All In! The Vegas Pitch Showdown

Bring Your Boldest Idea to the Table

Get ready to ante up and showcase your most innovative ideas in osteopathic medical education! The All In! Vegas Pitch Showdown is your chance to shine on the mainstage at Educating Leaders 2026, the AACOM Annual Conference, taking place on Friday, April 24, 2026, at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas.

We’re calling on faculty, administrators, students and collaborators to pitch creative, practical solutions that advance osteopathic medical education (OME) through creativity, collaboration and compassion. Four finalists will face off live before our “celebrity” judges—and the winner will walk away with a $30,000 grant to bring their vision to life.

Purpose

To identify and elevate bold, practical innovations that advance OME, spotlighting programs that embody AACOM’s mission to lead and advocate for the OME community and promote excellence in education, research and service.

This program supports AACOM’s vision to improve the health of all people through education, research and community engagement, and advances our strategic priorities by:

• Promoting innovation in OME 
• Strengthening collaboration and shared learning across COMs  

What We’re Looking For

All innovations are welcome, but we especially encourage submissions demonstrating excellence or novel approaches in:

• Food As Medicine: Integrating nutrition education into osteopathic curricula and clinical practice. 
• Compassionate Communities: Building humanistic, community-centered approaches to medical education and care delivery. 

Multi-COM collaborations and cross-disciplinary initiatives will receive special recognition.

Program Overview

Through the Ante Up! submission process, participants share concise written or video proposals ahead of Educating Leaders 2026. Submissions will be reviewed, themed and discussed during interactive breakout “first-round” sessions, where attendees help select the top projects to advance to the All In! The Vegas Pitch Showdown on the mainstage at Caesars Palace.

Awards & Recognition

• $30,000 Grant – Awarded to the overall winner 
• $5,000 Grant – Awarded to the three runner-ups
• All submissions will be recognized in conference materials and in AACOM communications  

Timeline

November 1–December 15: Call for Ideas (Ante Up!)
Submit your innovative idea as either:

• A one-page summary (≤500 words), or 
• A 90-second “Ante Up!” video pitch

December 16–January 31: Screening and Categorization
AACOM reviews submissions for clarity and organizes them into breakout themes such as:

• Learner Well-Being and Belonging 
• Compassionate Communities 
• Technology, AI and Future-Ready Education 
• Food As Medicine 

February 1–28: Prep and Pitch Clinic
Facilitators and participants receive digital briefing packets and participate in a virtual Pitch Clinic to refine their presentations and visuals before the big event.

April 24, 2026: The Main Event
Round 1: Ante Up! Breakout Sessions
Pitch your idea in 3 minutes with a 2-minute Q&A. Attendees vote live to select one finalist from each breakout room. 

Final Round: All In! The Vegas Pitch Showdown
Finalists take the mainstage to present their ideas before the “High Roller” judges and audience. Judges and attendees vote to determine who takes home the top prize.

Questions about
Educating Leaders?