If you have not already done so, please consider submitting an abstract for the 2017 AOSW 33rd Annual Conference, being held in Denver, Colorado. The abstract center will remain open until 11:59 p.m. (Central Time) on September 12. Apropos of the mountainous location, the theme for the conference is “Oncology Social Work: Elevating Compassion, Experience and Vision.”

Do you need more information about the conference, how to submit an abstract, the different types of presentations for submission and some new “Tips and Tricks” about writing an abstract? You’ll find a wealth of information on the AOSW website.

AOSW 2017 Conference Objectives

To help you get started thinking about an abstract, peruse the following 2017 Annual Conference objectives:

• Advocacy – Identify practice-based advocacy and policy initiatives that promote health equity and improve psychosocial oncology care.  
• Ethics – Explore ethical challenges and legal issues that intersect oncology social work and ways to address them while working with patients, families and interdisciplinary teams
• Mentorship/Leadership – Identify evidence-based practice methods, leadership skills and practical techniques to educate, mentor and nurture the next generation of oncology social workers.
• Promote OSW Profession – Elevate the role of the oncology social worker as vital to the provision of quality cancer care, patient-centered outcomes, reduced care costs and increased revenue.
• Research/Skills – Synthesize psychosocial oncology research and evidence-based therapeutic techniques that encourage adjustment to illness and treatment, healthy coping, and resilience for patients and their families.
• Underserved Populations/Diversity – Identify disparities in the delivery of cancer care and evidence-based strategies for improving psychosocial care for underserved and medically vulnerable oncology patients and survivors, their families and caregivers.

AOSW serves oncology social workers by providing a forum for cultivating leadership, research, education and comradery. Remember, presenting at the AOSW Annual Conference makes an important contribution to the strength and vitality of our professional organization and oncology social work.  

We are here to answer any questions you may have regarding the abstract submission process. Contact AOSW Member Services Manager Jordan Burghardt at jburghardt@aosw.org.