PSPA Poster Guidelines

Posters will be accepted in the following categories:

Clinical or Educational Research

May be original research or scholarly work regarding clinical topics or topics relevant to PA practice or education

Case study

A case report or research on an unusual or uncommon clinical topic

Educational or Professional Innovation

Innovative approaches to education or innovative uses of PAs in the workforce

Professional Issues

Scholarly updates regarding state of the profession or topics related to PA practice. These may include, but are not limited to access to care, disparities, PA compensation, PA workforce issues, a health policy or public health issue, etc.

Community or Global Outreach

Presentation of community or global outreach projects led by PAs

Guidelines for abstracts are as follows:

Abstracts should be no longer than 500 words, excluding references and author contact information. Images, figures, charts, and graphs should not be included as part of the abstract.

An Abstract for a Clinical or Educational Research poster must contain:

• Lead author’s name, PSPA membership number, affiliation (employer, school, etc.), email address, phone number, name of category under which the abstract is being submitted
• Co-author’s name, affiliation (employer, school, etc.), email address, phone number
• Title of Poster
• Introduction/Background/Purpose – stated briefly
• Methodology (if original research) or existing evidence/knowledge regarding the topic
• Results and analysis (if original research) Original research must have at least preliminary results at the time of abstract submission
• Conclusion
• At least 3 references, in AMA format
• Name of institution granting IRB approval or exempt status (if applicable) with date of approval.

An Abstract for a Case Study poster must contain:

• Lead author’s name, PSPA membership number, affiliation (employer, school, etc.), email address, phone number, name of category under which the abstract is being submitted
• Co-author’s name, affiliation (employer, school, etc.), email address, phone number
• Title of Poster
• Introduction/Background/Purpose
• Clinical Presentation
• Differential Diagnoses
• Diagnostic Evaluation
• Treatment
• Conclusion
• At least 3 references, in AMA format
• Name of institution granting IRB approval or exempt status (if applicable) with date of approval

An Abstract for an Educational or Professional Innovation poster must contain:

• Lead author’s name, PSPA membership number, affiliation (employer, school, etc.), email address, phone number, name of category under which the abstract is being submitted
• Co-author’s name, affiliation (employer, school, etc.), email address, phone number
• Title of Poster
• Introduction/Background/Purpose
• Description of innovative design or methods
• Research that supports the need for the innovation or supports the innovative methodology
• Impact of the innovation
• At least 3 references, in AMA format
• Name of institution granting IRB approval or exempt status (if applicable) with date of approval

An Abstract for a Professional Issues poster must contain:

• Lead author’s name, PSPA membership number, affiliation (employer, school, etc.), email address, phone number, name of category under which the abstract is being submitted
• Co-author’s name, affiliation (employer, school, etc.), email address, phone number
• Title of Poster
• Introduction/Background/Purpose
• Current status or evidence regarding the topic
• Recommendations, potential next steps, proposed solutions or alternatives
• At least 3 references, in AMA format
• Name of institution granting IRB approval or exempt status (if applicable) with date of approval

An Abstract for a Community or Global Outreach poster must contain:

• Lead author’s name, PSPA membership number, affiliation (employer, school, etc.), email address, phone number, name of category under which the abstract is being submitted
• Co-author’s name, affiliation (employer, school, etc.), email address, phone number
• Title of Poster
• Introduction/Background/Purpose
• Goals of the outreach project
• Description of the outreach efforts
• Assessment of impact and/or achievements
• At least 3 references, in AMA format

General Instructions/Policies:

Specifications

• Posters are not required to contain new/primary/original research
• When applicable, IRB approval must be received by the authors
• Posters size requirements will vary each year based on the conference venue. Specific dimensions will be communicated to authors at the time of abstract acceptance.
• Posters must include the title, authors’ names and affiliations, as well as all content headings required for the abstract – with the exception of the authors’ contact information.
• Posters should be professional in appearance and easy to read/see
• Images, tables, graphs, charts, and figures must have a brief caption
• Authors are responsible for transporting their poster to the conference. Posters should not be mailed to the venue.
• Poster topics must clearly apply to the PA profession or to PA practice

Authors

• The lead author must be a member of the PSPA at the time of abstract submission and at the time of poster presentation.
• The presenting author must be registered for the conference on the day(s) they will be presenting their poster.
• The lead author of accepted posters must be present with their poster for discussion during all exhibit hall hours, a co-author may be present in the absence of the lead author. If the lead author is a student, an author must only be present during the exhibit hall hours on Friday of the conference week.
• Students may submit posters as lead authors, but must have a certified PA who is a member of PSPA (at the time of abstract submission and poster presentation) as a co-author.
• Authors must abide by copyright and image usage rights, and must be certain they have permission to display any tables, figures, graphics, and/or images on the poster.
• Posters must be free from plagiarism.
• Authors must adhere to HIPAA regulations.
• If the proposed content has been previously published or presented, the lead author must clearly indicate that at the bottom of the abstract document. These abstracts will be considered, but preference may be given to topics that have not been previously presented/published.

Deadlines

• Abstracts must be submitted no later than 11:59 p.m. on August 1^st of each year.
• Abstracts will be blinded and assessed by volunteer peer reviewers.
• Lead authors will be notified of the acceptance or denial of their submission, via email, by early September of each year.
• Abstracts should be submitted, via email, as an attached word document to Mary Allias MPAS, PA-C at mallias1@pitt.edu.