We invite you to submit an abstract to be considered for presentation or a clinical grand round for the upcoming 2023 ASM. 

For further information, please see below or the Guidelines & Conditions for submitting and rules on encore paper.  Abstracts are limited to 300 words.

The abstracts will be published in a special issue of the IMJ. Abstracts can be submitted under the following themes, but are not limited to the list:

• Connective Tissue Disease

• Crystal Diseases

• Fibromyalgia + soft tissue musculoskeletal disorders

• Medications

• Models of Care

• OA

• Osteoporosis

• RA

• SpA

• Therapeutics (medications, adherence)

Guidelines for Online Submission and Conditions

The submitting author needs to create an account and then enter their contact details.  Enter your email address and remember your password as this will be the same submission process to enter your registration.

Step 1: Create New Account

You will be asked for:

Email Address and a Password and ENTER create new account.

NB Once these details have been logged into the system you can upload multiple abstract drafts and/or clinical grand round case presentations.

ABSTRACT SUBMISSION

This page will take you through the process of submitting your abstract. 

• Each of the tabs on the left hand side of the page will bring up a step in the submission process that needs to be completed. If you see a X against an orange step, it means it is yet to be completed.

• At any time in the process you can click the Save As Draft button to save your incomplete submission and return to it at a later time.

• The Review section will give you an overview of the sections that are still required to be completed before you can submit your abstract.

• Once all required sections have been completed, you can submit your abstract here.

Step 2: Abstract Title and Presentation Type

Enter Abstract title in Title Case (not upper case) – Word limit: 50.

Select your Presentation Type:

·       Oral or Poster
·       Poster only

Enter Continue (or Save As Draft)

Step 3: Themes and Category

Select one them:

·       Basic Science
·       Clinical
·       Nursing/Allied Health (RHP)
·       New Investigator - Clinical
·       New Investigator - Basic Science
·       New Investigator - RHP
·       Paediatric

Choose one category only:

• Connective Tissue Disease

• Crystal Diseases

• Fibromyalgia + soft tissue musculoskeletal disorders

• Medications

• Models of Care

• OA

• Osteoporosis

• Other

• RA

• SpA

• Therapeutics (medications, adherence)

Enter Continue (or Save As Draft)

Step 4: Authors

Enter all author affiliations initially and then add the authors and select the appropriate affiliation - e.g. Department of Rheumatology, University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

You can add multiple authors.

Enter Continue (or Save As Draft)

Step 5: Abstract Upload

Your abstract must be in the format of:
• AIMS
• METHODS
• RESULTS
• CONCLUSION

CONDITIONS
* Please note that figures and tables are not to be included.
* Abstract word count is strictly 300 words across all sections (excluding Abstract Title). Abstracts over this count will not be accepted.

Rules on Encore Papers
Please note encore papers can be submitted on the understanding that an Australian or New Zealand investigator will be registered to attend the meeting to present the abstract/poster.  Only the authors listed on the abstract will be allowed to present. The abstract will be withdrawn by the Programme Committee if this is not the case.  Encore papers will be considered as posters only. You will be asked to acknowledge this further on in the submission process.

Enter Continue (or Save As Draft)

Step 6: Additional Information

Tick yes or no to the following:

New Investigator Prize – Rheumatology trainee, PhD student, rheumatologist, nurse or allied health professional within 5 years of finishing training or scientist within 2 years of finishing PhD.

Travel Award – (5 ARA and 2 RHPSIG) Open to ARA Members or RHPSIG Members who are a rheumatology trainee, PhD student, nurse, medical student or allied health professional from interstate who has an abstract accepted for presentation.

Christina Boros Paediatric Research Award – This award recognises the outstanding contribution to research by individual ARA Member in the area of Paediatric Rheumatology Research.
The award will be offered to an individual each year for the best Paediatric Research Presentation at the ARA ASM. The marking scheme will favour trainees, allied health, nursing and early career researchers. The award will be given for a body of productive research and selection will be based on the quality of the science and its impact. Research should be conducted, at least in part, in Australia and the researcher should be based primarily at an Australian Institution. This can only be awarded once to an individual.
Value: $1,000 plus certificate
Funding Source: Australian Rheumatology Association
Awarded: Annual
Eligibility: Financial members of the ARA who undertake paediatric research.
Selection Process: This award will be presented to the best Paediatric Research Presentation at the ARA ASM. The marking scheme will favour trainees, allied health, nursing and early career researchers.

Encore Paper – Rules on Encore Papers
Please note encore papers can be submitted on the understanding that an Australian or New Zealand investigator will be registered to attend the meeting to present the abstract/poster.  Only the authors listed on the abstract will be allowed to present. The abstract will be withdrawn by the Programme Committee if this is not the case. Encore papers will be considered for posters only. Please tick yes if applicable.

APLAR - See outline below.

Rheumatology Health Professionals Special Interest Group (RHPSIG) Conference Awards - The RHPSIG aims to facilitate the submission of high quality abstracts by RHPs on clinical practice related themes.
Prizes: Emma Pettet prize for best oral presentation: $3000; Margaret Lewington Prize for the best RHPSIG Poster Presentation: 2 x $500
Eligibility: To be considered for an RHPSIG award, you must either be a member of the RHPSIG, or be eligible for membership (i.e. have a nurse, allied health or educator background) AND the abstract theme should be related to clinical practice. This may include: clinical trials, translation of evidence into practice, multi-disciplinary care, surveys/ audits and case studies.
Not eligible: This award is not open to Medical practitioners; basic science themes or pharmacological trials.

CONFLICT OF INTEREST
Nominate whether there is a real or perceived conflict of interest with the abstract. If so, nominate reason.

1.     a significant financial interest in a product to be discussed directly or indirectly during the presentation,
2.     being or having been an employee of a company with such a financial interest,
3.    having had substantial research support provided by an industry to support the product to be discussed at the presentation
4.     other –

Enter Continue (or Save As Draft)

Step 7: Review

Enter Continue (or Save As Draft) OR SUBMIT

Submissions close - Midnight Sunday 12th February 2023

The submitting author needs to create an account and then enter their contact details.  Enter your email address and remember your password as this will be the same submission process to enter your registration.

Step 1: Create New Account

You will be asked for:

Email Address and a Password and ENTER create new account.

NB Once these details have been logged into the system you can upload multiple abstract drafts and/or clinical grand round case presentations.

CLINICAL GROUND ROUNDS

Submit a case synopsis 250-500 words for a Grand Rounds. The synopsis should be a brief summary of the clinical case written in the abstract form. The deadline for this is Midnight Sunday 12th March 2023 (after the submission date).

Deadline is Midnight Sunday 12th March 2023.