Abstract Submission Information

Please review the abstract types carefully, to determine what type of presentation best fits the information you want to share. Abstracts must be original work and prioritize evidence-based information. Author presentations are expected to align with what is submitted in the proposed abstract. Authors are required to present in person in Calgary and must pay the registration fee.

Symposium

A symposium is a 60 or 90 minute session designed to give conference attendees an in-depth understanding of a specific clinical or scientific topic. Symposia are organized by small groups and should include between three and six related presentations by members of the group. A symposium must allocate 25 percent of the session time to questions and answers, as required in CME guidelines. Symposia will be presented in person in Calgary.

Workshop

A workshop is a 45, 60 or 90 minute session intended to give attendees new skills and understanding. Workshop presenters are encouraged to use interactive and experiential teaching formats such as small group discussions, case examples, demonstrations, interactive polls and other skill-building exercises. The number of participants in each workshop will be limited to facilitate skill-building and active participation by attendees. Lectures submitted as workshops will be declined.

Oral Presentation

Oral presentations are concise presentations about a research project, new clinical program, educational initiative or other project in addiction medicine and substance use care. Lead authors will have 10-15 minutes to describe their project accompanied by visual aids (slides), followed by five minutes of questions. Abstracts will be grouped together and delivered in moderated Oral Presentation Sessions. These will be in-person presentations, delivered live during the conference. Submissions from trainees are encouraged. Please note that a project or report may only be submitted for one type of presentation.

Poster Presentation

A Poster Presentation is a visual summary of a research project, new clinical program, educational initiative, or other project or proposal in the field of addiction medicine. Submissions from trainees are encouraged. Posters are to be presented in person. Lead Authors will prepare a printed poster to be mounted and displayed during the poster session, describing the project (we suggest organizing the poster with Introduction, Methods, Results and Conclusions, although other written formats are acceptable). Lead authors are expected to attend the poster session in person to discuss their work with conference attendees. Bulletin board space will be provided for each poster along with mounting materials. Posters by trainees will be evaluated, with an award for the Best Poster by a Trainee. Please note that a project or report may only be submitted for one type of presentation.

TED-Style Talk

A TED-Style Talk is an opportunity to present a great, well-formed idea in under 18 minutes, followed by five minutes of questions. TED-Style talks are focused on the power of ideas to change lives and, ultimately, the world. These talks are generally delivered without notes, although presenters may use some basic outline notes on cards or a computer during their presentation. These are NOT spontaneous presentations, they are scripted and carefully rehearsed! Powerpoint slides are limited to only absolutely essential illustrations, traditional slides that summarize content are not allowed. TED-Style talks focus on you and your presentation–the slides only complement your ideas, they do not repeat your words. 

• TED-Style talks are personal. The only reason to give a TED talk is that you feel passionately about something, and your sense of purpose creates an energy boost for both you and your audience.  
• TED talks often take us on a journey. As the speaker shares their transition from ignorance to understanding of some important truth, we follow along in their footsteps.

TED talks are concise. With only 18 minutes, speakers need to cut out any extraneous ideas so that every word counts.

Other

Do you have a concept for a presentation that ventures beyond conventional categories? These ideas might take the form of a panel discussion, debate, captivating storytelling session, lecture, or any other creative approach to knowledge translation. We are reserving a select few slots, spanning 45-60 minutes, for such “other” presentations. Abstracts submitted under the “other” category will not be considered for other types of presentations.      

Invited Presentation

Please select this presentation type ONLY if you have been invited to give a presentation at the CSAM-SMCA conference.

General Guidelines

• Please use non-stigmatizing language, generic pharmaceutical names, and a minimum of abbreviations (which need to be defined at the first usage).
• Abstracts can be submitted in English or French. Abstracts must present material in a clear manner with grammar and spelling of a quality suitable for publication. Presentations will be in the language of the abstract.
• Abstracts and presentations must be free of commercial bias and cannot be used to advertise or advocate for a specific commercial interest.
• Each abstract submission must include two clear learning objectives. These objectives should outline the key takeaways for participants and reflect the content and purpose of the research or presentation. Please make sure that the learning objectives are formatted correctly. For guidance, please refer to this link.
• Corresponding authors must agree to follow the CSAM-SMCA guidelines for abstracts before submitting an abstract.
• A signed Conflict of Interest form for EVERY individual presenting in-person at the conference must be uploaded with the abstract submission. Abstracts without the disclosure statements will be declined.
• All research abstracts must contain results at the time of submission. Scientific abstracts that do not report results will likely be rejected.
• Disclosure Slide: a disclosure slide is required for each oral presentation. Having a financial disclosure will NOT preclude the acceptance of an abstract.
• All research abstracts will be required to declare whether ethics approval has been obtained and through which research ethics board/institution. Research abstracts without ethics approval may not be accepted. Authors may justify why ethics approval has not been sought or is not necessary (i.e. quality improvement projects, research using publicly available data, etc.).
• For all abstracts aside from Ted Talks and workshops, emphasis will be placed on sound evidence base and methodology to support conclusions when determining accepted abstracts. Particularly for research studies, ensure your conclusions reflect your results and methodology, directly.
• After submitting an abstract, the corresponding author will receive a confirmation email. If you do not receive the confirmation email within 24 hours, please contact .
• Publication: Select conference abstracts may be published in the Canadian Journal of Addiction.
• CSAM-SMCA has permission to use the abstracts submitted, accepted and the presentations of these abstracts for educational and marketing purposes by the CSAM-SMCA.
• Abstracts included in the conference proceedings will be available through the conference app.
• Abstracts accepted for in-person presentation MUST be delivered in person.
• Please do not submit an abstract if you are not confident that you will be able to give the presentation. Cancellations impose a serious burden on the development of the conference program and may negatively impact the overall quality of the program. If extenuating circumstances prevent the attendance of a presenter, please notify  as soon as possible so the presentation can be removed from the program.
• Abstracts will be evaluated by members of the Scientific Conference Committee. Decisions of the Scientific Conference Committee are final.
• Decisions regarding abstracts will be completed by April 30, 2026.
• Abstracts that are accepted:
  • Acceptance emails will be sent by April 30, 2026, to the corresponding author.
  • Once the corresponding author has accepted to present, they will receive an email with the date and time of their presentation by June 30, 2026.
  • All presenters must register for the conference and pay the registration fee before their presentation is finalized in the program.
• Abstracts that are not accepted:
  • The corresponding author will receive an email.
  • Decisions of the Conference Committee are final.
• Correspondence will only be with the corresponding author, who must notify any co-authors. The Scientific Conference Committee is not responsible for notification emails not received due to incorrect contact information.

Abstract-type Specific Guidelines

Symposia:

• Maximum word count of 500 words
• Please submit only one abstract per symposium
• A complete submission needs to include a section on “Symposium Overview,” and a separate section for EACH presentation in the symposium

Workshops:

• Maximum word count of 500 words
• The plan for the workshop should be described in the abstract, including how the workshop will engage the audience

Original Research Abstracts – Oral or Poster:

• Maximum word count of 300 words
• Original research pertains to prospective and retrospective investigations that attempt to answer a specific research question through the systematic collection and analysis of data. All research abstracts must contain results at the time of submission
• Case reports or case series may be selectively considered, with priority for descriptions of novel treatment or clinical presentations. Approval of the case report or series by an institutional research ethics board will also be a consideration in determining acceptance.
• Oral or poster presentation abstracts describing a research study must be structured with the following headings:
  • Introduction/Background: Briefly describe the context or background of the study, including the research question or problem being addressed.
  • Methods: Explain the methodology used, including study design, data collection, and analysis methods.
  • Results: Highlight the key findings or outcomes of your work.
  • Conclusion: Summarize the implications of the results, and if applicable, suggest potential future research or recommendations

Program Description Abstracts – Oral or Poster:

• Maximum word count of 300 words
• Program descriptions relate to non-experimental abstracts that offer an overview of an ongoing research program, clinical program, or thematic area of inquiry. These submissions do not require empirical data (although descriptive data is welcome) and may instead outline a novel community or research program
• Suggested (although not required) abstract headings:
  • Introduction/Background: Briefly describe the context or underlying issue that the program aims to address.
  • Program Description: A description of the program location, population served, and any outcomes if applicable.
  • Conclusions: What can be learned from this program or applied to other settings.

Ted-Style Talk:

• Maximum word count of 300 words
• The abstract for a TED-Style talk should be a SUMMARY of your presentation, not a description of what you plan to talk about.
• Including a statement of positionality may be helpful to guide abstract reviewers on your point of view.