Contents:
What is the submission deadline for instruction courses and new Skills Transfer labs?
The online abstract submitter for AAO 2021 instruction courses and new Skills Transfer labs closed Jan. 12, 2021.
What are the different presentation formats? Do I have to attend to “present”?
Accepted abstracts may be scheduled for the following types of formats:
- Live Only – In-person, live presentation scheduled for a specific date, time and location. Presenters of live presentations need to register and attend AAO 2021.
- Live/On Demand – Willing and able to provide course content as either live or on demand. The committee will select for either live or on demand.
- On Demand Only – Accepted courses that are not scheduled for live presentation. On demand courses are recorded voice over slides of individual presentations. Each individual course instructor records their individual presentation. The MP4 of M4V is uploaded for On Demand viewing. Every instructor listed on the course uploads one recording of their section.
Is there a format that is more/less likely to be accepted?
AAO 2021 will be designed to include live courses and on demand courses. There is no preference between live or on demand submissions. Selecting “Live/On Demand” gives the committee the most flexibility to select the course for use. There is no preference between live or on demand submissions.
What if I don’t know whether I can travel in November?
Select Live/On Demand if your course can be presented in either format. Select Live Only if, due to the nature of the course, it can only be presented live. Select On Demand only if you are not willing or able to present your course live.
Is there a maximum length for the abstract?
Yes, 1,000 characters. The character limit is set to allow an abstract submission of approximately 100 words, including spaces.
The online submitter application will automatically count any hidden formatting in the abstract when text is copy/pasted into the abstract body field. To avoid exceeding the character limits, paste only simple text.
Is there a maximum length for titles?
Yes, 120 characters.
What tips are there for writing competitive abstracts?
Top tips for writing competitive instruction course abstracts:
- Detailed Outline – The outline is your opportunity to let the committee know exactly what the course will cover. A clear, thought-out, and detailed outline is needed to review the course well.
- New or Necessary Topic – Does the course fill a gap in attendee knowledge, address a suggested course topic, or share something new that has not been covered in a previously-offered course? In the Background Statement, explain how the course is filling a need or gap in the Program or attendee’s knowledge.
- Proofread Carefully - The selection committee gives higher grades to clear and concise abstracts than to disorganized ones. Misspellings and typographical errors reflect poorly on the submission.
- Follow Instructions – Follow the Instruction Course Guidelines and FAQs. The committee gives higher rank to properly organized abstracts that adhere to the guidelines.
Is there a limit on the number of abstracts I can submit?
Senior Instructors can submit up to and no more than two instruction courses.
Senior Instructors are encouraged to add junior faculty to courses to provide for continuity of instruction and diversity of speakers.
I presented a course in 2020, and I would like to present it again in 2021. Do I need to update my course information?
Yes. All courses are reviewed annually, regardless of whether or not they have been previously presented. To be reviewed, complete all 3 pages of the submission and submit.
My course was offered on demand last year, can I resubmit as a live course?
Yes. On Demand courses can be resubmitted for AAO 2021. All courses will need to be resubmitted for consideration.
I cancelled my course last year due to the virtual meeting. Is my course considered previously offered, or is it a new course?
The course is considered previously offered. It will have an existing record to update. It is important to update the previously offered record, rather than create a new course.
The instruction course has been offered within the last three years, but with a different Senior Instructor. What should I do?
Either you or the previous Senior Instructor must log onto the submitter using the previous Senior Instructor's login information in order to update the abstract. This includes changing the author order. Do not create a new instruction course.
Do I need to be a member of the Academy to submit a course abstract?
All submissions (with the exception of Practice Management course submissions) must have at least one Academy Fellow or Member or Candidate for Membership as an instructor. The Senior Instructor does not need to be a member of the Academy, as long as there is at least one member on the application.
Obtain information regarding Academy membership or send an email to member_services@aao.org.
I’m an optometrist, can I submit an abstract?
Members of the American Academy of Optometry are invited to submit abstracts as an Instructor/Author. The submission must include at least one American Academy of Ophthalmology Fellow or Member or Candidate for Membership as an author.
Can optometrists attend AAO 2021?
Only optometrists who are members of the American Academy of Optometry and who have been selected for presentation may attend AAO 2021. If optometrists included on an accepted abstract are not members of the American Academy of Optometry, they may not attend AAO 2021.
What do I need to do regarding Financial Interest Disclosure?
All persons in a position to control the content of an activity must disclose any and all financial interests.
Each Senior Instructor is required to submit his/her financial interest disclosure information with their submission. The Academy will request the required disclosure information from all co-instructors.
Disclosure of financial interest should also be made at the time of the presentation. Course instructors are required to display a financial interest slide at the beginning of their presentation and to verbally disclose any financial interest relevant to the presentation.
How do I request more or less than 75 minutes for my course presentation?
Three hour, two-hour and one-hour courses are no longer an option for new or old submissions. All courses have been standardized to 75 minutes.
How does a course become cosponsored?
Academy committees and subspecialty organizations represented on the Academy's Council are eligible to cosponsor a course. Cosponsored courses may not be submitted without the prior knowledge and approval of the cosponsoring organization.
How do I withdraw my abstract?
To withdraw an abstract, select the course title to open the abstract and select Withdraw Abstract. By selecting withdraw, your abstract will not be forwarded to the Annual Meeting Program Committee for review. You may withdraw your abstract at any time until the deadline.
Once an abstract is withdrawn, it cannot be reinstated. You must complete a new abstract to have it considered by the Annual Meeting Program Committee.
When will I be notified about the status of my abstract?
Instruction course selection notifications will be sent by email to Senior Instructors the last week of April.