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Speaker Proposals Closed

Speaker proposal submissions are now closed. If you submitted a proposal, you will be notified in October 2022 if your proposal was accepted or declined.

When submitting a proposal, you will be asked to provide:

  • The session type and up to two topic categories (e.g., cardiology, infectious disease, toxicology, etc.)
  • Lecture description (max 300 words)
  • Learning objectives (minimum of two) (max 30 words)
  • Presenter name(s), faculty listing, demographic information, speaking experience, training and professional background, and content expertise

How Proposals are Reviewed

When reviewing proposals, the SA Planning Work Group will first conduct a blind review. Proposals are scored based on three criteria: relevance to emergency medicine, clarity of learning objectives, and innovative topic. The presenters’ names and speaking experience will not be visible to the reviewers. Proposals are then un-blinded and ranked in order according to the sum of their scores. After considering the scores, individual reviewer recommendations, comments from group discussion, and balance of topics presented, the SA Planning Work Group will nominate the best-reviewed educational proposals for each session type (track session, Breve Dulce, etc.) for the scientific program.

Learn more about the criteria and tips for writing a great proposal below.

How to Write a Great Proposal

Topics

Relevance to emergency medicine and Innovative topic are two criteria that the planning work group will consider when reviewing proposals. Our conference covers various topics within emergency medicine. When you submit a proposal, you have the option to select up to two relevant topics such as cardiology, critical care, infectious disease, toxicology, and many more. The planning work group strives for a balance of topics. MOC topics like stroke, risk management, and opioids are always a plus.

Scientific Assembly focuses on cutting edge clinical medicine as well as practical application to patient care. Our audience are practicing emergency physicians.

The ideal proposal will be:

  • Innovative – likely to stimulate interest
  • Relevant to the practicing emergency physician
  • Applicable to academic & community docs
  • Applicable to a national audience

Try to avoid:

  • Niche topic, like those that require very specific training or practice setting
  • General medical education at the resident level – except for quick refreshers on uncommon procedures or diagnoses or lectures in the AAEM/RSA Track
  • Region-specific topics
  • Narrow audience, e.g., academics, program directors, or ED administrators
Lecture Description

A great lecture description will be:

  • Informative – lays out clearly what the audience can expect
  • Intriguing – leaves us wanting to learn more

Examples of great descriptions:

This session will show a practical and evidence-based approach to pain management and procedural sedation in a challenging and often under-treated group: pregnant patients. The session will start with a case illustrating common pitfalls, then walk through several approaches to treatment that are evidence based and easily applied both in community EDs and tertiary care centers. (from ‘Preggo Pain Control’ by Dr. Malia Moore at AAEM22)

This description begins with an overview of what the session will cover, and then breaks it down into greater detail. We want to hear about the case and find out what the pitfalls and approaches are.

They beep; they bark; they sigh; but what does it all mean, and can’t it just wait until the intensivist takes over? NO! Dive into ventilator alarms and how to address them. Why does the ventilator only point out high peak pressures and when can you ignore them? Why does the minute ventilation sometimes alarm as low but the tidal volume never does? Why is my respiratory rate higher than what I set? These questions and more will be addressed with a practical if/then approach. (from ‘Vent Alarms 101’ by Dr. Andrew Phillips at AAEM22)

The description begins with an entertaining hook and lists specific questions that the learner will want to find out the answers to.

Example of a weak description:

This session will provide an overview of several topics integral to risk management and patient safety.

This description is too vague. It does not include information about the specific topics in the session. It doesn’t intrigue the reader, nor does it explain why the topic is important or helpful.  

Learning Objectives

A learning objective is a brief, clear, and specific statement of what learners will be able to do at the end of the session. Each proposal requires at least two learning objectives. Learning objectives should include measurable verbs (action verbs) explaining how the learner will demonstrate what they learned.

Examples of measurable verbs:

  • Perform
  • List
  • Describe / Summarize
  • Develop an approach

Non-measurable verbs to avoid:

  • Know
  • Learn
  • Understand
  • Appreciate

Instead of using verbs like know or understand, ask yourself: how would you assess whether the learner knows or understands the material? You would have them write a summary, make a list, demonstrate a skill, or develop a plan.

Below are some examples of strong and weak learning objectives.

After this session, the learner will be able to…

  • Strong: Develop an approach to treating headaches.
    • Weak: Understand how to treat headaches.
  • Strong: Utilize targeted, locally effective techniques to treat pain such as nerve blocks.
    • Weak: Learn to treat pain.
  • Strong: Identify post-arrest patients that should receive immediate coronary angiography.
    • Weak: Know when to use coronary angiography.
  • Strong: Summarize recent controversies on the use of targeted temperature management for the patient with ROSC from cardiac arrest.
    • Weak: Appreciate the role of TTM for ROSC.
Session Types

Scientific Assembly features several session types to accommodate different learning styles and preferences. The planning work group may determine that your proposed topic is better suited for a different session type than the one you proposed.

Track Session
(20 minutes including Q&A) A didactic presentation style to share topics related to emergency medicine. The most common type of session at Scientific Assembly.

Breve Dulce
(7 minutes plus 3 minutes Q&A) A “short and sweet” presentation of an emergency medicine related topic within 20 slides. A Breve Dulce talk is best suited for very specific topics or drilling down to one specific aspect of a broader topic.

Plenary Session
(45 minutes including Q&A) A didactic presentation focused on specific topics such as peds, trauma, neuro, cardiovascular, etc. Plenary sessions frequently cover what’s new or literature updates in the topic area. Plenary sessions require content expertise.

Meeting of the Minds
(45 minutes including Q&A) A panel style presentation featuring one moderator and two content experts. The moderator begins the session with a brief review of recent literature or a controversial topic, then facilitates a discussion or debate between the content experts. The session concludes with an extended audience Q&A.

AAEM/RSA Track Session
(20 minutes including Q&A) A didactic presentation on a clinical or non-clinical topic that prepares residents for their careers in emergency medicine. Proposals from residents are welcome.

Small Group Clinic
(40 minutes) An interactive workshop that offers hands-on practice for skills or procedures. Five groups of six participants learning the content simultaneously (no audiovisuals, slides, group rotations or presentations). Leader will recruit five facilitators (leader may be one of them) and collaborate with AAEM to bring supplies.

Pre-Conference Course
(Full day or half day) A pre-conference course may be a didactic or practical session, or a mix of both. Courses have separate budgets and must break even between registration income and course expenses including equipment, food, and faculty reimbursement. Courses need a high level of interest to drive registration, and course directors must play an active role in promoting the course. Course directors will recruit their own faculty and collaborate with AAEM to bring supplies.

Presenting Faculty Information

Each presenter in the proposal will be asked to provide:

  • Current position, designation, and demographic information (for statistical purposes only.)
  • Experience speaking at other educational conferences (if applicable)
  • Brief summary of their training and professional background
  • Qualifications to present on this topic (such as research or teaching experience)

CVs are not accepted. Multiple presenters are acceptable, but travel stipends may be split amongst faculty, depending on the session type.