AACOM Educating Leaders 27, Philadelphia, PA, April 14-16

Poster Guidelines

Important Poster Deadlines

January 28, 2027

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

March 10, 2027

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

March 31, 2027

  • All other digital posters must be uploaded.
Collage of photos from the 2026 poster session

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:

Professional Research Poster Award 

  • Monetary Award: $250, $500 or $1,000
    Presented to an individual whose research poster demonstrates exceptional scholarly quality, methodological rigor, and relevance to osteopathic medical education. This category is open to all non-student presenters.

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 research poster presentations, this award recognizes work that explicitly integrates one or more of the osteopathic tenets into the research question, design, interpretation, or implications. Eligible submissions must clearly demonstrate how the selected osteopathic tenet(s) are central to the study rather than simply relevant to the topic.

    This award is open to both professional and student presenters. Following abstract acceptance, eligible presenters who opt in for award consideration will receive additional instructions, including the requirement to submit a brief audio recording describing how their research aligns with the selected osteopathic tenet(s).

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

Eligibility 

Only abstracts submitted and accepted as Research posters are eligible for research poster awards. Programmatic Innovation posters are not eligible.

Eligible posters must demonstrate the hallmarks of strong educational research, including:

  • A clearly defined research question or hypothesis
  • A foundation in established theory, prior literature, or conceptual framework
  • An appropriate study design and methodolgy
  • Analysis and interpretation of findings that contribute to the broader understanding of osteopathic medical education

Preliminary research may be submitted and considered for awards recognition if the poster clearly identifies the findings as preliminary, discusses relevant limitations, and explains the anticipated contribution of the completed study.

Evaluation Process 

Research posters that opt in for award consideration are evaluated by a panel of reviewers with expertise in osteopathic medical education and educational scholarship. The review is based solely on the submitted digital poster. Reviewers do not interview presenters or evaluate live poster presentations as part of the award process.

Posters are evaluated using a standardized scoring rubric that assesses the quality, rigor, significance, and clarity of the research, as well as its relevance to osteopathic medical education

Recognition 

Award recipients are recognized by AACOM for their outstanding scholarly contributions to osteopathic medical education. In addition to receiving a monetary award, recipients are featured through AACOM communications, including the conference, website, email announcements, and social media

About the Poster Halls

Group of people at the Poster Session Sip-n-Stroll

Poster Session: Sip-n-Stroll

The 60-minute poster session—also known as the Sip-n-Stroll—will take place on Thursday, April 15. 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 09:00 AM on Thursday and must be removed by 6:30 PM that evening.

Poster Display Requirements

  • Accepted poster presenters are responsible for displaying a printed poster during the assigned poster session at Educating Leaders. In addition, all presenters must upload a digital PDF of their poster by the published deadline for inclusion in the conference Poster Hub
  • 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 Display Size

Each poster board accommodates two posters. To ensure your poster fits within the allotted display space, AACOM recommends the following:

  • Recommended size: 48" high x 36" wide (portrait orientation)
  • Smaller posters are also acceptable, provided they fit within the allotted display space. Common sizes include 24" × 36" (portrait) and 36" × 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: