OMED Research Abstracts & Poster Presentations

Research track

Research opportunities abound at OMED

The OMED Research Poster Presentations features an informative poster session/competition

Call for OMED 2026 research abstracts

The American Osteopathic Association (AOA) Research Abstract & Student Poster Competition and the Bureau of International Osteopathic Medicine (BIOM) Abstract Competition are a single, combined competition.

The AOA’s virtual poster session and competition offer researchers, both new and experienced, the opportunity to share their work with a broad audience. As part of the competition, BIOM provides an opportunity for osteopathic medical students to share their research experiences as they relate specifically to healthcare internationally.

The virtual Poster Session is integral to the Osteopathic Medical Education Conference (OMED) experience. Investigators interested in participating will submit an abstract of their research project. Approved abstracts are published online in the Journal of Osteopathic Medicine (JOM).

The non-international and international virtual Poster Sessions will include a student poster competition. Students must enter the competition when they submit their abstracts.

Abstract submissions will open on March 15, 2026.
The deadline for submissions is June 15, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. CT.

Please note that the AOA does not accept literature reviews, policy analyses, case studies, or narrative medicine essays as described below:

Case studies that generalize results without supporting data, focusing on specific cases like individual patients or ailments.
Literature reviews that do not involve new data collection, hypothesis testing or data analysis. Instead, they provide an objective evaluation of existing ideas to understand the current state of knowledge on a particular topic.
Policy analyses that summarize existing and/or proposed policies and aim to inform and influence the policymaking process by communicating with policymakers, stakeholders and the public.
Narrative medicine essays, which combine medical practice with personal narratives and reflections, focusing on the human experience in health care but without the empirical research or analysis typically required for scientific studies.

Research abstract eligibility requirements:

Research abstracts (non-international) must be authored by:
- At least one osteopathic physician or faculty member from a college of osteopathic medicine that is accredited by the AOA Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation (COCA), or
- A student at a college of osteopathic medicine that is accredited by the AOA Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation, or
- Individuals in other areas of scientific or public health research.
Research abstracts (non-international) must be submitted through a medical organization or other AOA-recognized organization.
Research abstracts for the student poster competition must be submitted through a college of osteopathic medicine accredited by COCA.
International research abstracts must be authored by a student at a college of osteopathic medicine that is accredited by the COCA, and approved by an appropriate faculty/staff member at the author’s school.

Research abstract submission requirements:

The PI must fulfill the requirements listed under the research abstract eligibility requirement above.
If the PI is a student participating in the student competition, or the international competition, the PI must affirm their intent to participate in the student poster competition (if their abstract is accepted) at the time their abstract is submitted.
The PI must submit a research abstract by the due date.
The PI must submit a signed copyright form by the due date.
The PI must submit all required documents under the research abstract submission instructions.

Thank you to the following groups for their generous co-sponsorship of the international research abstract competition:

Student Osteopathic Medical Association

Council of Osteopathic
Student Government Presidents

DOCARE International