Research Day FAQ

Where do I submit my abstract?

Go to the Abstract Submission Form online at one of the following links:

• DOM Abstract submission form
• MSRP abstract submission form

What is the submission deadline?

Sunday, February 23, 2020, 11:59 p.m.

Do I have to be in the Department of Medicine to participate?

No. UMMC investigators campus-wide are invited to submit abstracts of their ongoing research and/or clinical scholarship to the poster session and competitions. Everyone is invited to tour the poster session and attend the keynote lecture at noon.

How will I know that my abstract was submitted successfully?

Abstract presenters will receive an automated email notification that the abstract has been submitted. Faculty mentors will also be notified by email of the abstract submission.

What requirements must I meet to be eligible for the Trainee Research Poster Competition?

UMMC Trainees (fellows, residents, medical students, and other trainees) who meet the following requirements are eligible to compete for awards.

1. You are the first author.
2. You must also be the presenter.
3. You have a faculty mentor who is also listed as co-author.

What are the requirements for the Department of Medicine Faculty Poster Competition?

DOM Medicine Faculty who meet the following requirements are eligible to compete for awards.

1. Your primary appointment is in the Department of Medicine.
2. Abstract poster has been presented at a professional meeting within the last twelve months.
3. You are the first or senior author.
4. You are also the presenter.

I presented my abstract at a professional meeting in January 2019. Is my abstract still eligible?

Yes. Posters presented any time in calendar year 2019 through the present are eligible.

Can I submit more than one poster?

Yes, as long as a different author presents each poster.

Can I win an award in more than one category?

No. Each presenter who is also first author will be eligible to receive one award.

Who is eligible for an award?

Trainees in all disciplines who are presenters and first authors are eligible for awards in the Trainee Research Poster Competition. Trainees are defined as those currently enrolled in a formal course of study or training program offered by the University of Mississippi Medical Center during the period of research.

DOM Faculty with a primary appointment in the Department of Medicine are eligible for awards in the Faculty Poster Competition.

What are the Awards?

Can I submit a different poster in each research category to qualify for an award?

No. Only one unique presenter and poster will be considered for each award in each category.

What Research Categories will be included this year?

Basic Science Research, Clinical Research, and Population-Based Research are included this year. Use the definitions below to determine the research area of your abstract:

Basic Science Research is scientific inquiry that seeks to discover how systems function (in both healthy and diseased models) and develop a base of knowledge that other scientists can use in order to achieve more applied investigational goals, such as treatments or cures for diseases.

Clinical Research can be divided into clinical studies and clinical trials. A clinical study is any type of clinical research involving patients that involves non-interventional research, such as observational or mechanism-based studies. A clinical trial is a research study designed to test the safety and/or effectiveness of drugs, devices, and other medical interventions.

Population-Based Research is medical research that focuses on a defined geographic community, such as a county, region or country, or a subgroup within such a region, in which the characteristics of the entire population can be defined. Studies may be cross-sectional, retrospective or longitudinal in design, and gather information about incidence of diseases, behaviors or types of injury within the subject population from a variety of sources. The data may be used to establish incidence rates within a population or subpopulation, to elucidate potential cause and effect relationships leading to illness, to discover useful biomarkers associated with the development or progression of specific conditions or to test the effectiveness of specific community-based interventions for the prevention of disease.

What format should my abstract follow?

The format of Basic, Clinical and Population-Based research abstracts should include the following:

List of Authors and Institutional Affiliation

Introduction, Methods, Results, and Conclusion. Tables and figures may be included in the body of the abstract.

Are Vignettes/Case Reports eligible for awards?

No. Interesting vignettes may be accepted based on available space, but will not be eligible for awards.

Vignette/Case Report is a report of a single case of a disease, usually with an unexpected presentation or complication, which typically describes the findings, clinical course, and prognosis of the case, often accompanied by a review of other cases previously reported in the biomedical literature to put the reported case in context.

What format should my Vignettes/Case Report follow?

Vignette/Case Report headings should include:

List of Authors and Institutional Affiliation

Introduction, Case Description, and Discussion. Tables and figures may be included in the body of the abstract.

How long can the abstract be?

Submitted abstracts should be no longer than 250 words. This does not include title, authors, or references.

What is the judging criteria?

• The quality and originality of the submitted abstract
• Visual appearance of poster
• The quality of the oral presentation and response to questions
• Overall impact of research and contribution to science

Will I get a notice that my abstract has been accepted for the poster session?

Yes, abstract submitters will be notified by email no later than March 6, 2020 regarding acceptance of their abstract for the open or competition poster sessions. Upon acceptance, the abstract presenter should prepare to get the poster printed and make sure they'll be available for judging during the poster session. MSRP administration will communicate directly with MSRP students.

What happens if I'm invited to give an oral presentation?

Three abstracts from each research category will be pre-selected as finalists. Trainees will be invited to make an oral presentation of their findings to the judging panel on Research Day to determine final winners. Those selected for oral presentations will be notified by March 17, two weeks prior to Research Day. Each invitee will have 5 minutes to present his or her research findings and up to 5 minutes for Q&A; time limits strictly enforced. A maximum of 5 slides can be used in the presentation. The authors will have the option to have their poster available for discussion in the poster session as well.

Do I need to bring anything to the oral presentation?

All audio-visual equipment is provided. You'll need to have your oral presentation, limited to 5 slides, available digitally.

What size should my poster be, and where can I get it printed?

Poster presentation boards will accommodate posters that are 70" width x 46" height or less. We'll provide poster presentation boards on Research Day, along with everything necessary to display your poster. The UMMC Department of Printing can help you with all of your design and printing needs. Contact their office early regarding costs and printing deadlines. The Department of Medicine is not responsible for any costs incurred to create or print your poster.

What time will judging occur for the poster competition, and where will it be?

Judging will take place on March 31 from 9:30-11 a.m. in the Norman C. Nelson Student Union Gymnasium.

*Presenters should plan to be available to discuss their poster with the judges during this time period, no exceptions (please arrange for this in advance).

*MSRP participants may follow a different schedule. Please refer to your MSRP organizers for this information.

Are there other events on Research Day besides the poster competition?

Yes, there will be oral presentations, a general faculty and MSRP poster session, and a keynote lecture with lunch included. See Schedule of Events for a complete list of events.

Whom should I contact for more information?

Please email Kim McGuire if you have any questions.