Abstracts/Posters

Dear Colleague:

We cordially invite you to submit an abstract for consideration of an oral or poster presentation at the 56^th American College of Mohs Surgery Annual Meeting in Phoenix, Arizona taking place May 2-5 at the Sheraton Phoenix Downtown.

The Scientific Program Committee is continuing the ‘Rapid Pearl Abstract Session’ with three submission categories: Oncology/Reconstruction Pearls, Pathology Pearls, & Practice Management Pearls, to broaden abstract submission opportunities with the goals of involving more members in the Annual Meeting and encouraging the highest quality of presentations. To learn more about the abstract opportunities, please see the details in the Call for Abstracts. 

The 2024 Annual Meeting will include three categories of abstracts:

1. Scientific Abstracts: original research that addresses the most urgent needs of our patients and the ACMS. Scientific abstracts with a primary author who is a Fellow-in-Training or who is in their first year of practice after completing an accredited fellowship in Micrographic Surgery & Dermatologic Oncology will be eligible for the Tromovitch Award Competition.

2. Clinical Abstracts: original research that addresses a clinical practice gap or challenge.

3. Rapid Pearl Abstracts: four-minute anecdotal pearls in the categories of Oncology/Reconstruction Pearls, Pathology Pearls, & Practice Management Pearls.  Accepted Rapid Pearl presentations will be made available in PDF handout format, with the exception of video files, in the Annual Meeting mobile app.

The abstract submission period is closed.
The deadline for abstract submissions was 11:59 pm PST on Monday, January 8, 2024.

In addition to abstract submissions, Fellows-in-Training are invited to submit a case for the Clinicopathologic Case Competition. Fellows-in-Training may submit clinicopathologic slides and photographs of Mohs cases that have uncommon or rare pathology or that illustrate prototypical diagnostic challenges and keys to diagnosis or tumor detection. Submissions must be received at the ACMS office by Thursday, February 8, 2024.

 

Your participation is crucial to ensure the continued success of our specialty’s premier meeting. Please encourage Fellows-in-Training to submit an abstract for the Tromovitch Award and/or a case for the Clinicopathologic Case Competition.

If you have questions about the proposed abstract or the submission process, please contact us at info@mohscollege.org.

We look forward to your contribution and hope to see you in Phoenix!

Todd E. Holmes, MD, FACMS 2024 Scientific Program Chair	Sumaira Z. Aasi, MD, FACMS ACMS President, 2023-24

---

CALL FOR SCIENTIFIC ABSTRACTS & CLINICAL ABSTRACTS:

The Scientific Program Committee will give special consideration to original research that addresses the most urgent needs of our patients and the ACMS, including the following:

• Outcome and quality metrics in the field of cutaneous oncology
• Cost-effectiveness research on Mohs and reconstructive surgery
• Patient-reported outcomes
• Novel reconstruction techniques, particularly involving case series (single case reports are discouraged)
• Outcome and quality measures for frozen section slide procedures and pathologic interpretation

REVIEW PROCESS FOR SCIENTIFIC ABSTRACTS & CLINICAL ABSTRACTS:

1. Members of the Scientific Program Committee and invited reviewers selected from the ACMS membership independently review each abstract.
2. To ensure fairness, reviewers are blinded to the author(s) and institution(s) of each abstract.
3. Each reviewer independently scores the abstracts according to the significance, innovation, approach, and impact on ACMS’ mission, and the field of Mohs and reconstructive surgery.
4. Priority is given to work that has not been presented or submitted elsewhere.
5. Acceptance is at the sole discretion of the Scientific Program Committee, whose decision for oral versus poster presentation is final.

GENERAL SUBMISSION GUIDELINES FOR SCIENTIFIC ABSTRACTS & CLINICAL ABSTRACTS:

1. The submission deadline is 11:59 pm PST on Monday, January 8, 2024.
2. In order to encourage broad representation of our members, the Scientific Program Committee will limit each person to one Scientific abstract and Clinical abstract podium (oral) presentation, and one Rapid Pearl presentation (oral).  Each member may serve as a co-author on more than one oral presentation or more than one poster presentation of a scientific abstract.  Members accepted to present oral abstracts will remain eligible to present in invited non-abstract sessions.
3. To preserve the integrity of the blinded review process, abstracts with identifying information will be disqualified.  Eliminate all identifying words or phrases, including, but not limited to, author names, author institutions, industry affiliations, or geographic locations in the abstract body, image files, and file names.
4. In accordance with the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education guidelines, “Educational materials that are part of a CME activity, such as abstracts, must not contain any marketing produced by or for an ineligible company, including corporate or product logos, trade names, or product group messages” within the abstract.
5. General submissions must include preliminary or completed data to demonstrate that research is underway and will be completed prior to the date of the Annual Meeting.   Tromovitch-eligible abstracts must include complete data analysis at the time of submission.
6. Scientific abstract submissions must include: Introduction & Objectives, Study Type, Study Setting, Methods, Results, and Conclusion.
7. Clinical abstract submissions must include: Purpose, Summary, Design, and Conclusion.
8. Literature reviews will not be considered for acceptance unless systematic review/meta-analysis methodology is used with results reported.
9. Abstracts that do not have an ACMS member or Fellow-in-Training as an author must include a curriculum vitae of the primary author at the time of submission.  Abstract reviewers will remain blinded to authorship during the review process.
10. There is a strict 450-word limit.  Author information and uploaded images will not count toward the 450-word limit.
11. Abstracts may include up to 3 files or graphics uploaded in TIFF, GIF, or JPEG format and no larger than a combined 10MB.
12. No changes or additions may be made to the abstract after the submission deadline.
13. All authors of accepted abstracts will be required to disclose any commercial conflicts of interest, which the Scientific Program Committee will review and consider for disqualification.

---

TROMOVITCH AWARD ABSTRACT COMPETITION:

Scientific abstracts with a primary author who is a Fellow-in-Training or who is in their first year of practice after completing a fellowship in Micrographic Surgery & Dermatologic Oncology will be eligible for the Tromovitch Award Abstract Competition.

1. The submission deadline is 11:59 pm PST on Monday, January 8, 2024.
2. Eligibility: the primary author of the abstract must be a Fellow-in-Training or in the first year after completing an accredited fellowship in Micrographic Surgery & Dermatologic Oncology.
3. The abstract must present original research performed by the Fellow-in-Training during their year of fellowship training.  The intent is to highlight work in which the Fellow-in-Training functions as the primary investigator.
4. Tromovitch-eligible abstracts must include complete data analysis at the time of submission.
5. Authors must indicate on the submission website that they are applying for the Tromovitch Award Abstract Competition.
6. Tromovitch-eligible abstracts must follow the General Submission Guidelines outlined in the Call for Abstracts.
7. The Tromovitch Award Committee reviews all Tromovitch-eligible abstracts and decides which ones will be accepted for the ‘Tromovitch Award Abstract Session’ during the Annual Meeting.
8. Authors of accepted abstracts must give an oral presentation at the Annual Meeting to be eligible for the Tromovitch Award.
9. After the oral presentations at the Annual Meeting, the judges of the Tromovitch Award will choose the winner based on the originality of the work, the quality of the science, the relevance to the field of Mohs and reconstructive surgery, and the quality of the oral presentation. In some years, there may be no award.
10. The recipient of the Tromovitch Award must submit an article suitable for publication in the Journal of Dermatologic Surgery by March of the following year.  Upon receipt of the article by the Journal, the recipient of the award will receive complimentary membership dues for their first year of membership in the ACMS and free registration for the Annual Meeting of the following year.

---

CALL FOR RAPID PEARL ABSTRACTS:

These sessions give the ACMS membership an opportunity to share a pearl with colleagues via an oral presentation during the plenary session.  Accepted Rapid Pearl presentations will be made available in PDF handout format, with the exception of video files, in the Annual Meeting mobile app. The Scientific Program Committee will give special consideration to Rapid Pearl abstracts that address the following topics:

• Mohs surgery technique
• Frozen section pathology
• Cutaneous Oncology
• Reconstructive surgery
• Practice management

REVIEW PROCESS FOR RAPID PEARL ABSTRACTS:

1. Members of the Scientific Program Committee independently review each abstract.
2. To ensure fairness, reviewers are blinded to the author(s) and institution(s) of each abstract.
3. Each reviewer independently scores the abstracts based on the novelty of the pearl, its relevance to ACMS members, and the overall quality of the submission, including clarity of photographs or video.
4. Acceptance is at the sole discretion of Scientific Program Committee.

GENERAL SUBMISSION GUIDELINES FOR RAPID PEARL ABSTRACTS:

1. The submission deadline is 11:59 pm PST on Monday, January 8, 2024.
2. Submission is limited to ACMS members, and each member may submit only one pearl.
3. Rapid Pearl submissions should include relevant information and photos/graphics to describe the pearl/technique.
4. The Scientific Program Committee will limit each person to one Rapid Pearl presentation, and one Scientific abstract or Clinical abstract podium (oral) presentation.
5. Accepted Rapid Pearl presentations will be made available in PDF handout format, with the exception of video files, in the Annual Meeting mobile app.
6. The submission must be in the form of a PDF of a PowerPoint presentation designed for a 4-minute presentation (no more than 8 slides per presentation), and/or a video edited to a maximum length of 1 minute and no larger than 100 MB.  Submissions exceeding these parameters will be disqualified.
7. To preserve the integrity of the blinded review process, submissions with identifying information will be disqualified.  Eliminate all identifying words or phrases, including, but not limited to, author names, author institutions, industry affiliations, or geographic locations in the PDF/movie and in file names.
8. All submissions must be HIPAA-compliant.  If any photos or videos allow patient identification, the applicant must indicate that the patient has provided consent.  If the abstract is selected for presentation, the author must be able to provide a copy of the consent form for final acceptance.
9. In accordance with the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education guidelines, "Educational materials that are part of a CME activity, such as abstracts, must not contain any marketing produced by or for an ineligible company, including corporate or product logos, trade names, or product group messages” within the abstract.
10. No changes or additions may be made to the abstract after the submission deadline. All authors of accepted abstracts will be required to disclose any commercial conflicts of interest, which the Scientific Program Committee will review and consider for disqualification.

---

CALL FOR FELLOWS-IN-TRAINING CLINICOPATHOLOGIC CASE COMPETITION:

Fellows-in-Training are invited to submit clinicopathologic slides and photographs of Mohs cases that have uncommon or rare pathology, or that illustrate prototypical diagnostic challenges and keys to diagnosis or tumor detection.  The winner will be invited to present the case during the ‘Clinicopathologic Case Competition Session’ at the Annual Meeting.

The ACMS will develop a library of interesting cases for an online teaching set, which all Fellows-in-Training and members of the ACMS may access.

REVIEW PROCESS FOR FELLOWS-IN-TRAINING CLINICOPATHOLOGIC CASE COMPETITION:

1. Members of the Slide Quality Review Committee independently review each submission.
2. To ensure fairness, reviewers are blinded to the author(s) and/or institution(s) who submit the case.
3. Each reviewer independently scores the case based on:
   • Rarity of the pathology
   • Relevance to ACMS members
   • Quality of the clinical photographs and frozen section histology
   • Delivery of educational points
   • Organization and coherence of the clinical question/interest
4. Acceptance is at the sole discretion of the Slide Quality Review Committee.

GENERAL SUBMISSION GUIDELINES FOR THE FELLOWS-IN-TRAINING CLINICOPATHOLOGIC CASE COMPETITION:

1. Case submissions must be received by the ACMS office by Thursday, February 8, 2024. No cases will be accepted after this deadline.
2. Fellows-in-Training will receive an email from the ACMS containing submission guidelines and forms. Submissions must include clinical history, clinical question or interest (not to exceed 3 pages), and clinical references.
3. Slides are limited to 5 per submission and must be a standard size of 26 x 76 mm, with a thickness of 0.9 to 1.2 mm, including cover slip.
4. Return submission form along with labeled histology slides to the ACMS office. All histology slides will be digitally scanned and returned.
5. Please submit clinical photographs associated with your interesting case. All photographs must be digitally submitted.  All photographs should be original. They must be saved in CMYK as TIF or JPG files at 300 dpi at 5 inches in width. Please remember that the ACMS considers the manipulation of photographs used in the media, journals, scientific meetings, and in presentation to patients for the purpose of deceiving the audience to be against the ethical standards of the ACMS.
6. A consent form must accompany all recognizable photographs, including photos of any portion of the central face (eyes, nose, and/or mouth) and images that contain tattoos.
7. The winner will be invited for a 4-minute oral presentation during a plenary session at the 2024 ACMS Annual Meeting.
8. Please direct questions regarding the Clinicopathologic Case Competition to the ACMS at info@mohscollege.org or (414) 347-1103.