ICEM 2025 Research Excellence Awards

The International Federation for Emergency Medicine (IFEM) has established four prizes for Research Excellence:

  • Best Paper at ICEM
  • Best Paper by a Young Investigator
  • Best Paper by a Trainee
  • Best Paper – Evidence into Practice

Each prize will be awarded at the annual International Conference on Emergency Medicine (ICEM).


Selection Process

The ICEM Local Organising Committee and the IFEM Research Committee will screen all nominated abstracts to draw up a preliminary shortlist of abstracts in each category, based on three criteria:

  • Methodology (study design, bias, confounders, sample size, stats) 20
  • Importance to Medical Science/Emergency Medicine 10
  • Originality 10

Total maximum score 40

 

The ICEM Local Organising Committee will select five abstracts for each category, from the shortlist, to be judged at ICEM. Abstracts without supporting data will not be considered.

Each presentation will be adjudicated by a minimum of two adjudicators, at least one will be an IFEM Research Committee member.

The following criteria will be used:

  • Methodology (study design, bias, confounders, sample size, stats) 20
  • Importance to Medical Science/Emergency Medicine 10
  • Originality 10
  • Presentation (clarity, visual aids, audience interest) 10

Total maximum score 50


The adjudicators’ decision will be final.

Only one prize will be awarded per paper. The hierarchy of the awards is listed above, such that the winner of the Best Paper at ICEM is subsequently ineligible for the other awards. The winner of the Best Paper by a Young Investigator is then ineligible for the Trainee and Evidence into Practice categories. The winner of the Best Paper by a Trainee is ineligible for the Best Paper – Evidence into Practice.

 

Further information about each award can be found below.

 

Best Paper at ICEM

Nature of the Award

The Best Paper at ICEM prize will be awarded to the presenter of the best original research paper at that year’s ICEM. The prize is designed to acknowledge, celebrate and encourage research excellence in Emergency Medicine.

Eligibility Criteria

All presenters of original research papers will be eligible for the prize regardless of their healthcare worker designation (medical, nursing, paramedic, allied health etc.) or training status (training complete/incomplete).

Applications

Upon submission of their free paper abstract via the ICEM website, applicants must indicate that they wish to be considered for Best Paper at ICEM prize. The Conference Organisers must ensure that their abstract submission system allows for capture of this information.

Selection Process

The short-listing of abstracts and the adjudication for the prize will be undertaken according to the Selection process described above.

The shortlisted abstracts will be presented at the ‘Best Paper’ plenary session at ICEM

The adjudicators’ decision will be final.

Presentation of Award

The Best Paper at ICEM prize will be a Certificate presented at the closing ceremony of the conference. Details of the winning project will be published on the IFEM website and the winner’s name will be recorded on the prize Honour Roll.

 

Best Paper by a Young Investigator

Nature of the Award

The Best Paper by a Young Investigator prize will be awarded for the best original research abstract submitted by a young investigator to an ICEM conference. The prize is designed to acknowledge, celebrate and encourage research excellence in Emergency Medicine.

Eligibility Criteria

Emergency physicians who are less than 5 years post-Fellowship/Residency/Boards, and who are first authors of the abstract, will be eligible for the prize.

Applications

Upon submission of their free paper abstract via the ICEM website, applicants must indicate that they wish to be considered for the Best Paper by a Young Investigator prize and provide details of their eligibility. The Conference Organisers must ensure that their abstract submission system allows for capture of this information.

Selection Process

The short-listing of abstracts and the adjudication for the prize will be undertaken according to the Selection process described above.

The adjudicators’ decision will be final.

Presentation of Award

The Best Paper by a Young Investigator prize will be a Certificate presented at the closing ceremony of the conference. Details of the winning project will be published on the IFEM website and the winner’s name will be recorded on the prize Honour Roll.

 

Best Paper by a Trainee

Nature of the Award

The Best Paper by a Trainee prize will be awarded for the best original research abstract submitted by an emergency medicine trainee to an ICEM conference. The prize is designed to acknowledge, celebrate and encourage research excellence in Emergency Medicine.

Eligibility Criteria

Physicians enrolled in a recognised emergency medicine training program or residency, and who are first authors of the abstract, will be eligible for the prize.

Applications

Upon submission of their free paper abstract via the ICEM website, applicants must indicate that they wish to be considered for the Best Paper by a Trainee prize and provide details of their eligibility. The Conference Organisers must ensure that their abstract submission system allows for capture of this information.

Selection Process

The short-listing of abstracts and the adjudication for the prize will be undertaken according to the Selection process described above.

The adjudicators’ decision will be final.

Presentation of Award

The Best Paper by a Trainee prize will be a Certificate presented at the closing ceremony of the conference. Details of the winning project will be published on the IFEM website and the winner’s name will be recorded on the prize Honour Roll.

 

Best Paper – Evidence into Practice

Nature of the Award

The Best Paper – Evidence into Practice prize will be awarded for the best original research abstract submitted to an ICEM conference that relates to closing an important gap between the best available evidence and current clinical practice. The prize is designed to acknowledge, celebrate and encourage excellence in evidence translation.

Eligibility Criteria

All abstract first authors will be eligible for the prize regardless of their healthcare worker designation (medical, nursing, paramedic, allied health etc.) or training status (training complete/incomplete).

Abstracts will be eligible if they report the findings of an original research project that aimed to translate existing research evidence into better patient care. Such translation may include, but is not limited to, initiatives improving the use of clinical guidelines, streamlining patient flow, decreasing adverse events and improving important key performance indicators.

Applications

Upon submission of their free paper abstract via the ICEM website, applicants must indicate that they wish to be considered for the Best Paper – Evidence into Practice prize. The Conference Organisers must ensure that their abstract submission system allows for capture of this information.

Selection Process

The short-listing of abstracts and the adjudication for the prize will be undertaken according to the Selection process described above.

The adjudicators’ decision will be final.

Presentation of Award

The Best Paper – Evidence into Practice prize will be a Certificate presented at the closing ceremony of the conference. Details of the winning project will be published on the IFEM website and the winner’s name will be recorded on the prize Honour Roll.