1.5. Program modification

Please note that while speakers, exhibitions and sessions were confirmed at the time of publishing, circumstances beyond the control of the organizers may necessitate substitutions, alterations or cancellations.

As such, AOP reserves the right to alter or modify the advertised speakers, exhibitions and sessions if necessary, without liability. Any substitutions or alterations will be updated on our portal and notified as soon as possible.

1.6. What is a hybrid conference format?

The recent sanitary crisis is pushing 2020 (and maybe 2021?) worldwide events to switch their format from a physical one to a virtual one.

Is this the path we at AOP is willing to take? Not really as we do believe physical gathering stays mandatory for successful learning. The profound learning that happens by gathering and exchanging in person is irreplaceable, and our conferences are aimed at continuing to be physical ones, bringing upfront our signature educational experience that transpires on site between our speakers, delegates and exhibitors. 


But, and because “Something good comes out of every crisis” (Dave Pelzer), our physical conferences are now doubled with a complete virtual experience. Indeed, while our excitement for human contact is palpable, we also understand that some participants may still be under a home travel ban and may not be able to attend the congress physically. Those participants will be offered with the possibility of switching from a physical badge to a virtual one.

This new HYBRID conference format – physical and virtual – ensure that attendees across the world do not miss anything out.

Should it be really impossible to hold a physical conference, then the conference will go virtual only.

For complete explanation about “virtual attendance”, please check out our FAQ delegates 4.1.

1.7. Hybrid vs virtual: how does it affect my lecture(s) as a speaker?

• If the conference format is a “hybrid" one: speaker participation is by default a physical one at the dedicated conference venue.
In the case of home-country travel ban, or in the case of a congress format switch, speakers will have the possibility to lecture remotely.
In both cases, your lectures are displayed live in the conference room (for attendees with a physical badge) and in real-time on our digital platform (for attendees with a virtual badge).

• If the conference format is a “virtual" one: speakers present their lecture(s) remotely.
Your lectures are displayed in real-time on our digital platform ONLY (for attendees with a virtual badge).
Nota: all AOP virtual congresses are live therefore your lecture is broadcast in real time and is not a pre-recording of your presentation.

Needless to say that the same strict vigilance is applied for badge delivery and corresponding accesses, whether the attendee has a physical or virtual badge (physicians, nurses, PhD, corporate professionals).

To keep on maintaining the high standards set in terms of quality and original content, 3 digital security measures are enforced in the virtual part of the event:

1. live stream is watermarked - which makes screen grabbing detectable
2. simultaneous multiple logins are disabled - only one viewer is able to connect per attendee account
3. replay is available only for 24-48 hours after the conference ends

1.8. Can AOP foresee the change in format?

As much as we would love to, the fact of the matter is we can only anticipate as best we can with honor and candor.

There are still many uncertainties in current period not only in France but around the world. As an international conference we are obliged to take into consideration our governing laws as well as the rules of the locale where we host, all the while taking into consideration any severe restrictions from our attendees’ home countries.

The driving force of AOP is the marvelous synergy our speakers, delegates and sponsors create together through sharing and exchanging online or on-site. Today, however, there are many factors that may hold back these three parties from having the profound congress experience. Therefore, AOP may deem it necessary to change the format to one that is more adaptable should conditions take a turn for the worst for all three parties (speakers, delegates and sponsors).

This change in format will be our last resort option and followed through with communication and policies that are clear, precise and fair for our speakers, delegates and sponsors.

2. Speaker account

2.1. How do I login to my speaker account?

If this is your first time logging in to your account, please contact us via e-mail HERE to obtain your credentials. If you have already created an AOP account before, login to your account by clicking on the Login button on the upper right corner of your screen and enter your credentials.

-> Your username is your email address
-> Your password* is the personal and private one you chose when you created this account

*If you have forgotten your password, you may always reset it by clicking here.

2.2. I forgot my login credentials and/or password, how can I retrieve them?

CREDENTIALS - if you have ever attended one of our congresses, then:

• you have created an account
or
• an account has been created for you

PASSWORD - click here to reset your password.

NOTE: please remember to check in your junk mail inbox for the reset link if it doesn't appear on your main inbox.

2.3. What can I do through my speaker account?

Once you are selected to become a speaker within any of our congresses, a Speaker Account will become available for you on our website that will allow you to access all the information concerning your participation.

Through your speaker account you will be able to:

- view your lecture schedule and abstract status
- submit related abstracts and COI's
- view and accept your speaker grant policy
- reserve your hotel (when applicable)
- view and rsvp to any social event planning
- update your personal information and bio
- obtain your certificate(s) of attendance
- and much more...

3. Abstract submission

3.1. How can I submit abstract(s) or become a speaker?

At AOP, we aim to push the boundaries in terms of qualitative and distinctive educational content. If you wish to contribute to this end, you can easily submit an abstract following simple steps through our website.

1. Login to your account or create one (please refer to chapter 1.2)
2. Go to the corresponding congress of your choice and click on the "Submit your abstract" tab
3. Your abstract will be reviewed by the Scientific Board. You will be notified directly on your speaker account of its inclusion or not within the program

NOTA: please carefully read the Abstract Guidelines and Conflict of Interest Policy before any submission.

3.2. What are the guidelines to submit abstract(s)?

Regarding abstract submission:
- Please carefully read the Abstract Guidelines and Conflict of Interest Policy before any abstract submission.

Regarding copyright & privacy policy:
- Submission of an abstract implies that it has been approved by all listed authors. The AOP Scientific Board reserves the right to make the final decision concerning the form of presentation. As part of the submission, the author grants AOP the exclusive right to publish the abstract, and a non-exclusive right to publish, reproduce, distribute, display and store the abstract worldwide in all forms (including AOP programs and websites, whether print or digital versions). No fee shall be paid to the author by AOP for the license granted herein. Apart from the above mentioned, the author will retain copyright of his or her abstract.

The abstract author may also allow AOP to publish the abstract and the final talk/presentation video on AOP Academy e-learning platform.

For any inquiries please contact the Scientific Secretariat at scientific@aopcongress.com

3.3. What are the deadlines for sending abstract(s) for the congress or obtaining a response?

The deadline for submitting an abstract for one of our events will be no further than 1-month before the event date. Abstracts received less than 1-month before the event will not be considered.

Once submitted, your abstract will be reviewed by the Scientific Board and you will receive a definitive answer about its inclusion or not:

- In the case of a congresses: 3 months before the congress starting date
- In the case of an e-learning event: 1 month before the event starting date (such as webinars, etc.)
Detailed instructions regarding requirements and instructions for oral and e-poster presentations will also be provided at that time.

Example of deadlines:
- Congress/event date is: August 1st
- Abstract submission deadline: July 1st
- Notification of inclusion will be received starting: May 1st

3.4. How can I check if my abstract(s) have been included within the scientific program?

To check the status of an abstract you have submitted, you have to login to your personal account here. Once in, you will need to select the congress for which you have submitted an abstract and head to the tab ‘Check your updated presentation schedule’.

• If your abstract has been accepted: the notice 'abstract accepted' will be visible through your personal account and the scientific secretariat will get in touch with you with the next steps to follow. As a general rule, for spontaneously submitted abstracts selected for the contribution of scientific sessions, registration to the congress is mandatory (please refer to faq 4.1 for more information).
• If your abstract has not been selected: the notice "abstract declined" will be visible through your personal account . Although the content of your work might be very interesting, if the sessions are fully booked we are no longer able to introduce your abstracts within our program and we invite you to resubmit them for another of our upcoming events.

4. Session & presentation guidelines

4.1. Where can I view my lecture schedule?

Your lecture schedule is available at all times through your speaker account. Login to your personal account here, and refer to the chapter ‘Check your updated presentation schedule’ of the corresponding congress. IMPORTANT in the case of virtual presentations: timings will feature both a "local congress time" and your speaker local time so please make sure to check these accurately

4.2. How and where do I upload my presentation(s)?

1. Onsite physical talk

All presentations are to be uploaded within our SPEAKER PREVIEW ROOM at least 2 hours before the session starts.

CAREFUL:
• Our sessions are tightly scheduled to allow each speaker to have their allotted time: this is why directly plugging your own laptop is not allowed in the conference rooms.
• If you are speaking within the 2 first morning sessions, we HIGHLY RECOMMEND to retrieve your badge and upload your presentations the day before the congress opening (an early preview room will be open specially set up for you).


2. Live remote talk

All speakers of the session are LIVE-CONNECTED during the whole session and must follow the below preparation steps: 

  a/ At least 21 days prior to your live presentation , have your material ready:
• Our AV teams will schedule an appointment with you to test your remote connection and give you detailed instructions for the live. 
• Our Scientific secretariat will ask you to submit the presentation support (PowerPoint or Keynote only) via your speaker account
• Our Scientific secretariat will ask you to submit the pre-recording of your presentation via your speaker account as a backup for the live (video recording of your talk through PowerPoint, or Keynote). This is only a backup. You are required to perform your talk live.


  b/ On the day of your live presentation: connect at least 1 hour before your scheduled talk time. 

4.3. What are the requirement(s) for my presentation(s)?

Presentation tips:
Remember readability is much more important than style > keep it simple and clear.

• Language: presentations must be written and presented in English.
• Format: save your presentations either in Keynote format (.key), Powerpoint 2007-2018 format (.pptx), or in Prezi format (see download for Mac requirements here). Widescreen (16:9) is the recommended ratio, however standard (4:3) ratio is also allowed. "Presenter mode" will not be available during your presentation.
• Font: select your font with care (Arial or Calibri instead of Times New). Narrow fonts are not recommended.
• Font size (remote lecture): smallest font size should be 20. To check:look at your screen from from 6 ft (2m) away, and then from 12 ft (3,5m)
• Font size (onsite lecture): smallest font size should be 28. To check:look at your screen from 5 ft (1,5m) away, and then from 6 ft (2m)>br>If you cannot read it your audience will not either!
• Slides: they will be launched by our AV team at the beginning of your lecture, but you will be given remote control to play them yourself. Avoid including styled animations within slides (text appearing or image moving “on click”), to have a smooth flow of your presentation
• Color: choose a color that is readable
• Bullet points: it is recommended to use them in order to convey your message. If charts are necessary then make them as clear as possible
• Patient privacy: you must ensure that the confidentiality of the patients that appear in any and all of your material remains intact.

Equipment connection requirements (for remote lectures ONLY):
• A minimum of 10 Mbps of upload speed from your internet connection: test it here
• A wired connection instead of WIFI (if possible)
• The web browser "Chrome"
• A headset with mic, connected to your computer
• A webcam (or the embedded camera of your computer) and good lighting in front of you During the live, your presentation will be played by our technician: you will see your slides directly in the video feed. Even if you only see your slides in the video feed, participants will see both your webcam and the slides: so don’t forget to smile!

4.4. Who can view my presentation(s)?

With our conferences going hybrid, attendees are able to follow the content either physically or virtually.

Hence, your lectures are displayed both live physically in the conference room (for physical badges holders)  and online (for virtual badge holders). Needless to say that the same strict vigilance is given for badge delivery and corresponding accesses, whether the attendee is going for a physical or virtual badge (doctors, nurses, PhD, corporate professionals).

To keep on maintaining the high standards set in terms of quality and original content, 3 digital security measures are enforced in the virtual part of the event:

1- Live stream is watermarked - which makes screen grabbing detectable
2- Multiple logins simultaneously are disabled - only one viewer is able to connect per attendee account
3- Replay is available only during 24 hours after the conference ends

4.5. What is the role of the chair of a session?

Chairs are selected by the Scientific Board for various of the congress sessions. Each chair is entrusted to fulfill the following role:

• Ensuring all lecture’s timings are respected
• Keeping the content unbiased within the scientific sessions*
• Rhythming and promoting discussion during the Q&A at the end of the session

4.6. What is an e-poster and how does it work?

An e-poster is an electronic version of a traditional poster board, presenting scientific research via pictures, graphs and tables with an attractive visual layout. Please refer to the abstract guidelines for full details.

• Format:
  - References must be included within the e-poster
  - Product and/or industry logos are not permitted on the e-poster
  - The disclosure slide will automatically be shown before the e-poster presentation. If disclosure of commercial support is not honestly declared, the e-poster will not be accepted
• Submission: you are required to submit your e-poster online via the abstract submission platform.
• Display: all e-posters are accessible on interactive touch screens within the e-poster area of each congress (verify the corresponding congress' circulation map to find its location) or in the case of a virtual congress, within the dedicated chapter. They are accessible to all participants allowing them to search and read the e-posters that are of their interest.



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5. Registration & grants

5.1. Once I submit abstract(s) do I need to pay the registration fee or am I already registered?

For spontaneously received abstracts, please note that they must first be reviewed by the Scientific Board to confirm its acceptance within the Scientific Program. Once they have been accepted, please note that registration to the congress remains mandatory.
Please register online.




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5.2. What are the different types of speakers the conference receives?

At AOP, speaker's diversity and excellence has become our trademark. The congress distinguishes 3 types of speakers:


• FACULTY SPEAKER: selected and invited by the Scientific Board and speaking strictly within non-sponsored scientific sessions.
• CONTRIBUTING SPEAKER: any physician who submits a scientific abstract through the dedicated AOP website and that has been selected by the Scientific Board to be part of the contributing sessions. Only submissions that match the program's scientific needs are selected. As a general rule, for abstracts that have been accepted, the speaker is required to register to the congress.
• INDUSTRY SPEAKER: speakers that are invited by a sponsoring company to speak only within sponsored sessions that are clearly identified as such.
Please refer to our general faq for more information on badge accesses for the above mentioned speakers.



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5.3. Do speakers lecturing in a sponsored activity require a badge? (ex: industry guest lecture, live demo, symposium)

An “Industry speaker" badge is provided for speakers invited by a sponsoring company, which allows him/her to access the sponsored sessions and the exhibition space during the congress. Should he/she like to have access to the scientific sessions, additional registration is mandatory. The company can register him/her directly through their online account.

NOTA: speakers performing in a training village are required to register to the congress.




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5.5. How can I book my hotel?

Go to the Attend tab of the congress of your choice and book your hotel through the Plan your trip section to benefit from special negotiated prices at selected hotel(s).

Faculty speakers must first login to their speaker account and refer to the chapter ‘Accommodation’ to find out more details.

 


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5.6. Where do I pick up my badge?

You can retrieve your badge at the dedicated Speaker desk onsite.
Please bring the following with you:

• Identity proof (e.g. ID card, passport, driving license etc.)
• Business card (if applicable)
Refer to the chapter "Key moments" under "Plan your trip" tab on our website to learn more about welcome desk opening hours.



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6. Accreditation

6.1. How do I get my Certificate of Attendance to the conference?

To obtain your certificate of attendance, it is necessary to login to your account and submit the 'online evaluation' form that will automatically become available once the congress ends. When completed, you will receive an email with a link to your Certificate of Attendance. Your certificate will also be always available for download through your AOP account in the ‘Participations’ section here.  

If CME credits are offered for the congress, the procedure to obtain CME credits will be sent along with your certificate.  

NOTA: please note that each congress has its own accreditation system




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6.2. How do I obtain my Speaker Certificate?

To retrieve your Speaker Certificate, you will need to login to your speaker account and submit the 'online evaluation' form that becomes available when the congress ends. Once completed, your Speaker Certificate will be available for download through your ‘Participations’ section here.

AOP issues certificates only for scientific sessions, therefore we do not expedite 'Speaker Certificates' for Industry speakers. In this case, please contact your sponsoring company to obtain a certificate.




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6.3. How can I get my CME credits?

AOP are commonly accredited at several levels according to the conference location. The number of CME credits that we offer participants varies according to the duration of the congress and the organism of accreditation, given that the evaluation differs from one country to another.

If the conference you have attended is accredited, the procedure to obtain the corresponding CME credits will be sent along with your certificate.

You can learn more regarding accreditation by going to the "Accreditation" tab found within the congress page of the congress you are interested on.




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6.4. What about conflict of interest (COI)?

AOP insists on transparency in all scientific courses, therefore each speaker is required to disclose whether or not their presentations contain any commercial bias or financial support received.

The COI policy applies to anyone who is a speaker during the congress or contributes to the development of the scientific program; this includes all members of the Scientific Board and all faculty members.

As Board members; we kindly ask you to fill in and update your COI year by year. Please refer to your speaker dashboaard under the chapter 'Submit your COI disclosure' to download the corresponding COI form and submit it.




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7. AOP Academy

7.1. How can my presentation(s) be published on AOP Academy?  

All speakers are required to complete and sign a ‘Contributor Consent’ form previously or during the congress. When you agree to this contributor form, you authorize the publication of your presentations on the AOP Academy platform. Presentations will be published online starting 1-month after the congress ends.

If you want to contribute with your presentation, please contact us via email.

For more information about AOP Academy please click here.

 


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8. Cancellation Policy

8.1. Cancellation policy

If YOU cancel your participation due to personal reasons: our “Terms and Conditions of Sale” in our Attendees FAQ prevails. We shall assume no further obligation to refund any travel or accommodation expenses incurred in that case.

If YOU cancel your participation due to travel restrictions imposed by your (or the hosting) country government, please check with your travel agency or airline for cancellation terms:
> for “Contributing” or “Industry” status speakers, we shall assume no further obligation to refund any travel or accommodation expenses incurred in that case
> for “Faculty” speakers, and in strict respect with the Grant Policy applied, AOP will cover insurance costs (and not direct costs), given that those latest have been presented for approval to us prior booking on your side

If WE cancel the conference because of a Force Majeure, our "Limitation of Liability" chapter generally applies.
• for "Contributing" or "Industry" speakers, we shall assume no further obligation to refund any travel or accommodation expenses incurred in that case
• for “Faculty” speakers, in the limitation and in strict respect with the Grant Policy applied, AOP will cover incurred costs, given the following requirements:

• If cancellation occurs less than 45 days before the event and you have agreed with your Grant Policy through your speaker account:
> you will be fully reimbursed
• If cancellation occurs more than 45 days before the event:
> you will not be eligible for any reimbursement
We therefore strongly recommend you to book your travel or incur any related expense 1 month and a half ahead time only.




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