2019 Call for Papers

Improve Patient Care * Gain International Recognition * Advance your Career

AOPA and the California Orthotics and Prosthetics Association are seeking high‐quality educational and research content for the 2019 National Assembly, September 25-28 in San Diego, CA.  All submissions are due March 25, 2019.

Your submissions will set the stage for a broad curriculum of high-value clinical and scientific offerings at the National Assembly. All free paper abstracts must be submitted electronically. Abstracts submitted by e‐mail or fax will not be considered. All abstracts will be considered for both podium and poster presentations. The review committee will grade each submission via a blind review process, based on the criteria below and reach a decision regarding acceptance of abstracts.

  • Relevance, level of interest in topic
  • Quality of Scientific Content
  • Quality of Clinical Content
  • Quality of Technical Content

CLINICAL FREE PAPERS – Health care professionals with an interest in Orthotics, Prosthetics, Pedorthics and related fields wishing to present a Free Paper should should use this form. A model abstract has been provided with additional information here.

The top scoring papers will compete for the prestigious Thranhardt Award. Topics of interest include but are not limited to the following:

  • Total muscle innervation
  • Additive manufacturing
  • User driven design
  • Bio-sensors
  • Powered joints (O&P Applications)
  • Socket designs and socket issues
  • Public Health topics related to O&P
  • Knee Osteoarthritis
  • Wearables
  • Osseointegration
  • Spinal / low back pain
  • Stroke management
  • Pediatric O&P
  • Scoliosis
  • Evidence-based practice

SYMPOSIA/INSTRUCTIONAL COURSE  Symposia are presentations of related research addressing specific topic or controversies in orthotics and prosthetics or related fields. These symposia should bring together the world’s leading experts and researchers to present current evidence on the subject. The specific format will be determined by the symposia chairperson and when appropriate, may present differing points of view on a topic. Instructional Courses are designed to provide a more in-depth overview of a topic and should employ recognized subject matter experts to disseminate techniques, processes or concepts related to treatment of a specific area of practice that are generally accepted as state of the art or current best practice.

TECHNICIAN PROGRAM The technical program’s topics of interest include, but are not limited to the following:

  • CAD and/or CAM applications
  • The role of the technician in the CAD CAM environment
  • The role of the technician in the Additive Manufacturing environment
  • New and Cutting edge fabrication techniques and processes
  • Working with Pre-Preg materials
  • 3-D Printing

BUSINESS EDUCATION PROGRAM – Are you a seasoned business professional with significant experience in managing an orthotics and prosthetics patient care or manufacturing business?  Share your successes at the National Assembly and compete for the prestigious Sam E. Hamontree Business Education Award. The winner of the Hamontree award will take home $1,000.

The Scientific Program will have the following session formats:

Symposium: Symposia are presentations of related research addressing specific topic or controversies in orthotics and prosthetics or related fields. These symposia should bring together the world’s leading experts and researchers to present current evidence on the subject. The specific format will be determined by the symposia chairperson and when appropriate, may present differing points of view on a topic.

Instructional Course: Instructional Courses are designed to provide a more in-depth overview of a topic and should employ recognized subject matter experts to disseminate techniques, processes or concepts related to treatment of a specific area of practice that are generally accepted as state of the art or current best practice.

Free Paper: A free paper is intended to allow clinicians, scientists and researchers to communicate the results of their work including but not limited to the description of a technique, case study, case series, clinical trial, systematic review, or experiment and is delivered as a podium presentation during the congress. All abstracts will be considered for both podium and poster presentations. The review committee will grade each submission via a blind review process that considers, relevance and level of interest in topic; quality of scientific content and quality of clinical content.

Posters: A poster is intended to allow clinicians, scientists and researchers to communicate the results of their work including but not limited to the description of a technique, case study, case series, clinical trial, systematic reviewed and scored by a review committee that considers relevance, level of interest in topic; quality review, or experiment and is delivered as a poster presentation during the congress. All abstracts will be considered for both podium and poster presentations. The review committee will grade each submission via a blind review process that considers, relevance and level of interest in topic; quality of scientific content and quality of clinical content.

Contact AOPA Headquarters at 571/431-0876 or rgleeson@AOPAnet.org with questions about the submission process or the National Assembly in general.