Abstract submission GUIDELINES
SESAM particularly welcomes submissions that:
- Create meaningful and sustainable impact by improving learning, teams, healthcare organisations, healthcare systems, or patient care, and by addressing important healthcare challenges through implementation, adoption, scaling, or systems change.
- Advance innovation, scholarship, and collaboration through emerging technologies, including AI and XR; multicentre, interdisciplinary, or cross-sector partnerships; and contributions to theory, methodology, measurement, or scholarly practice.
- Shape a more equitable future for healthcare and simulation by strengthening equity, inclusion, accessibility, global collaboration, patient and community partnership, and by generating insights that others can adapt, adopt, and build upon.
Important information:
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The main abstract text is limited to 400 words. Abstracts exceeding the limit will not be considered for review
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Each submitter may submit 2 abstracts per Type with a maximum of 6 abstracts across all 3 types.
3 Submission types
Which Conversation is Your Work Contributing to?
SESAM seeks submissions that contribute to one of the following themes
1. HOW WE LEARN
Learning, Debriefing and the Journey to Expertise
Examples: Curriculum design • assessment (including high-stakes and licensure) • feedback & debriefing • faculty development • deliberate practice • competency-based education • procedural & psychomotor skills training • simulated & standardised participant methodology • expertise • simulation to educate patients
4. HOW IDEAS SPREAD
Turning ideas into change
Examples: Implementation science • change management • programme adoption • scaling and spread • sustainability of innovations • simulation programme management • operations • quality assurance • centre accreditation • faculty development
2. HOW WE WORK AS TEAMS IN HEALTHCARE
Conversations, Leadership and Team Performance
Examples: Communication skills • disclosure and apology • shared decision-making • leadership • teamwork • interprofessional collaboration • resilience • psychological safety • speaking up • wellbeing and burnout • professional ethics and moral distress
5. HOW SIMULATION IMPROVES HEALTHCARE
Safer systems, better care
Examples: Clinical performance • patient safety • systems improvement • organisational learning • workforce development • service redesign • emergency preparedness • systems resilience • measuring healthcare impact • in situ, mobile and unannounced simulation • simulation to treat patients
7. WHAT FUTURE WE ARE CREATING
Equity Sustainability and Global futures
Examples: Equity, diversity & inclusion • global health • planetary health • sustainability • cultural adaptation • low-resource simulation • social accountability • access to education & healthcare
3. WHAT’S NEW
Technology, Innovation and the Next Frontier
Examples: Artificial intelligence (AI) • extended reality (XR) • virtual simulation • learning analytics • gamification • automation • digital platforms • emerging simulation technologies • evaluation & validity of AI-enabled tools • algorithmic bias • data governance and ethics • human factors of AI
6. WHAT HELPS US ADVANCE
Scholarship, Discovery, and new Perspectives
Examples: Research methods • theory development • measurement science • qualitative & mixed-methods research • reviews • multicentre collaboration • interdisciplinary scholarship • novel scientific approaches • psychometrics & validity evidence • reporting standards & open science.
Presentation at SESAM
Accepted Research or Innovation & Practice abstract submissions may be selected for an oral presentation, short communication, e-poster, or workshop. Presentation formats will be determined by the Scientific Committee based on reviewer evaluations, programme balance, capacity, and the anticipated value for conference participants.
Notification and Next Steps
The submitting author will be notified of the Scientific Committee’s decision by email in January 2027. Please ensure that you use a current email address and can receive communications from SESAM (abstracts@sesamsociety.org). For your accepted submission to be included in the programme, you will need to confirm your attendance. Accepted work must be presented by an author who has registered for the congress by the stated registration deadline, or the abstract will be removed from the official programme. Detailed guidance will be provided to all accepted presenters.
Questions?
We are here to help. If you have any questions regarding abstract submission, please contact abstracts@sesamsociety.org