This past weekend was ACRM’s annual conference on rehabilitation research which was held in Atlanta. We hope that everyone had a successful conference, connected with other specialists, and had an opportunity to learn what new and exciting things that are happening in the fields of brain injury, stroke, pediatric rehabilitation, and more. We hope that if you had a chance to present a paper or participate in a symposium, that it went off without a hitch! If this wasn’t your year to share your research, ACRM is continually looking for rehabilitation professionals who want to share their knowledge and research with others.
ACRM is always striving to bring together those who want to benefit clinical practices and allow early career professional a chance to gain knowledge and experience. With the 2017 conference now a part of our history, we are looking to our 2018 rehabilitation research conference which will be held in Dallas. We believe that improving patient care and connecting with those who can make a difference is a priority of the ACRM community. If you had previously wanted to present your research but whatever circumstance prohibited you from doing so, now is your chance! ACRM is now accepting proposals for the 2018 conference and we can’t wait to read what new and innovative research you or your team have to share.
What ACRM is Accepting
ACRM, or American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine, is passionate about evidence-based learning and translating what is learned so that it can be used in clinical practices to improve patient care and how they recover from injuries. We are focused on a few topics and would love to know what you are learning in the following fields:
- Arts and Neuroscience
- Brain Injury
- Cancer Rehabilitation
- Clinical Practice (assessment, diagnosis, treatment, knowledge translation/EBP, implementation science, program development)
- Complementary Integrative Rehabilitation Medicine
- Cross-Cutting
- Geriatric Rehabilitation
- Health/Disability Policy
- International
- Limb Restoration Rehabilitation (including prosthetics/orthotics)
- Measurement
- Military/Veterans Affairs
- Neurodegenerative Diseases
- Neuroplasticity
- Pain
- Pediatric Rehabilitation
- Spinal Cord Injury
- Stroke
- Technology (e.g., robotics, assistive technology, mHealth)
While ACRM is highly interested in these topics, your rehabilitation research can have a broad range, including your specific approach to:
- Diagnosing, treating, and the overall care of patients with brain injury, spinal cord injury, neurodegenerative diseases, pain, and cancer.
- How technology can play a role in rehabilitation research and practice.
- Finding a way to reverse or stop cognitive impairment, depression, PTSD, sleep disorder, and pain.
- How exercise can impact a patient’s neuro recovery.
- How the use of biomechanics and motor control can positively impact rehabilitation.
Types of Presentations
Pre-Conference Instructional Courses
The pre-conference is scheduled for the 28th – 30th of September, 2018. Your proposal can be for either a four- or eight-hour block of time, in which you will be able to present your topic of research in depth. The purpose of these courses is to allow attendees an opportunity to experience an instructional course, or receive in depth training that can be translated to clinical use. Proposals for instructional courses are due by December 12, 2017.
Symposia
This type of presentation is 75 minutes, where you and at least one other presenter will discuss your topic of choice, finishing with a 10-minute question and answer session. We encourage proposals that that will show how rehabilitation research can better the work of clinical practices, identify questions where additional research is needed, or show a relationship between your topic of choice and evidence-based practice. Because ACRM is an interdisciplinary community, we would like to advocate for content that can be presented by specialists from multiple institutions or international presenters, and has a format in which to promote questions and answers. Proposals for symposia are due by December 20, 2017.
Scientific Papers and Posters
Presentations of scientific papers are given 18 minutes that include a question and answer/discussion session. Scientific posters should include objectives, hypotheses, methodology, and results in the abstract. The abstract should be no more than 275 words. Proposals for scientific posters and papers are due by February 13, 2017.
For more specific submission guidelines for all presentations, symposia, and scientific papers or posters, visit ACRM’s call for proposals page. There you will find information on how the proposals are scored, including how relevant they are to ACRM’s mission, the scientific quality, how the topic can contribute to rehabilitation research, and more.
ACRM encourages growth for everyone interested in rehabilitation research. Participating in the 2018 conference will give you an opportunity to build a more complete resume, present your evidence-based research to an international audience with 3,000 plus attendees, connect with other specialists, gain recognition, and get published in ACRM’s scientific journal. If you are excited to share what you have learned through research and believe it can have a positive impact on how patients recover from injury or other diseases or illnesses, we can’t wait to share with the ACRM members and potentially the thousands of attendees at the 2018 conference.
Always looking to improve patient care and allow professional to connect and share their knowledge, ACRM wants to make the 2018 conference the best ever. Get more information on submitting a proposal here.
