Presenter Guidelines

These guidelines apply to all authors invited to present an accepted abstract at the IJMS World Conference of Medical Student Research (WCMSR). Presenters are responsible for preparing their materials in the assigned format, attending the required technical testing session, and presenting within the allocated time.

The WCMSR will be held online through an interactive virtual platform. Access links and technical instructions will be shared with corresponding authors and may also be announced through official IJMS communication channels, social media accounts, and the conference website.

Important: Presenters must follow the presentation format assigned in the acceptance communication. Failure to comply with the slide limit, time limit, technical requirements, or submission deadlines may result in removal from the program or loss of eligibility for conference awards.

Presenter Responsibilities

Each presenting author must:

  • Confirm participation within the deadline stated in the acceptance communication;
  • Prepare the presentation in the assigned oral or single-slide virtual poster format;
  • Upload the final presentation materials by the established deadline;
  • Submit a prerecorded presentation video when requested;
  • Attend at least one required technical testing session;
  • Join the assigned conference session early;
  • Share their screen during the live presentation;
  • Remain available for questions from judges and attendees; and
  • Comply with the conference code of conduct and all technical instructions.

Conference Access and Technical Preparation

Presenters should use a stable internet connection, a computer with a functioning microphone and camera, and a quiet, well-lit environment. Mobile devices are not recommended for presenting.

Before the conference, presenters should:

  • Test their microphone, camera, screen-sharing function, and presentation file;
  • Confirm that all videos, animations, fonts, and images display correctly;
  • Close unnecessary applications and browser tabs;
  • Disable notifications that may appear during screen sharing;
  • Use headphones when possible to reduce echo and background noise;
  • Keep a local copy and a cloud-based backup of the presentation; and
  • Join the assigned session at least 15 minutes before the scheduled start time.

If a presenter experiences a significant connectivity or technical problem during the live session, the prerecorded presentation may be played to prevent disruption to the program. Presenters should remain connected whenever possible so they can answer questions after the recording.

Presentation Formats at a Glance

Requirement Oral Presentation Virtual Poster Presentation
Presentation format Standard slide deck One slide containing the complete scientific poster
Presentation time 7 minutes 5 minutes
Questions and discussion Up to 3 minutes Up to 2 minutes
Maximum total session time 10 minutes 7 minutes
Screen sharing Required Required
Judging 20-point scoring system 20-point scoring system

Oral Presentations

Format

Oral presenters must use a slide deck and share their screen during the live session. Slides should be readable, concise, visually consistent, and focused on the principal findings of the study.

The presentation itself must not exceed seven minutes. Questions from judges or attendees may follow, but the total time allocated to the presentation and discussion may not exceed 10 minutes.

Suggested Seven-Minute Structure

Component Suggested Time Purpose
Introduction 30 seconds Introduce yourself, your institution, and the title of the study.
Background and aim 1 minute 30 seconds Explain the research problem, knowledge gap, and study objective.
Methods 2 minutes Describe the study design, population or experimental model, procedures, and analysis.
Results and practical relevance 2 minutes Present the principal findings and explain their scientific, clinical, educational, or public health relevance.
Conclusion 1 minute Summarize the main conclusion and final take-home message.

This structure is recommended but not mandatory. Presenters may organize the seven minutes differently provided that the presentation remains clear, complete, and within the time limit.

Slide Preparation

Oral presentation slides should:

  • Use a clear and readable font size;
  • Avoid excessive text and dense paragraphs;
  • Present results using concise tables, figures, or graphs when appropriate;
  • Define abbreviations at first use;
  • Use high-contrast text and backgrounds;
  • Avoid unnecessary animations or transitions;
  • Include disclosures and funding information when applicable; and
  • Exclude patient-identifying information.

Virtual Poster Presentations

Single-Slide Poster Format

Virtual poster presentations must consist of one slide containing the complete scientific poster. The poster should function as a single, integrated visual summary of the study rather than as a sequence of presentation slides.

Presenters must share their screen and display the poster in full at the beginning of the presentation. They may use the platform's zoom or navigation tools to guide the judges and audience through individual sections, but the submitted file must contain only one poster slide.

Recommended Scientific Structure

The poster should present the study in a clear and logical sequence. The following structure is recommended:

Poster Section Recommended Content
Title and Authors Concise study title, author names, institutional affiliations, and corresponding-author information when required.
Background Brief scientific or clinical context, the relevant knowledge gap, and why the study was needed.
Aim One clear primary objective or research question.
Methods Study design, setting, participants or experimental model, sampling or recruitment, main variables or intervention, outcome measures, analysis, and ethics information when applicable.
Results The principal findings, supported by appropriate numerical data, effect estimates, confidence intervals, tables, figures, or qualitative themes.
Discussion Interpretation of the principal findings, relevance to current knowledge or practice, and the most important limitation.
Conclusion A concise answer to the study aim and the main scientific, clinical, educational, or public health implication.
Disclosures and Funding Conflicts of interest, funding support, and acknowledgments when applicable.

For case reports, the poster may replace the standard Methods and Results sections with a structured clinical sequence such as Background, Case Presentation, Diagnostic Assessment, Management, Outcome, and Conclusion.

Scientific Content

The poster should prioritize evidence over decoration. It should:

  • Present a clear research question or educational objective;
  • Identify the study design accurately;
  • Include the essential methods needed to interpret the findings;
  • Report completed results rather than anticipated findings;
  • Use absolute numbers with percentages when applicable;
  • Report effect estimates and 95% confidence intervals when appropriate;
  • Identify the statistical or qualitative analytic approach;
  • Avoid conclusions that exceed what the data support;
  • State major limitations concisely; and
  • Exclude references unless specifically requested by the Conference Team.

Visual Organization and Readability

The poster should be designed for viewing on a computer screen during a virtual session. Presenters should use a landscape orientation unless another format is specified by the Conference Team.

The poster should:

  • Use a clear reading order, preferably from left to right and top to bottom;
  • Divide content into visually distinct sections or columns;
  • Use large, readable fonts and high-contrast colors;
  • Limit long paragraphs and use concise bullet points where appropriate;
  • Emphasize the Results section as the largest or most prominent component;
  • Use figures, tables, graphs, diagrams, or images only when they improve understanding;
  • Label all visual elements clearly and define all abbreviations;
  • Avoid excessive decorative elements, animations, or crowded backgrounds;
  • Use consistent typography, alignment, spacing, and heading levels; and
  • Remain legible when displayed through screen sharing.

As a practical guide, the title should be readable when the entire poster is visible, section headings should be immediately distinguishable, and the main results should remain understandable when the presenter zooms into the relevant area.

Recommended Distribution of Space

The following distribution may help authors create a balanced poster:

Poster Component Suggested Proportion
Title, authors, and affiliations Approximately 10%–15%
Background and aim Approximately 10%–15%
Methods Approximately 15%–20%
Results Approximately 35%–45%
Discussion, conclusion, limitations, disclosures, and funding Approximately 15%–25%

These proportions are recommendations rather than strict requirements. Authors should adjust the layout according to the study design and the amount of information needed to communicate the findings accurately.

Time Allocation

The poster presentation must not exceed five minutes. Up to two additional minutes may be used for questions and discussion. The total allocated time is therefore seven minutes.

A suggested five-minute presentation structure is:

Component Suggested Time
Introduction and study aim 45 seconds
Methods 1 minute
Results 2 minutes
Discussion, limitations, and conclusion 1 minute 15 seconds

Presenters should not read every word on the poster. The oral explanation should guide the audience through the study, emphasize the most important findings, and direct attention to the relevant visual elements.

File and Technical Requirements

The poster should be submitted as a single-slide presentation file or in another format specified by the Conference Team. Authors should also keep a PDF backup.

Before submission, confirm that:

  • The file contains exactly one slide;
  • All text, figures, tables, and images are embedded correctly;
  • No content extends beyond the slide boundaries;
  • The poster remains readable when opened on another computer;
  • Patient-identifying information has been removed;
  • Required disclosures and funding information are included; and
  • The file name follows the instructions provided by the Conference Team.
Award eligibility: Virtual poster submissions containing more than one slide, using a conventional multi-slide presentation instead of a poster layout, or failing to follow the required format may be disqualified from conference award consideration.

Questions and Discussion

Each presentation will be attended by a jury composed of approximately two to three international judges, including external reviewers and members of IJMS.

At least one question may be asked by the judges or audience. There is no fixed maximum number of questions, but the moderator will end the discussion when the total session time has been reached.

Presenters should:

  • Listen to the complete question before answering;
  • Respond directly and concisely;
  • Acknowledge limitations or uncertainty when appropriate;
  • Avoid becoming defensive or argumentative;
  • State clearly when the available data do not support a definitive answer; and
  • Allow other authors to contribute only when permitted by the session moderator.

Presentation Evaluation

Oral presentations and single-slide virtual poster presentations will be evaluated using the same 20-point scoring system. Judges will score presentations independently and anonymously without conferring with one another during scoring.

Evaluation Criterion Maximum Score
Overall quality and scientific interest of the research 5 points
Clarity and effectiveness of the speaker's presentation 5 points
Clarity and quality of the presentation materials 5 points
Quality of the responses to questions 5 points
Maximum Total Score 20 points

Prerecorded Presentation

Presenters may be required to submit a prerecorded version of the presentation before the conference. The recording serves as a technical backup and may be played if the presenter experiences connectivity, audio, video, or screen-sharing problems.

The prerecorded presentation must:

  • Follow the same time limit as the assigned live format;
  • Use the final approved presentation materials;
  • Include clear audio and readable slides;
  • Use a standard video format requested by the Conference Team;
  • Be submitted by the stated deadline; and
  • Not contain music, copyrighted material without permission, or confidential information.

Submission of a prerecorded presentation does not replace the requirement to attend and present live unless the IJMS Conference Team provides written authorization.

Attendance and Professional Conduct

Presenters must remain professional during the entire session. They should use their full name and institutional affiliation in the virtual platform, keep their microphone muted when not speaking, and follow all instructions from the moderator and technical team.

Presenters must not:

  • Share access links publicly without authorization;
  • Record or redistribute conference content without permission;
  • Display confidential, identifying, discriminatory, or inappropriate material;
  • Exceed the assigned presentation time after being instructed to conclude; or
  • Disrupt another presenter's session.

Failure to Comply

The IJMS Conference Team may remove a presentation from the program, stop a presentation that exceeds its assigned time, or disqualify a presentation from award consideration when the presenter fails to comply with these guidelines.

Failure to attend the assigned session, submit required materials, attend technical testing, or respond to Conference Team communications may result in withdrawal of the presentation and exclusion of the abstract from the conference supplement.

Final Presenter Checklist

  • I confirmed participation and identified the presenting author.
  • I prepared the correct oral or single-slide virtual poster format.
  • My oral presentation does not exceed seven minutes, or my poster presentation does not exceed five minutes.
  • My virtual poster consists of exactly one slide containing the complete poster.
  • My slides are clear, readable, and free of identifying patient information.
  • I included disclosures and funding information when applicable.
  • I uploaded the final presentation materials by the deadline.
  • I submitted the prerecorded presentation when requested.
  • I attended or scheduled the required technical testing session.
  • I tested my microphone, camera, internet connection, and screen-sharing function.
  • I will join the assigned session at least 15 minutes early.
  • I am prepared to answer questions from judges and attendees.

Questions?

Contact the IJMS Conference Team at conference@ijms.info. When contacting the team about an accepted abstract, include the submission number and presentation title.

View the Conference Program Read the Frequently Asked Questions