Many obstetrics and gynecology residencies require trainees to complete a research project as a graduation requirement. These projects may be submitted for publication in a peer-review journal or presentation at a professional meeting. Although written instructions are available for novice authors, few references target research abstract submission and presentation. This paper provides investigators with the advice to successfully negotiate this process.
The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education common requirements for residency training in obstetrics and gynecology include pursuit of scholarly activity containing an active research component by the faculty, who “should encourage and support residents in scholarly activities.” A recent survey of US and Canadian obstetrics and gynecology program directors found that 95% of respondents’ residencies required trainees to complete a research project as a graduation requirement.
A formal obstetrics and gynecology faculty-resident mentoring program has been associated with increased resident academic productivity as measured by research involvement, oral and poster presentations, and publications. Although there is no substitute for the mentorship of an experienced faculty member who has successfully published, resources are available to encourage and assist prospective authors.
Similar guidance is invaluable when submitting original research to a professional meeting and, if accepted, developing the resulting oral or poster presentation. Notably, there is a surprising lack of written direction in this regard.
The purpose of this paper was to summarize lessons learned from mentoring undergraduates, medical students, residents, and junior faculty in their successful pursuit of submitting and presenting award-winning research projects. With this focus in mind, it will be assumed that an appropriately designed research project has been completed prior to planning the presentation.
Deciding where to submit your research for presentation
Typically only an abstract will be submitted for consideration. Less commonly your entire manuscript will be evaluated. Because space and time constraints limit the number of projects accepted for presentation at any academic meeting, submissions undergo a rigorous review process by senior society members with expertise in the research area of interest. Therefore, ensure that your subject is appropriate and consistent with the mission and objectives of the sponsoring organization.
If you are unclear or uncertain regarding the compatibility of your research with the presentation forum, consult the society’s web site, the previous year’s meeting proceedings (often published as a special issue of the group’s official journal in print and online), or a knowledgeable mentor. Advanced planning in this regard is most important because submission deadlines are often 5-8 months before the meeting.
Determine your purpose in presenting the research and select a forum that intersects with your goals. Are you a medical student planning for residency? A resident seeking a fellowship? Are you a fellow looking for a junior faculty position? Junior faculty launching an academic career? Perhaps you simply want to disseminate your findings as widely as possible. Regardless, discussing your project in a scholarly forum provides a ripe opportunity to explore ideas with fellow researchers, network, and broaden one’s involvement in the specialty.
Does the sponsoring organization foster involvement by investigators-in-training? Encouragement can assume many forms: presentation forums restricted to trainees or junior faculty, awards for outstanding research, and funds to support meeting attendance made available through the generosity of society members (travel or discounted or waived registration fees). Mentors actively involved with these professional societies as well as the organizations’ web sites may provide valuable insights. In certain instances, the abstract submission documentation will permit designation of the presenting author as in training to determine eligibility to present in certain sessions or for awards.
Once you have tentatively selected a target meeting, be certain that all the prerequisites for submission are met. Some meetings may require that a society member be a sponsor or coauthor for the project. Many groups require that the submitted research not be presented or published prior to the meeting. In this age of electronic manuscript submission, online peer review, and advance electronic publication, such a faux pas is more possible than one might expect. Such a mistake reflects poorly on the authors and the institution. Moreover, withdrawal of an accepted presentation for this reason unfairly prevented another researcher from participating.
Pay careful attention to all instructions and details. Provide all required information at the time of submission. If requested, select the most appropriate category from among the provided options for classifying your research topic. Miscategorization may have a negative impact on your abstract’s scoring. Ensure compliance with the due date, beyond which no new submissions or revisions will be permitted. Hurried, last-minute preparations may increase the risk of such errors.
Do not forget the seemingly obvious. Will you be able to take the time to attend the meeting and present your work if it is selected? Are there financial resources to support your travel to and from the meeting, including the registration fee? Programs may not fund travel outside the United States. Check with your department or training program director. The institutional prestige and benefits associated with your scholarly activity is likely to lead to positive responses to these inquiries.
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