents will receive monetary awards. The judges will identify the top three presentations based on the criteria below.
1st Place - $500
2nd Place - $250
3rd Place - $125
Additionally, all winning Resident Presenters will receive paid admission to the Foundation’s Gala (held at the ACOEP Scientific Assembly) at which time they will receive an award denoting their winning status. Travel expenses will not be provided to this function.
To see the Oral Abstract Competition Evaluation Criteria and Guidelines click here.
Research Paper Competition
The Foundation’s Research Paper Competition is held annually during the Scientific Assembly of the American College of Osteopathic Emergency Physicians in the fall and is sponsored by WestJEM. Entrants submitting their papers in this competition will have their papers evaluated by a panel of physician-researchers who will select up to three papers that will be recognized for this award.
The Foundation reserves the right to withhold these annual awards, if the panel of judges deems the quality of the papers insufficient or lacking in substance significant enough to grant the award.
Requirements
- Research entries are limited to one paper per author. Papers with multiple resident or fellow authors may be submitted; however, all prizes will be split between authors and only one author will be identified as the presenting author.
- Applications for this award must be received by the posted due date.
- Winning authors will be notified by June 28 annually and will be required to attend the Competition personally, if unable to attend or find a substitute presenter, the award will be presented, however, monetary awards will be withheld.
- The winning author(s) will be required to submit a PowerPoint presentation as described in the General Requirements by the posted due date. No changes will be accepted after that time.
Paper Submission Format
Papers submitted for review will contain the following elements:
- Title Page: This will contain all information in the title to retrieve the article electronically, including author names and affiliations, disclaimers, and sources of financial or other support if any, that facilitated the research.
- Abstract: This will provide the context for the study, its purpose, procedures utilized, main findings, and conclusions. It should highlight new and important outcomes of the study or observation. All abstracts must reflect the accuracy of the research reported and be of no more than 500 words in length.
Research Study Abstract Format
Title - The title should reflect and concisely describe your research project.
Authors - Include author's name, degree, and institutional affiliation
Introduction/Background - Why is the topic you have selected a problem that needs to be addressed? What is missing from the field of study that your study is going to address? Provide a one-sentence summary of the rationale for the study question.
Objective(s) - What does this study intend to resolve? Provide a one-sentence description (eg, "To determine…," "To establish…") of the study's primary objective. Authors may choose to include key secondary objectives.
Methods - A short paragraph discussing the design, setting, patients, and interventions (Refer to the descriptions below). This section describes how the study was carried out.
Design - A statement of the study's basic design (eg, randomized controlled trial, double-blind, cohort, survey, cost-effectiveness analysis). Note: Make sure you include in the design statement a notation that the research study was approved by the IRB (institutional review board)
Setting - A one-sentence description of the clinical circumstances of the setting (eg, general community, primary care center, hospitalized care).
Patients (or other participants) - A brief description of the key eligibility criteria of the study's participants. The total number of the participants must be included and how many participants were included in each group of the study (ie study group(s), control group).
Interventions—A brief description of any interventions administered. (e.g. OMM, medications, etc.)
Main Outcome Measure(s) - A brief description of the study’s outcome measurements. (e.g. blood pressure, symptom scores, patient satisfaction scales)
Results - A brief summary of the main results along with declarations and explanations of any important findings. Authors should include the study’s relevant statistical information (e.g. confidence intervals, levels of statistical significance).
Conclusion - How does this study add to the body of knowledge on the topic? Provide a brief summary of the study's conclusions directly supported by the reported evidence. Authors may include clinical applications and any recommendations for additional study. - Introduction: This will provide the background for the study, stating its objective or hypothesis.
- Methods Section: This section will describe the selection of the participants, including eligibility and exclusion criteria and should explain how and why the researcher chose the method. The methods, apparatus, and procedures should be described in sufficient detail to provide other researchers wishing to reproduce the results the ability to do so. Statistical methods should be described clearly to provide the reader with access to the data to verify the results of the study. All computer software and programs should be identified in this section.
- Results: This section should clearly explain the results in a logical sequence utilizing text, tables and illustrations to illustrate the most important findings first. All data presented in the tables and figures should be repeated in the text of the paper. Main observations should be summarized in this section.
- Discussion: This section focuses on the new and important aspects of the study and its conclusion. It should link conclusions to the research goals, but avoid unqualified statements and conclusions not supported by the study data.
- References: This section should include references to original research sources that are directly linked to this research, if possible. A small number of references to key work are usually sufficient.
- Tables: Tables supporting the research data should be included and numbered sequentially as they appear in the text. Each table should have a brief title and explanatory information placed in footnotes, not in the heading.
- Illustrations or Figures: Illustrations and/or Figures should be professionally presented as should photographs or laboratory data. Each should be numbered sequentially as the appear in the text and have a brief explanation under the figure or illustration. These should be identified in such fashion as “Fig 1: explanation.”
For further detailed instructions and the latest revisions for biomedical manuscript preparation please go to the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors website.
Awards
Utilizing the Judging criteria described below, judges will evaluate Research Papers, identifying the top three papers submitted. However, it should be noted that the Foundation reserves the right to withhold or combine any award should it deem that sufficient suitable research has not been submitted that warrant the presentation of this award. Papers selected for final presentation will be considered for publication in WestJEM after peer review (article submission fees will be waived). Only students/residents ACOEP members will receive monetary awards.
1st Place - $3,500
2nd Place - $2,000
3rd Place - $1,000
To see the Research Paper Competition Evaluation Criteria and Guidelines click here.
Resident Research Poster Competition
The Foundation’s Research Poster Competition is scheduled annually during the Scientific Assembly of the American College of Osteopathic Emergency Physicians (ACOEP). The competition is open to all emergency medicine professionals membership in ACOEP is encouraged.
Competition Format
Accepted Posters will be placed on digital display for a specific time prior to the beginning of the competition. During this time, conference participants will be allowed to view the poster prior to the presentation period.
Each presenter will be assigned a time frame in which they will present their poster to an audience of physicians and their peers. Posters will be digitally displayed in an interactive forum with a variety of presenters presenting simultaneously. Presenters will be expected to present their posters and answer questions multiple times within their presentation time frame. Judges will make rounds to each poster presenter in the room and judge the presenter on the poster content and presentation. At the end of the presentations, judges will adjourn to discuss their grading of the posters.
Photos of winning posters will be placed on the Foundation’s website for a period of time and recognition will be placed on the website and noted to the winner’s institution.
Competition Requirements
All entries must be submitted by the posted due date. Entries received after this date will not be accepted.
All entries must include an abstract as a writeable Word© document (.doc) of 500 words or less.
All applicants will be notified of their acceptance or non-acceptance by the Foundation via email by the posted notification date.
Abstract: This will provide the context for the study, its purpose, procedures utilized, main findings and conclusions. It should highlight new and important outcomes of the study or observation. All abstracts must reflect the accuracy of the research reported and be of no more than 500 words in length.
Research Study Abstract Format
Title - The title should reflect and concisely describe your research project.
Authors - Include authors name, degree and institutional affiliation.
Introduction/Background - Why is the topic you have selected a problem that needs to be addressed? What is missing from the field of study that your study is going to address? Provide a one-sentence summary of the rationale for the study question.
Objective(s) - What does this study intend to resolve? Provide a one-sentence description (eg, "To determine…," "To establish…") of the study's primary objective. Authors may choose to include key secondary objectives.
Methods - A short paragraph discussing the design, setting, patients, and interventions
(Refer to the descriptions below). This section describes how the study was carried out.
Design - A statement of the study's basic design (eg, randomized controlled trial, double-blind, cohort, survey, cost-effectiveness analysis). Note: Make sure you include in the design statement a notation that the research study was approved by the IRB (institutional review board)
Setting - A one-sentence description of the clinical circumstances of the setting (eg, general community, primary care center, hospitalized care).
Patients (or other participants) - A brief description of the key eligibility criteria of the study's participants. The total number of the participants must be included and how many participants were included in each group of the study (ie study group(s), control group).
Interventions—A brief description of any interventions administered. (e.g. OMM, medications, etc.)
Main Outcome Measure(s) - A brief description of the study’s outcome measurements. (e.g. blood pressure, symptom scores, patient satisfaction scales)
Results - A brief summary of the main results along with declarations and explanations of any important findings. Authors should include the study’s relevant statistical information (e.g. confidence intervals, levels of statistical significance).
Conclusion - How does this study add to the body of knowledge on the topic? Provide
a brief summary of the study's conclusions directly supported by the reported evidence. Authors may include clinical applications and any recommendations for additional study.
Poster Format
Poster must be supplied as a one-page PowerPoint presentation in widescreen (16:9) orientation. No physical posters should be printed or transported, as FOEM competitions are 100% digital.
- An introduction explaining the question, problem or treatment on which the research was based.
- The investigative methods utilized.
- Data, tables and figures validating and supporting the research findings.
- Discussion of the research findings.
- References.
Posters not meeting these criteria will have points deducted at the time of judging.
PowerPoint Format
Poster must be supplied as a one-page PowerPoint presentation in widescreen (16:9) orientation. No physical posters should be printed or transported, as FOEM competitions are 100% digital.
Research Poster Awards
Students/residents and faculty will be judged in 2 separate tracks, and only the top three students/residents presenters will receive monetary awards. Additionally, all presenters will receive paid admission to the Foundation’s Gala (held at the ACOEP Scientific Assembly) at which time they will receive an acknowledgment denoting their winning status. Travel expenses will not be provided for this function. Monetary awards are limited to ACOEP member participants.
1st Place - $500
2nd Place - $250
3rd Place - $125
To see the Research Poster Competition Evaluation Criteria and Guidelines click here.
Abstracts from the poster presentations will be submitted for publication in a peer-reviewed journal, e.g., WestJEM, JAOA, or the ACOEP's quarterly publication, The Pulse. While the Foundation cannot ensure publication, we will endeavor to have these published.
New Innovations in Emergency Medicine
The New Innovations in Emergency Medicine Poster Competition is scheduled annually during the Spring Seminar of the American College of Osteopathic Emergency Physicians (ACOEP). The competition is open to all emergency medicine professionals membership in ACOEP is enouraged. This competition allows residents and faculty at current emergency medicine residencies to feature educational innovations they have created and use at their residency site. This may include simulation, EM education, journal club, applicant evaluation, medical student education, etc.
Competition Format
Accepted Posters will be placed on the digital display for a specific time prior to the beginning of the competition. During this time, conference participants will be allowed to view the poster prior to the presentation period.
Each presenter will be assigned a time frame in which they will present their poster to an audience of physicians and their peers. Posters will be digitally displayed in an interactive forum with a variety of presenters presenting simultaneously. Presenters will be expected to present their poster and answer questions multiple times within their presentation time frame. Judges will make rounds to each poster presenter in the room and judge the presenter on the poster content and presentation. At the end of the presentations, judges will adjourn to discuss their grading of the posters. Student/residents and faculty will be judged in 2 separate tracks, but only residents receive awards.
Competition Requirements
All entries must be submitted on the designated form, found on the Foundation’s website or at the end of this document by the posted due date. Entries received after this date will not be accepted.
All applicants will be notified of their acceptance or non-acceptance by the Foundation via email by the posted notification date. Accepted applicants will be provided with the date and times for display and judging.
Abstracts must be submitted in a Microsoft word document, double spaced and text must be in 12-point times new roman font. Headlines for each section of the abstract should include BACKGROUND, OBJECTIVE, METHODS, RESULTS and CONCLUSION. The total length of the abstract should not exceed 500 words. The title, headers, authors and affiliations will not be included in the final word count. Below you will find more detail for what should be included in each section of the abstract.
TITLE: Should be less than 15 words and not include any abbreviations.
AFFILIATIONS: List all authors as you would like them to appear as if the abstract is being published in a journal.
BACKGROUND: Should contain two to three sentences outlining the importance of the project with attention to previous literature in the field. For instance, “Evidence based medicine and lifelong learning are essential to emergency medicine. The Fresno test of Evidence Based Medicine, is a validated tool used to assesses a learner’s knowledge of evidence-based medicine”.
OBJECTIVE: Should detail the primary endpoint of the innovation. For instance, “The primary objective of the study was to determine if teaching evidence-based medicine through a systematic approach at journal club increased learner’s scores on the Fresno test”.
METHODS: This section should include several sentences detailing how the authors performed their innovation at their residency site. For example, “Following IRB approval, a before and after study was completed over the course of the academic year 2018. The Fresno test was given to all residents at the beginning of the academic year during the first journal club. Subsequently, each journal club then specifically taught key elements that were tested on the Fresno test each month. At the end of the academic year, the Fresno test was again given to the residents for completion. One study author graded all tests. Descriptive statistics and the t-test were used to determine if any change was noted over time.
RESULTS: This section may vary based upon the type of innovation studied. However, it is recommended to include at least basic descriptive statistics in this section. For instance, “A total of 18 residents completed the Fresno test with 75% being male. Prior to intervention, overall mean performance on the Fresno test was 38% and following intervention was 77% (p<0.05).”
CONCLUSION: Should detail the overall findings of the innovation while being tied directly back into the objective. For instance, “Following directed evidence-based teaching, residents were found to statistically increase their scores on the Fresno test”.
Poster Format
Posters must be supplied as a one-page PowerPoint presentation in widescreen (16:9) orientation to the Foundation’s staff prior to the conference. No physical posters should be printed or transported, as FOEM competitions are 100% digital.
New Innovations Poster Awards
The top three student/resident poster presenters will receive a written certificate, suitable for framing, from the Foundation and monetary awards of $500, $250, and $125, respectively. Additionally, all three winning presenters will receive paid admission to the Foundation’s Gala (held at the ACOEP Scientific Assembly) at which time they will receive an award denoting their winning status. Travel expenses will not be provided to this function.
Foundation for Osteopathic Emergency Medicine (FOEM): New Innovations Judging Criteria
The categories and criteria are listed as the judging of each candidate's attempts to address the concept/value, innovation/differentiation, social responsibility, and achievement/sustainability of each project submitted. Each candidate will receive a score in all categories, and the winners will be those with the highest overall scores. While scoring is defined here as 1, 3, or 5, judges will also be permitted to assign scores of 2 or 4 on the overall 1-5 scale.
To see the New Innovations in Emergency Medicine Competition Judging Criteria click here.