Abstract submissions have closed

Call for Abstracts has closed. Authors whose abstract(s) was accepted please read the Presenter Information for further details. In addition, authors will be sent their presentation guidelines to assist in the preparation of their presentation(s) in future correspondence.

Please note, all authors should have received notification regarding the status of their abstract. If you have not yet received notification, please do not hesitate to contact wonca2008@meetingplanners.com.au

The Conference Organising Committee thanks you for your involvement and looks forward to working with you to ensure this is an outstanding program for everyone attending. The program is currently under development and a preliminary program will be available early August 2008.

Should you have any concerns, please contact The Meeting Planners on telephone +61 3 9417 0888, fax +61 3 9417 0899 or email wonca2008@meetingplanners.com.au

Key Dates, Introduction, Themes, General Guidelines, Aboriginal people and Torres Strait Islanders Abstracts, Process, Confirmation of Acceptance, What Happens Next, Disclaimer, Submit an Abstract, Contact

Key dates

Introduction

The Scientific Program Committee will be inviting submissions for the following:

•  Workshops (1 hour duration)
•  Short Papers (approximately 15 minutes duration)
•  Mini Orals (5 minutes duration)
•  Posters

to be presented at the WONCA Asia Pacific Regional Conference

* Please note the presentation duration times are subject to change

Themes

The major theme of the Conference is ‘A celebration of diversity' . This indicates that general practice undertakes a wide range of activities to support communities in different settings and countries.

Within this context, sub-themes have been arranged as follows:

1.  Health service issues

•  Service delivery
•  Health care systems
•  Change management
•  Special interest groups
•  Medical workforce including the migration of doctors
•  Divisions of general practice and other professional bodies
•  Other

2.  Clinical care

•  Women's health
•  Men's health
•  Child health
•  Non-communicable diseases
•  Aged care
•  Complex care
•  Mental health
•  Complementary medicine
•  HIV, TB, malaria and other communicable diseases
•  Other

3.  Social and cultural contexts

•  The doctor-patient relationship
•  Patient expectations
•  Ethical and medicolegal issues
•  Social determinants of health
•  Other

4.  Education

•  Undergraduate
•  GP training
•  Continuing professional development
•  Other

5.  Research

•  Clinical
•  Health service
•  Methodology
•  Capacity building
•  Other

6.  Primary health care in challenging environments

•  Delivering primary health care in developing countries
•  GPs supporting health needs in developing communities
•  Indigenous health, including Aboriginal people and Torres Strait Islanders health
•  Disadvantaged populations
•  Refugee and migrant health
•  Equity and access to care
•  Other

The RACGP Alan Chancellor Award 2008

The Alan Chancellor Award is presented each year to the general practitioner considered to be the best first time presenter of a research paper at the RACGP Annual Scientific Convention. The prize is $500 and an engraved medallion and is given in memory of Dr Alan Chancellor, a founding member of the college National Research and Evaluation Ethics Committee.

Upon submitting your abstract via the online submission system, please indicate if you are applying for this award in the tick box provided.

To apply for the Alan Chancellor award and other awards offered by the RACGP Research Foundation visit www.racgp.org.au/researchfoundation or contact the Research and Grants Program Administrator, Samantha Fernandes via email research@racgp.org.au or phone 03 8699 0496.


The RACGP and National Asthma Council Research Award 2008

The RACGP and National Asthma Council (NAC) Research Award is presented each year to the best presenter of an asthma related paper at the RACGP Annual Scientific Convention. The award is to the value of $500 and is presented at the closing ceremony.

Upon submitting your abstract via the online submission system, please indicate if you are applying for this award in the tick box provided.

To apply for the RACGP and NAC Research Award and other awards offered by the RACGP Research Foundation visit www.racgp.org.au/researchfoundation or contact the Research and Grants Program Administrator, Samantha Fernandes via email research@racgp.org.au or phone 03 8699 0496.

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NICS Evidence into Action Prize

The National Institute of Clinical Studies (NICS) will award a $1000 prize for the paper or poster that best demonstrates improving health care by closing an identified gap between the available evidence and clinical practice, within Australian health care settings.

Your paper or poster should address:

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General guidelines

•  Abstracts received after the closing date will not be accepted
• An abstract which does not adhere to the regulations is unlikely to be accepted
•  Responsibility for the accuracy of abstracts rests with the author
•  Authors of successful abstracts need to be registered for the Conference
•  Where there are co-authors, only one abstract is to be submitted. The presenting author is responsible for ensuring the co-authors agree with and are aware of the content before submitting the abstract
•  Abstracts accepted will be printed in the abstract book in their initial submission form. Please ensure your abstract is suitable for publication to be distributed at the Conference
•  You will receive notification of your abstract results via email. If you have not received notification of your abstract results by 11 July 2008, please contact The Meeting Planners at wonca2008@meetingplanners.com.au. You will also be notified of day and time of your presentation by email no later than 2 weeks prior to the commencement of the Conference

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Aboriginal people and Torres Strait Islanders abstracts

Abstracts of presentations that include reference to Aboriginal people and Torres Strait Islanders health should be endorsed by a representative community organisation and preferably co-presented with a representative of that organisation.

Abstracts of presentations that include reference to Aboriginal people and Torres Strait Islanders health will be refereed by invited Aboriginal people and Torres Strait Islanders experts in addition to the usual refereeing process. This process is intended to prioritise presentations by Aboriginal people and Torres Strait Islanders researchers and to ensure that only research that conforms to the relevant ethical standards is presented.

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Process

All abstracts will go through the following process:

1.  All abstracts will be reviewed by a panel which is made up of members of the Scientific Program Committee. The Committee retain the right to accept the abstract in a different type of presentation (eg short paper as a poster)

2.  Acceptance of an abstract will be based on relative merit and the degree to which the abstract meets the aims of the program

3.  The criteria for evaluating abstracts includes, but is not limited, to the following:

•  Interest to an international audience
•  Relative merit
•  Contribution to the themes of the Conference
•  Clarity of abstract

4.  Authors will be notified of their abstract results by 11 July 2008

5.  All accepted abstracts will be published in the Conference proceedings

6.  Presenters must be registered for the Conference when confirming their acceptance

7.  The acceptance of an abstract does not imply funding by the Conference organisers

To be kept informed of program developments please register your expression of interest here.

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Confirmation of Acceptance

We require confirmation of your acceptance of this speaking offer and that you register and pay to attend the conference. (Payment of registration is a condition of presenting at the conference). Please register on the website to obtain the early bird rate available to speakers. Early Bird registration closes 6 August 2008 .

As you can appreciate we have received more abstracts than our program can incorporate, and as such any speakers who have not paid their Conference registration by 6 August 2008 may be withdrawn from the program.

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What happens next

1.  You will receive notification of your abstract results via email

2. If you have not received notification of your abstract results by the due date, please contact the Conference Managers, The Meeting Planners at wonca2008@meetingplanners.com.au

3. If successful, you will be required to confirm your acceptance of the invitation, confirm the name of the presenter and register the presenter to attend the Conference

4. Further instructions on presentation requirements will be provided in the invitation letter and in additional correspondence

5. Instructions for the preparation of workshops, short papers, mini oral presentations and posters will be sent in future correspondence.

(Please note: All correspondence will be forwarded by email to one contact only, preferably the presenter. Unless otherwise notified, the Conference office will assume that the name the submission was uploaded under is the name of the presenter.)

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Disclaimer

The invitation to submit an abstract does not constitute an offer to pay travel, accommodation or registration costs associated with the Conference. Similarly, no speakers' fee is paid to successful applicants.

By submitting this abstract you confirm that it has not been published or presented at an international meeting. You also grant the Organising Committee permission to publish the proposal and paper in the Conference proceedings in hard copy and electronic format.

If you do not wish to do this but still wish to submit please contact The Meeting Planners to discuss. The Organising Committee's decision on acceptance of the abstract will be final.

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Contact

For further information, please contact the Conference Organisers:
The Meeting Planners
Tel: +61 3 9417 0888
Fax: +61 3 9417 0899
Email: wonca2008@meetingplanners.com.au

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