AACOM Educating Leaders '26, Las Vegas, NV, April 22-24

Poster Guidelines

Important Poster Deadlines

 

January 28, 2026:

  • All posters being considered for research awards must have had their primary presenter opt in during the speaker agreement process. 

March 25, 2026:

  • Digital posters and audio files for those who opted into a research poster competition must be uploaded.

April 8, 2026:

  • All other digital posters must be uploaded.
Collage of conference attendees viewing posters and speaking with poster presenters.

AACOM Research Poster Awards

Public acknowledgement during and after the conference; Featured on AACOM's website; Recognition across social media channels

Each year, we recognize excellence in research through poster awards presented at Educating Leaders, the AACOM Annual Conference. These awards celebrate rigorous educational research that advances the osteopathic medical education community by contributing new knowledge, strengthening teaching and learning and improving outcomes.

Award Categories 

AACOM offers three distinct poster awards to recognize excellence in educational research:

Faculty Research Poster Award 

  • Monetary Award: $250, $500 or $1,000
    Presented to a faculty member whose research poster demonstrates exceptional quality, scholarly rigor, and relevance to osteopathic medical education.

Student Research Poster Award 

  • Monetary Award: $250, $500 or $1,000
    Presented to a medical student whose research poster demonstrates scholarly rigor and the potential to inform medical education or clinical training. 

President’s Award for Osteopathic Tenets in Research 

  • Monetary Award: $1,000 or $2,000
    AACOM’s highest honor for poster submissions, this award recognizes research that explicitly integrates one or more of the osteopathic tenets into its inquiry and impact. Eligible posters must go beyond general relevance to demonstrate how a specific tenet is central to the research design, interpretation, or outcome.

    This award is open to both faculty and student presenters. Final submissions must include a clear statement of the applicable osteopathic tenet and an audio recording highlighting how the research aligns with that tenet. 

More guidance is provided at the time of opt-in following abstract acceptance.

Eligibility 

To be considered for a poster award, your submission must be categorized as a Research abstract during the call for abstracts. Eligible posters must demonstrate the hallmarks of strong educational research, including: 

  • A clearly defined research question 
  • A foundation in established theory or prior literature 
  • A robust study design and appropriate statistical methods 
  • Generalizable findings and critical interpretation 

Preliminary research may be submitted and considered for awards, provided that the poster clearly identifies the data as preliminary and discusses its limitations appropriately. 

To complete eligibility, the abstract must be accepted into the Research poster category and the submitter must opt in for award consideration during the acceptance confirmation process. 

Evaluation Process 

Posters are evaluated electronically prior to the conference based on the materials submitted. This includes the final uploaded poster and a brief audio recording from the presenter summarizing the work. A standardized rubric is used to assess research rigor and study design, clarity of presentation and visual organization, appropriateness of statistical analysis, integration of relevant literature, and alignment between findings and conclusions. 

Recognition 

Poster award winners are recognized by AACOM through a combination of digital and promotional channels. Winning posters are highlighted on AACOM’s website, featured in email announcements, and promoted via social media. In addition to increased visibility within the osteopathic medical education community, recipients also receive monetary awards in celebration of their scholarly contributions. 

About the Poster Halls

Attendees viewing research posters and discussing them.

Poster Session: Sip-n-Stroll

The 60-minute poster session—also known as the Sip-n-Stroll—will take place on Thursday, April 23. During this time, attendees can browse posters, engage with presenters and enjoy light refreshments. 

  • All poster presenters must be registered for the conference for their work to appear in the program and be displayed.
  • At least one presenter must be present at the poster during the Sip-n-Stroll
  • Posters may be hung beginning at 11:00 AM on Thursday and must be removed by 6:30 PM that evening.

Poster Display Requirements

  • All posters must be displayed in the conference poster hall in Las Vegas. In addition, a digital version of each poster must be uploaded to the portal.
  • Poster Competition submissions must include both a digital poster and an audio file (recordings can be created directly in the portal).
  • Only the person listed as the Primary Presenter has access to upload poster materials.

Why Upload a Digital Poster?

Digital posters will be available to all registered attendees through the conference portal and app, allowing them to view your work at their convenience—before, during, and after the event. This significantly increases the visibility and impact of your research beyond the in-person session.

Poster Size Guidelines

Each display board will accommodate two posters per side.
To ensure your poster fits properly without overlapping your neighbor’s:

  • Recommended size: 48 inches high x 36 inches wide (portrait orientation)
  • Smaller sizes are also acceptable, such as 24" x 36" (portrait or landscape) or 36" x 24" (landscape)

Poster dimensions 48

Poster Design Guidelines

Your poster should clearly communicate your work through simple, compelling visuals and concise text. It should stand on its own without needing verbal explanation.

General Tips

  • Keep your layout clean and easy to follow.
  • Use color to highlight key elements—but don’t overdo it.
  • Include short captions and labels that are easy to read.
  • Include relevant data or evidence—even for programmatic posters. Use charts, graphs, or visual metrics to help convey your impact.
  • Use high-resolution charts, illustrations, or drawings—make sure they’re large enough to be seen from a distance

Typography

  • Body text: Use a font size that’s at least 1/4" high
  • Headings/Subheadings: Use bold type that’s at least 3/4" high
  • Keep text blocks short and use bullet points where possible.

Content Placement

  • Place the title, author(s), and institution(s) at the top of your poster. You are encouraged to include the names of all contributing authors, even if they are not registered for the conference. Only registered presenters will be listed in the official program.
  • Include figure legends and brief explanatory text, but keep them minimal.

Explore Better Poster Design Strategies

Looking to elevate the impact of your poster? These brief, expert-recommended videos offer practical guidance on improving clarity, visual appeal, and audience engagement. Whether you're a first-time presenter or a seasoned academic, these resources can help you rethink your design approach: