Home>>Annual Meeting >> Scientific Content

Symposium Proposal Reviews

 
Timeline
Scores and Comments
Substance
Timeliness of Topic
Speaker Diversity
Style and Format
Standing Sessions
Final Symposium Selection


 
Timeline
Week of March 18: Instructions for online review site will be sent
April 9: Review deadline
 
Scores and Comments
Please score all proposals assigned to you. However, recuse yourself if you are named as a participant in the symposium, if your work will be presented, or if you feel that you have a conflict of interest with other symposium participants.
 
Please use the complete range from 1 (highest score) to 5 (lowest score). Scoring criteria listed below:
1 = Excellent
2 = Very Good
3 = Good
4 = Fair
5 = Poor

Your specific comments on a proposal, including how it might be improved, are also extremely important. Example comments listed below:
  • “Solid topic but repeat from recent meetings”
  • “Really timely, the right speakers for a session like this”
  • “All speakers work from the same model, might be OK if they trade 2nd talk for a competing perspective"

Substance
The highest scores should be reserved for proposals with complete information, timely topics, scientific rigor and a reasonable amount of data. Please note: Global Health may focus on novel concepts rather than data, and Clinical Tropical Medicine may promote clinical reviews.
 
Scores should reflect how well a proposal meets criteria outlined in the Call for Symposia.
  • Proposals should include original data and/or concepts that promote broad debate and synthesis.
  • They should have a cohesive theme, clear objectives and a detailed description of content. 
  • Priority will be given to proposals in which presentations and speakers are identified and described in sufficient detail. 

Timeliness of Topic
Priority will be given to proposals that focus on emerging concepts and timely topics. A list of suggested topics for 2024 can be found here.
 
Speaker Diversity
Priority will be given to proposals with a speaker panel that reflects the Society’s diverse membership. ASTMH seeks diversity in speaker panels with respect to gender, race, country of origin and institutional background. Please do your best to note and promote these goals.
  • All symposia must include at least one female speaker and one male speaker.
  • The Society highly encourages inclusion of speakers from low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) and endemic country engagement. 
  • Symposia focusing on a single program or institution are discouraged, as are routine updates from groups of investigators who commonly present, regardless of expertise.

Style and Format
A traditional symposium format features four to five speakers, each presenting a brief talk followed by a period for questions.
 
Alternative formats may be proposed. Simply adding additional speakers is not considered an alternative format. Example alternative formats from previous meetings listed below:
  • Debates
  • Point-counterpoint style
If you like a proposal but do not like the format (e.g., too many speakers), lower the score and add explanatory comments. The Scientific Program Chairs may use your feedback to work with the Symposium Organizer to modify the session. 

Standing Sessions
ASTMH subgroups (ACAV, ACME, ACMCIP, ACGH, ACCTMTH) have two standing sessions each year. These sessions are automatically accepted for the program, and the symposium content is determined by the subgroup.
  • If included in your assigned group, please review them in order to provide feedback and avoid duplication of content at the meeting. 
 
Final Symposium Selection
Once you submit your scores and comments, a score report with the compilation of this data will be sent to the subcommittee chairs. The subcommittee chairs will then rank the proposals for the Scientific Program Chairs to review. The Scientific Program Chairs try to respect the rankings provided but at times, may make exceptions to ensure that the overall meeting content contains the desired diversity of subject matter and presenters. 



QUESTIONS? Please contact Shaima Abdul-Aziz, Project Manager, at [email protected]. 

 
GoTropMed