Ten Questions about the AARC Open Forum

For more than four decades now, respiratory therapists and their colleagues have been presenting original research in the AARC Open Forum. The studies presented during this annual event add to the scientific evidence supporting the profession, and RTs who submit abstracts to the Forum further their own careers by demonstrating their commitment to enhancing the understanding of the treatments, techniques, and modalities therapists use every day on the job.

Ashlyn Krupa presenting her abstract at the AARC Congress Open Forum.

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Here are ten common questions people have about the Forum and what it means to the profession:

1. 1. Where does the Forum take place? The Open Forum is held every year during the AARC Congress. This year’s session will take place over the four-day Congress scheduled for New Orleans, Louisiana Nov. 9-12, 2019.
   2. How is the Forum presented? Accepted abstracts are divided into three categories.
      • Poster Discussions are grouped by topic and feature brief oral presentations on scheduled days and times followed by audience questions and discussion.
      • Posters are displayed during Exhibit Hall hours, with authors available during scheduled time periods to discuss their work.
      • The Editors’ Choice session includes the top abstracts submitted that year, with ten minute PowerPoint presentations by the authors followed by ten minute question and answer sessions.

The Editor’s Choice abstracts are displayed each year at AARC Congress.

1. How many abstracts are accepted each year? The number varies, but over the past few years more than 250 abstracts have been accepted to the Forum each year.
2. Who can submit an abstract? The Forum welcomes submissions from everyone from experienced researchers to novice investigators working on their first scientific investigation. Many of the leading researchers in the profession today got their start by submitting an abstract to the Open Forum.
3. Does the Forum accept abstracts from industry? Abstracts submitted by industry or their representatives will not be accepted. All authors must disclose industry relationships for the previous two years.
4. How are the abstracts selected? All Open Forum abstracts are peer-reviewed by at least five reviewers. The peer review process helps determine which accepted abstracts are assigned to each of the three categories.
5. Are the abstracts published? Yes, all of the accepted abstracts are published in a fall issue of Respiratory Care and in the Official Congress Program, as well as archived online.
6. Are accepted abstracts eligible for any awards? Yes, all of the abstracts accepted to the Open Forum in a given year are automatically considered for the American Respiratory Care Foundation’s six Fellowship Awards. A separate application is not necessary.
7. What is the deadline for submitting abstracts for the 2019 Forum? The deadline to submit an abstract is June 1, 2019. Read the submission guidelines to learn more.

Email newsroom@aarc.org with questions or comments, we’d love to hear from you.