AOCPMR News | Summer 2011 Page 1

Volume 3 No. 3 Summer 2011

EXECUTIVE COUNCIL

2010-2011 OFFICERS

PRESIDENT: Carl M Shapiro, DO

PRESIDENT-ELECT:

Christina A. Richardson, DO

VICE-PRESIDENT: Lisa M. Bartoli, DO

PAST-PRESIDENT: Estelle R Farrell, DO

SECRETARY-TREASURER:

Leonard B Kamen, DO

TRUSTEES

Regina M Asaro, DO

Robert G Billow, DO

Shelley Nepa, DO

Barry Bakst, DO

Thomas McCoy, DO

Jeffry Pirofsky, DO

REPRESENTATIVES

John Lavelle, DO (Resident)

Nick Beatty (Student)

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Stephanie Wilson

RESIDENT COUNCIL

John Lavelle, DO (President)

Shounuck Patel, DO (Vice President)

Maryum Rafique, DO (Secretary)

Ron Ben Meir, DO

Stephen Dechter, DO

Andrew Illig, DO

Jennifer Kendall, DO

Brandon Messerli, DO

Arash Nafissi, DO

Sam Yoakum, DO

STUDENT COUNCIL

Nick Beatty (President)

Nicole Stegenga (Vice President)

Bill Fredericks (Treasurer)

Sam Ashby (Secretary)

Jon Benfield (Immediate Past President)

Angela Vrooman (Conference Chair)

A Word from the President Carl M. Shapiro, DO

This continues to be an eventful year for the AOCPMR. Membership continues to grow but just as importantly, we continue to expand our services. I am proud to announce that we have brought in a new residency program in Casa Colina, California. Our student and resident programs continue to expand and many of our members continue actively mentoring. I am happy to note that our former students are finding residency positions to their liking and developing young physicians will continue to be a priority for our College. We wish them the best of good fortune. I am especially proud to say that we are offering our Interventional Pain Management Course again and look forward to personally participating in this. We have also submitted our Pain Medicine CAQ to the AOA and I want to personally thank all the members of the AOBPMR for their work on this achievement. Our website is almost ready to launch and our Policies and Procedures manual is in its final stages of development. We are well under way with our long-term strategic planning process also. In the more immediate future, we are excited about our next meetings in Orlando with the AOA and Philadelphia. Both will be academically strong and the venues offer significant facilities for networking and downtime. I look forward to seeing everybody soon.

Best regards,

Carl

AOCPMR News | Summer 2011 Page 2

OMED 2011 in Orlando, Florida October 31 – November 2, 2011

Co-Chairs: Michael Creamer, DO and Adam Cugalj, DO

The lecture schedule is coming together for the Annual Meeting in Orlando this fall. Dr. Creamer and Dr. Cugalj have selected the Management of Spine Disorders as the focus

for the meeting and are busy confirming lecturers and presentations. Stay tuned for more information as the schedule is complete. And be sure to register for the meeting through the AOA website. Details for the Member Dinner will be announced shortly so

keep an eye out for that via the AOCPMR website.

Click Here to Register at the AOA Website

Upcoming Events

2011 AOA ANNUAL MEETING ORLANDO, FL

OCTOBER 30-NOVEMBER 4, 2011

INTERVENTIONAL PAIN MANAGEMENT COURSE DENVER, COLORADO

AUGUST 12-14, 2011

2012 SPRING MID YEAR MEETING PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA

APRIL 19-22, 2012

Call for Abstracts – Scientific Poster Presentations Mid Year Meeting and Scientific Seminar 2012

The American Osteopathic College of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation is currently accepting abstract submissions for Scientific Display Posters for the 2012 AOCPMR Mid Year Meeting and Scientific Seminar, April 19-22, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Those medical students, residents and physicians intending to submit abstracts should read and abide by the guidelines and application process described in the Abstract Submission Guidelines section below. In addition to reviewing the guidelines, there are two other important documents that must be submitted with the abstract. Lastly, for those authors that had their abstract accepted, please refer to the Author Guidelines for Accepted Abstracts for details regarding the publication of the abstract and scientific poster guidelines.

AOCPMR News | Summer 2011 Page 3

Government Affairs Update By Carl M. Shapiro, DO, Chair

This has been an eventful year since the passage of the Affordable Care Act. Proposed guidelines for Accountable Care Organizations from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) were made public this last April and already there is a backlash. At least 10 nationally recognized practices including Dartmouth- Hitchcock and the Geisinger Clinic, have stated publicly that they do not want to register because of the administrative burden created by the government proposals for compliance. Yet these were the very models touted by candidate and later, President Obama as to how healthcare should be integrated and managed. Similarly, more employers are stating that they do not want to provide health insurance. This is in addition to the 600 plus companies and unions that HHS has awarded exemptions to in order to keep their employees enrolled last year. Smaller businesses in particular will feel this burden and the alternative for many of their employees is Medicaid. Many states such as Indiana are fearful of the burden on their tax budgets this will impose and are doing as little as possible to expand their state programs. The remarkable thing is that a married couple with annual earnings of $64,000 per year can still qualify for Medicaid under this new law. What is not as obvious is that a larger number of physician practices will not accept Medicaid as primary insurance and a growing number will not accept it even for secondary insurance. The Associated Press reported June 13, 2011 that 1 in 6 Medicare recipients do not fill prescriptions for new cancer drugs because of high co-pays forcing patients to get either inferior medications or stay in hospital based protocols. This is not only a more costly and complicated alternative, it is care with increased risk for iatrogenic complications and is a major concern, especially with Managed Medicare or Medicare Plus plans. The Affordable Care Act called for the creation of an Independent Advisory Board and the promulgations from this board should prove especially interesting: the majority of its members are not physicians but rather are from the business community and the insurance industry. Moreover, there is no legislative oversight. The Affordable Care Act has yet to demonstrate any meaningful reform as to how healthcare dollars are distributed either. Physician services are less than 30% and this is where the major cuts have been while premiums have steadily increased in 2010-2011, co-pays and deductibles have likewise increased significantly, and the major insurance carriers are posting record profits while covered services have declined. More to follow in Orlando. Stay tuned . . . . .

General Physiatrist Wanted Northeastern Pennsylvania’s largest Physiatrist Private Practice is seeking a board certified general physiatrist to join the practice. Northeastern Rehabilitation Associates currently has 18 Physiatrists and 18 Nurse Practitioners and Physician Assistants in our four locations. This is an excellent opportunity for a general physiatrist with interest in inpatient and outpatient musculoskeletal rehabilitation and EMGs. Living in Northeastern Pennsylvania provides easy access to major metropolitan areas such as New York City and Philadelphia. It’s also a great place to raise a family and enjoy outdoor activities such as golfing, fishing, hiking, biking and skiing. New graduates of residency programs are encouraged to apply. This growing practice has great potential as a pathway to partnership. Please visit our website at www.nerehab.com for more information. Interested candidates should send their CVs to: Lisa Monahan-Gatto. Mail: 5 Morgan Highway, Suite 4, Scranton, PA 18508 Fax: 570-207-8761 or E-mail: lmgatto@nerehab.com

MSK Focused Physiatrist

Marshfield Clinic-Marshfield Center is seeking a BE/BC Physiatrist to provide consultation, evaluation, treatment and management of patients with acute and chronic musculoskeletal and spine conditions. The focus of this practice will be back and neck with the ability to include the full scope of PMR as part of the practice. This individual join a seven member PMR department and will work collaboratively with their PMR, neurosurgery and pain management colleagues. The selected candidate will work primarily from the neurosurgery department with selected days in the PMR department and outreach. Fellowship in Pain Medicine or experience in Spine Care preferred. In addition to an exceptional practice and balanced lifestyle, Marshfield Clinic physicians enjoy a competitive salary and comprehensive benefits; recruitment bonus for certain locations available, fully vested retirement plan; 401K plan; malpractice, health, dental, life, and disability insurance; four weeks paid vacation, first year; two weeks CME with up to $5,800 allowance; generous relocation and more! For additional information or to apply for this position please contact: Beth Albee, Marshfield Clinic Physician Recruitment 1000 N Oak Avenue, Marshfield, WI 54449 715-221-5775 Albee.beth@marshfieldclinic.org www.marshfieldclinic.org www.facebook.com/marshfieldclinicphysrec

AOCPMR News | Summer 2011 Page 4

A Word From the Executive Director Stephanie Wilson

Spring has been a busy time for us and the summer is off to a great start. So many projects are going on in the College as we continue to grow and expand and listen to our members and provide the value they are looking for. Thank you to everyone who participated in the strategic planning survey last month. We are compiling that data and will use it at the Executive Board Retreat in September when we begin detailing the strategic plan. We have invited Diana Ewert from the AOA to lead us in a strategic planning discussion and expect to submit a 3-5 year plan to the membership in October at OMED 2011. Be on the lookout for that. Dr. Michael Creamer and Dr. Adam Cugalj are co-chairing OMED 2011 and are in the final stages of confirming the lecture schedule for Orlando. Stay tuned for more details as they will be published very soon. The Member Dinner is scheduled for Monday, October 31 and registration for that will be open shortly. The Pain Medicine CAQ is well under way as we have submitted our basic standards to the AOA and had them approved. We have just completed the second incarnation of the standards and submitted them a second time to the AOA and expect to receive another approval notice shortly. Meanwhile, the Pain CAQ Committee, led by Dr. Tom Jan, will begin the next phase of the project. Nick Beatty has been working fast and diligently on the new website and we are hoping to debut that later this month. I think everyone will be really excited about what we’ve put together and will love the new site. Thanks to everyone on the Website Committee for your input, ideas and dedication to this project. The Interventional Pain Management Course will be held next month in Denver. We are thrilled to be hosting this course in a new venue and to have Dr. Daniel Baer serve as our chair. We have a new group of faculty teaching this year and we are excited to welcome Dr. Scott Naftulin and Dr. Brian Kahan as well as see some familiar faces, Dr. Carl Shapiro, Dr. Brad Noble, Dr. Sean Kulkarni, among others. Please visit the website or refer to page 6 in this newsletter for a detailed listing of lectures and cadaver stations. We are looking for a few more people to attend so please register now if you are planning to attend. I am pleased to announce that we have received a $2000.00 grant from Boston Scientific for our Interventional Pain Management Course. The dates for next year’s Spring Mid Year Meeting have been confirmed. We will meet in Philadelphia April 19-22 at the Four Seasons Hotel. Dr. Len Kamen and Dr. Adam Schreiber are co-chairing this meeting. Management of Chronic Disease will be the focus. Because I am working closely with the chairs, I can promise you that we are in for a real treat at this meeting. The lectures they are confirming and the lecturers they are inviting are astute and respected professionals in PMR. Mark your calendar for this Don’t-Miss Event! The students continue to be hard at work under the leadership of Nick Beatty, who assumed the role of president in April. They are in the planning stages of next spring’s Student Conference which is scheduled for Saturday, April 21. As president of the Resident Council, John Lavelle is working with the residents to add more value to their membership. We are working on hosting regional meetings with financial supporters for residents and the first one is scheduled for the metropolitan NY area later this summer. Details will be announced soon. As well, we are working on rewriting the constitution and bylaws for the residents and that project should be finalized by month’s end if not sooner. Those residents on Resident Council are contributing content for the website to make the resident section an information mecca. Dr. Richardson will be in Chicago this weekend at the BOSS meeting representing our College on different specialty related issues. She has graciously agreed to serve as the BOSS representative for a 3-year term. The AOA House of Delegates will take place next week in Chicago. I will be there as Dr. Shapiro serves as our 1st delegate as he has for the past several years and Dr. Wieting will serve as the alternate. The new PMR Residency Program slated for Pomona CA is underway and we should see our first group of residents begin sometime in 2012. This is very exciting for us as it is part of our mission to increase osteopathic PMR residencies across the country. Each committee is hard at work finalizing a Policies and Procedures Manual that we will look to the Executive Council for approval for in the fall. The volunteer opportunities and the options to get involved are endless. Please consider serving on a committee or running for office or giving a lecture or chairing a meeting. We are an amazing organization and that’s because we’re made up of amazing members who contribute and volunteer their time and talent willingly. There’s room for everyone . . . . . Consider becoming more involved today! Until the next time . . . . .

Stephanie

AOCPMR News | Summer 2011 Page 5

A Word from the Membership Committee Christina A. Richardson, DO, Chair

As we have been working to increase our membership over the last few years, you have no doubt heard us talk a lot about the value of membership in the AOCPMR. Now as I close out my tenure as Membership Chair to become President next year, I would like to review some of the talking points of membership value, while we continue to look toward the future and the continued growth of our organization. Identity. How many times have you been asked thorough your career; what is a DO? or what is a physiatrist? I am certain I am not the only one who answers this question on a weekly and sometimes daily basis. At home with the American Osteopathic Association of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation we not only understand that question and it’s answer, we can help you spread the word about both and provide you with a strong link to everything that encompasses your identity as an osteopathic physiatrist. Education. The ability to stay informed and engage in the exchange of knowledge and information through annual conferences and workshops. Our twice yearly meetings continue to expand and draw larger numbers of attendees every year. We have added Ultra Sound workshops at the last two national meetings and our Interventional Pain Course in the summer continues to be a popular and cost-effective event for physicians at all levels of training. Camaraderie. As a member of the AOCPMR, you will always be surrounded and supported by the peers who know you and what you do best. Meetings have become a natural place to network. Whether it’s students looking for residencies, residents looking for fellowships and jobs, or attendings sometimes just looking for a new adventure, there is always someone willing to guide and advise you on a peer to peer level. The twice yearly member dinner is a great time to catch up with colleagues and to openly exchange ideas with friends and peers. Opportunity. With the growth of our organization at all levels, there is no shortage of opportunity for members to become involved. Many choose to serve as mentors to students and residents while others apply their talents to educational programs, government affairs or one of our many committees or AOA appointments. If you have an area of interest, special talent or simply want to find a way to become involved, we can provide you the opportunities you desire. The value of membership is far greater than the things I’ve listed here and I hope you will take time to reflect on the value you have found in your AOCPMR membership. Please feel free to provide feedback to myself or our Executive Director Stephanie Wilson. At the AOCPMR we are here to help you transform your passion and ours into meaningful action on behalf of our patients and the profession as a whole.

Christina Richardson, DO

AOCPMR News | Summer 2011 Page 6

Didactic Schedule and Cadaver Labs for Interventional Pain Management Course

Friday, August 12 8:00-9:00 Introduction and Overview of Interventional Pain Management by Brian Kahan, DO 9:00-10:00 Ultrasound Guided Injection Techniques by John Bissill, MD 10:00-11:00 Radiology Spinal Anatomy by Courtney Tripp, DO 11:00-12:00 Transforaminal Epidural Steroid Injections by Jeff Meiners, DO 12:00-1:00 Lunch 1:00-2:00 Special Interventional Techniques Including Spinal Cord Stimulators by Brad Noble, DO 2:00-3:00 Algorithm for Treatment of Low Back Pain by Sean Kulkarni, DO 3:00-4:00 Medial Branch Blocks/Facets and Radiofrequency Rhizotomy by Carl Shapiro, DO 4:00-4:30 Radiation Safety by Daniel Baer, DO 4:30-5:00 Anatomical Landmarks by Daniel Baer, DO 5:00 Program Adjourns for the Day

Saturday, August 13 8:00-5:00 Cadaver Lab

Sunday, August 14 8:00-12:00 Cadaver Lab

8 CADAVER LAB ROTATING STATIONS Fluoro Guided Techniques I by Scott Naftulin, DO Cervical Transforaminal Epidurals, Cervical Discography, Stellate Ganglion Blocks

Fluoro Guided Techniques II by Carl Shapiro, DO Lumbar: Transforaminal, Interlaminar

Fluoro Guided Techniques III by Sean Kulkarni, DO Lumbar: Facet, Medial Branch Blocks, Rhizotomies

Fluoro Guided Techniques IV by Brian Kahan, DO Lumbar: Lumbar Discography and Sympathetic Blocks

Fluoro Guided Techniques V by Brad Noble, DO Lumbar: Spinal Cord Stimulator, Intrathecal Pump Placement and Sacroiliac Joint Injections

Non Fluoro Guided Techniques by Richard Goldberg, DO Peripheral Joint Injections

Ultrasound by John Bissill, MD and Jeanine Noble, PT, MS Ultrasound Guided Imaging of the Upper Extremity Joints

Anatomy Prosection by Walter Buck, PhD and Cindy Funk, PhD

Interventional Pain Management Course

We are pleased and proud to

announce that the

INTERVENTIONAL PAIN

MANAGEMENT COURSE

will be held this year in Denver, CO at

Rocky Mountain Vista University

College of Osteopathic Medicine. Plan

to join us from Friday, August 12 -

Sunday, August 14 in the beautiful

Denver area. Registration is open for

our member physicians, residents and

students.

Education Chair Dr. Richard Goldberg

has worked closely with Program Chair

Dr. Daniel Baer to bring you a new and

updated program this year. We’ll be

offering new lectures including

Radiology Spinal Anatomy and you’ll

see cadaver labs on both lumbar and

cervical techniques. As well we are

bringing back the musculoskeletal

ultrasound portion of the lab. We

have well-known interventionalists Dr.

Scott Naftulin and Dr. Brian Kahan as

well as Dr. Brad Noble and Dr. Sean

Kulkarni joining us as course faculty.

Among a whole host of techniques,

we’ll teach facet and medial branch

blocks, lumbar discography and

sympathetic blocks, cervical

transforaminal epidurals as well as

spinal cord stimulator and intrathecal

pump placement.

Click here to view the website for all

the details or click on the attachment

and open the registration brochure.

I’m happy to answer any questions or

provide additional details.

See you in Denver!

AOCPMR News | Summer 2011 Page 7

Call for Nominations Nominations are open for 2011-2012. Please nominate yourself or one of your peers by sending an email to Stephanie Wilson at stephanie.wilson@aocpmr.org with Nomination in the subject line. Open positions are as follows:

Vice President (1 Year Term)

Secretary-Treasurer (1 Year Term) Trustee (3 Year Term) Trustee (3 Year Term)

Resident Council President (1 Year Term)

The ballot will be posted online Thursday, September 1. Voting will take place in Orlando at the Murray Klein Memorial Member Dinner on Monday, October 31.

Volunteer To Lecture If you are interested in giving a lecture or have a great idea for a workshop that you would like to be involved in, please submit your idea via email and it will be passed to the Education Chair as well as the Meeting Chairperson as a potential idea for upcoming meetings. Many of you are aware of the high quality of speakers and teachers we have at our CME events and we are always looking for new ideas and faculty. As well, if you are interested in chairing a future meeting, raise your hand and volunteer for that as well. It’s a great way to get more involved and meet some really great people as well as have a little fun.

Send Us Your News! Send to AOCPMR Newsletter, P.O. Box 4, Phillipsburg, NJ 08865-0004 or email to stephanie.wilson@aocpmr.org

I would like to submit the following news: ________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Name: _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Phone: ______________________________________ Email Address: ____________________________________________________________________________

I hereby authorize AOCPMR to use this information and photograph for release in the newsletter and/or on the website.

Signature: ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Accommodations for the 2012 Mid Year Meeting Hotel Reservations Are Open at the Philadelphia Four Seasons Hotel

We’ve negotiated a deep discount at the Philadelphia Four Seasons Hotel in conjunction with our Mid Year Meeting next April 19-22, 2012 and

reserved a block of rooms just for you. You will incur not any charges by booking early and may cancel up to 24 hours in advance.

Please help us by making reservations now so we can plan space accordingly. Managing hotel rooms for a group of our size can be a tricky thing. Four Seasons Hotel, One Logan Square, Philadelphia, PA 19103

Please click here to reserve your room.

AOCPMR News | Summer 2011 Page 8

A Word from Resident Council President John M. Lavelle, DO

Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine What does this mean to our osteopathic physical medicine and rehabilitation residents? Do the values that A.T. Still founded our great profession on still reverberate within their minds as they are inundated with patients suffering from spinal cord injuries, traumatic brain injuries and back pain? Dr. Still’s principles are ideals the entire healthcare field appears to be trying to embrace. He believed that our body systems are interrelated and dependent upon one another to maintain health. Put simply, he believed in preventative medicine, which is a common buzzword all over the mainstream media today. He felt that by maintaining the body in its proper alignment, its function would improve and the body could maintain health. Structure and function are interrelated. He wanted physicians to consider the whole person, not just the area of pain or injury. This included the mind or brain. Today, pain management is realizing this as it is beginning to focus on how the brain plays a major function in chronic pain. The physiology of the brain changes in patients with chronic pain and affects patient’s perception of pain. Furthermore, Dr. Still taught that treating dysfunction in one area of the body could affect others. Now, we have the knowledge of neural pathway connections through interneurons allowing unrelated pathways to communicate leading to such entities as right shoulder pain due to cholecystitis and central sensitization. Dr. Still might have had it right when he advocated for treating the body, mind and spirit. He felt that by achieving harmony within all aspects of the body, health would be achieved or maintained. If these principles of Dr. Still’s Osteopathic medicine are becoming popularized within healthcare today, why are we not embracing this and providing the necessary education to our osteopathic residents? Many of the osteopathic residents I have encountered during my past eight months as president of the AOCPMR Resident Council have commented on the lack of osteopathic education during residency. They desire to implement the principles of osteopathy and the diagnostic and treatment techniques learned during their four years of osteopathic medical school training. However, many, without the availability of mentors and courses to continually educate them and enhance their understanding, do not maintain their osteopathic skills. This is where the AOCPMR Resident Council and the College as a whole can embrace this opportunity to fill a void in resident education. Providing residents with this osteopathic approach to physiatry and fostering their knowledge on how to become an osteopathic physiatrist would provide the value residents look for when deciding to commit their precious little free time outside the wards. This training of physiatric residents into truly osteopathic physiatrists would help fill a gap in their education and a gap in the current field of healthcare as these resident go on to practice and serve. John M. Lavelle, DO, Chief Resident Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Boston University Medical Center

John M. Lavelle, DO, PGYIII Boston University Medical Center

Welcome New Resident Members

Susannah Parke, DO Tima Le, DO Venus Azimi, DO

AOCPMR News | Summer 2011 Page 9

Abstract Submission Guidelines Overview The American Osteopathic College of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation (AOCPMR) is currently accepting abstract submissions for Scientific Display Posters for the 2012 AOCPMR Mid Year Meeting and Scientific Seminar, April 19-22, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Specifically, the scientific poster session will take place on Saturday, April 21, 2012. The scientific poster presentation provides a forum for researchers to discuss the objectives, methods, results and conclusions of a specific study with individuals in the field of PMR. Submission Policies and Procedures 1. Individuals submitting abstracts to the AOCPMR must be available, if selected, to discuss the poster display with interested participants at the AOCPMR Mid Year

Meeting Scientific Poster Session on April 21, 2012, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Individuals who are selected but are not present at their designated time in front

of their display will not be eligible for future participation in AOCPMR-sponsored scholarly activities.

2. All deadlines, requests for communication and correspondence must be adhered to in order to ensure inclusion in the session.

3. Primary responsibility for compliance with any disclosures or other requirements resides solely with researchers and/or research sponsors.

4. Three documents must be submitted:

a. Abstract Application (by email)

b. Abstract (by email)

c. Assignment of Copyright and Author Disclosure Form (by fax or scanned and emailed)

5. Submit the abstract as an email attachment (.docx preferred; .doc accepted)

a. Title the file “Submitting Author Last Name-Title,” e.g. Jones-RehabilitationofABC.docx

Abstract Content

1. The abstract must report original material that has not been published or presented elsewhere prior to the 2012 AOCPMR Mid Year Meeting.

2. No identifying author information and no mention of any location or institution within the abstract text.

3. Where human or animal subjects were involved, Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval must be obtained and noted.

4. Abstract text should be a minimum of 150 words with a maximum of 400 words. Tables and Figures may not be included in the abstract submission but may

be included in the scientific poster presentation.

5. Abbreviations (unless spelled out first), acronyms, footnotes and references may not be used in the abstract.

6. All abstracts submitted for research studies must be structured to summarize the research Objectives, Design, Results and Conclusions. The objectives

should contain the background and purpose of the study. The design section should explain key methods, procedures, interventions and any controls in the

study. This allows the reader to infer limitations of the data. Abstracts containing statements such as “data to be presented” or “the significance of the

findings will be discussed” are not acceptable. The conclusions should explain the meaning and importance of the results and perhaps state any new

question identified. Abstracts for Case Reports must be structured in the following four categories: Case Diagnosis, Case Description, Discussion and

Conclusions. Brief Reports and “Other” categories such as reviews or commentaries must be submitted in a single paragraph traditional format.

Review Process

1. Abstracts will be blindly reviewed and rated by a committee of physiatrists, researchers and educators. Ratings will be separately tallied. From those

submitted abstracts meeting appropriate research standards and all AOCPMR policies and procedures for submission, abstracts will be accepted for poster

presentation at the AOCPMR Mid Year Meeting.

2. The criteria for reviewing abstracts include: scientific merit, relevance, originality and clarity.

3. Abstract decision letters will be sent via email to the submitting author.

Publication The abstract will be considered for publication on the official website of the American Osteopathic College of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. Abstracts not

accepted for presentation will not be published, will not be disclosed outside of AOCPMR and persons associated with the selection process. Authors should

proofread abstracts carefully to avoid errors before they are submitted. Editors make needed typographical changes to the abstract.

Deadlines/Timeline

1. September 15, 2011, 4pm EDT

a. Abstracts, Abstract Application, and Copyright/Disclosure from Due

2. October 1, 2011, 4pm EDT

a. AOCPMR will notify primary authors of acceptance/non-acceptance

3. December 1, 2011, 4pm, EDT

a. Accepted authors, if necessary, must submit edits/updates to their abstract, which will be published on the AOCPMR website

4. April 21, 2012: Scientific Poster Session

a. All presenters must arrive, register and set-up their posters as instructed