Eligibility: Any resident enrolled in a Canadian residency program and fellows-in-training in Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation at the time of the essay deadline.

Requirements: The essay should review a topic relevant to Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. The submission will be graded according to content, originality, thoroughness of the literature review, style and organization. The essay, in either of Canada’s official languages, should not exceed 4,000 words (excluding references) and be accompanied by an abstract of not more than 200 words.

Prize: Cash prize of $200, a commemorative plaque, airfare for one, three nights single accommodation at the site of the CAPM&R Annual Scientific Meeting, an allowance for meals and two tickets to the CAPM&R Annual Dinner. An abstract of the winning essay will be posted on the CAPM&R website and published in the Journal of Rehabilitation Medicine. The winner will be invited to present the paper (15 minute presentation) at the current annual meeting’s scientific session.

Deadline: All entries must be submitted using the online abstract module found under the "Annual Meetings" tab. 

PLEASE NOTE: Contest and Abstract submissions are reviewed separately. Non-winning contest submissions are not automatically accepted for poster presentation at the conference. Separate abstract submissions are required to be considered for poster presentation. Plagiarism Policy 

Guidelines for Submission

Requirements for Submission of an Essay

Failure to follow the following requirements for submission of an essay will result in a 10% penalty being applied to the average score awarded your essay. To maximize your opportunity of being awarded the prize, follow the guidelines as outlined.

The Essay/Review

Not to exceed 4000 words (excluding abstract and references). The manuscript may include an unlimited number of tables or figures. However, the allowable word count will be reduced by 400 words for each table or figure included. For example the allowable word count for a manuscript with two figures will be 3200 words. Case reports will be considered in the essay contest. Meta-analyses and systematic reviews should be submitted to the CAPM&R Research Contest.

Abstract

Include an abstract of no more than 200 words.

Language

The CAPM&R will accept submissions in either French or English. However, in order to meet the guidelines for publication in the Journal of Rehabilitation Medicine, authors are required to submit an English translation of the accompanying abstract by July 31. Authors who do not provide an English translation may still present at the CAPM&R conference, but their abstract will not be forwarded to the Journal for publication.

Figures

Each figure should be presented on a separate page with a legend. Figures are to be cited in numeric sequence in the text. Figures are to be presented in the manuscript following the references. Do not include figures in the body of the manuscript.

Tables

Type each table on a separate page with a title. Tables should be cited in numeric sequence in the text. Tables should be presented at the end of the manuscript, following the references and figures. Do not include tables in the body of the manuscript.

References

Number references consecutively in the order which they are first mentioned in the text of the manuscript. Use the format outlined in the “Uniform Requirements for Manuscripts Submitted to Biomedical Journals.” You can find a copy of this document at the Medical Writing Centre on the Canadian Medical Association web-site: http://www.cma.ca/index.cfm/ci_id/8451/la_id/1.htm. This is also the format of references used by the Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation.

Deadline for Submissions

Submissions must be electronically as per the online abstract module deadlines.  http://capmr.ca/annual-scientific-meeting/abstracts/

Review Process

Each essay will be reviewed by four Physiatrists. The guidelines the reviewers use in marking the essays is attached. You will receive a copy of written comments from each reviewer on the strengths and areas for improvement noted in your essay.

Questions

Should be directed to the Chair of the Education Committee.

Guideline for Scoring of Resident/Medical Student Essays

1. Content (20%)
   • Reviews major and relevant articles for topic
   • Current
   • Accurate
   • Thorough; sufficient detail to understand issues being discussed
   • Articles included because they contribute to the discussion
2. Organization (15%)
   • Title reflects content of paper
   • Presence of an abstract and summary
   • Abstract is reflective of the paper; not simply a repeat of the introduction
   • Introduction includes statement of what will be covered in the essay
   • Sections follow each other in a logical order with use of headings and sub-headings
3. Critical review (30%)
   • Critique of methodology used in studies cited
   • Assess quality of study and compares to population of interest
   • Presents differing views; compares and contrasts
4. Style (20%)
   • Formal scientific writing style
   • Easy to read and follow line of thought: Uses plain English, good sentence length, and good use of paragraphs
   • Avoids unnecessary jargon
5. Literature Review(15%)
   • Thorough and pertinent
   • Synthesis of data presented
   • Clear recommendations with clinical and/or research implications; outlines bottom line conclusions - what should do in practice
   • Conclusions are based on critique
   • If expresses a personal opinion clearly states it as such.
    

Award Recipients