Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

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Frequently Asked Questions

General FAQs

The health, safety and well-being of our members, staff, exhibitors, faculty, patients and other stakeholders remain of paramount importance. With continued uncertainty surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic and travel advisories and restrictions still in place in the U.S. and globally, the College hopes the new dates will allow more people to attend ACC.21 in person. The exciting live program will provide unique opportunities to reimagine global heart health, refocus on science, and reconnect with colleagues from around the world.

How did the ACC choose the new dates?

Major meetings are years in the making so finding new dates on short notice poses many challenges. ACC was fortunate to be offered dates in May that became available.

What if I am unable to attend ACC.21 in May?

While we hope more people can and will attend ACC.21 in person, we also understand that some members may have personal and/or professional conflicts in addition to ongoing concerns about COVID-19 safety. As a result, the ACC is absolutely committed to developing a robust ACC.21 Virtual program with on demand options that will ensure that members from around the world can participate and engage with the meeting at times and in ways that work for individual schedules. Look for more details on both options on the ACC Scientific Session website this fall. If you can't make it to ACC.21 in person, we look forward to seeing you in Washington, DC, for ACC.22.

When will ACC.21 registration open?

Registration for both ACC.21 and ACC.21 Virtual will open in October. Look for announcements and more details in the coming weeks.

In addition, faculty invitations will also be sent in October to coordinate with the opening of registration.

When will the submission processes for ACC.21 abstracts and Late-Breaking Clinical Trials (LBCTs) open?

The ACC.21 Abstract/Case Submission site will open in October. Submissions for LBCTs will open in early December. Look for more details on the submission process and deadlines on the in the coming weeks.

Who should I contact regarding the ACC.21 Expo?

Please contact the ACC Expo Team directly. More information can be found on the ACC.21 Expo webpage.

Submit Your Science FAQs

Can I submit an abstract or case to ACC.21 if it has been presented previously?

For ACC.21, we have revised the guidelines for submitting an abstract/case that has been presented previously. Please refer to the following table to determine eligibility for submission of scientific abstracts and complex cases for presentation at ACC.21. These criteria protect the quality, originality, and integrity of the science and case discussions featured during ACC.21.

Eligible

Not Eligible

Abstracts/cases that have not previously been presented either live or virtually at another professional society meeting or published prior to ACC.21 are eligible for submission.

If an abstract/case has been presented (either live or virtually) only at an ACC state chapter meeting or ACC international meeting (ACC Asia, ACC Latin America, ACC Middle East), it is eligible for submission to ACC.21.

If an abstract/case has been presented (either live or virtually) only to a state medical society or country society meeting, or local institutional meeting, it is eligible for submission to ACC.21.

If an abstract/case is also planned for submission or presentation at a meeting taking place after ACC.21, it is eligible to be submitted to the ACC Annual Scientific Session.

Abstracts/cases may be submitted to journals for publication if the journals agree to hold publication until the ACC.21 embargo is lifted on the designated day at 8 am ET.

Abstracts/cases are not eligible for consideration if they have been presented either live or virtually at a national meeting held in the United States or any non-ACC international meeting held prior to ACC.21.*

Abstracts/cases are not eligible for consideration if they have been presented live or virtually at programs held by non-profit organizations (e.g., ACC live U.S. courses).

Abstracts/cases are not eligible for consideration if the abstract has been published prior to ACC.21.

If abstracts/cases are submitted to journals for publication and the journals do not agree to hold publication until the embargo is lifted and the abstract/case is published prior to that date, the abstract/case must be withdrawn from ACC.21.

* Examples of this type of meeting include, but are not limited to, scientific sessions by the American Heart Association (AHA), Heart Rhythm Society (HRS), Heart Failure Society of America (HFSA), Transcatheter Cardiovascular Therapeutics (TCT), Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions (SCAI), and European Society of Cardiology (ESC).

Requests for exceptions to these eligibility requirements must be made in writing and will be reviewed by the ACC.21 Chair and ACC.21 Vice Chair. These situations are expected to be rare given the comprehensive guidance as detailed above.

If you have any questions, please contact Holly Santry on ACC staff at (hsantry@acc.org).

Can I submit an abstract or case to ACC.21 if it has been published previously?

No, abstracts and cases are not eligible for consideration if it has been published prior to ACC.21.

If I submit my abstract to ACC.21, am I allowed to submit it to other conferences or journals?

Yes, if the abstract/case will be presented at another meeting taking place after ACC.21. If your abstract/case is accepted by another U.S. national or international conference taking place prior to ACC.21, or if it is published prior to ACC.21, you will need to withdraw it from the ACC.21 program no later than January 14, 2021.

If it is accepted for publication close to the ACC.21 dates, it is possible to coordinate the date of publication with the ACC Media Relations team and the respective journal so that the ACC.21 embargo policies are not violated.

Can I submit a case presentation to the general abstract category?

This would not be advisable. Since the general abstract category is meant for scientific research only, case presentations are more likely to receive lower grades from abstract reviewers and are therefore less likely to be accepted.

Who can submit to the general abstract category?

Anyone is eligible to submit to this category, including non-ACC members and medical students.

I am unsure of what category my abstract best fits into – Which category should I pick?

As the submitting author, you are the most well equipped for knowing which category your abstract should be submitted to. However, if you would like a second opinion, we recommend reaching out to your colleagues, as they will have more expertise on the subject than ACC staff.

Who can submit to the Complex Clinical Case category?

New for ACC.21, we are accepting complex clinical case submissions from the following three groups:

1) Fellow in Training (FIT): The first author is a medical student or anyone in a fellowship or residency program. The presenter must be a Fellow in Training (FIT).

2) Cardiovascular Team: The first author must be a non-physician CV team member, which could include nurses, advanced practice nurses, pharmacists, physician assistants, CV practice administrators, technologists, registered dietitian nutritionists or exercise specialists/physiologists. The presenter must be a CVT member.

3) MD/PhD: The first author is a medical doctor or researcher. The presenter is a medical doctor or researcher.

Priority will be given to FIT and Cardiovascular Team submissions during the selection process.

If my abstract is accepted, when will I be notified?

All abstract submitters will receive a notification of their acceptance status on December 16, 2020.

Who will be notified if the abstract is accepted?

The only person who will be notified of whether or not your abstract is accepted is the presenting author for that submission.

If my abstract is accepted, will it be published?

Yes, it will be published online in the ACC.21 JACC Abstract Supplement prior to the ACC Annual Scientific Session.

What is the fee for abstract submission? Can this be waived?

The fee is $49 for all general submission categories, including Abstracts, Complex Clinical Cases, and Interventional Challenging Cases. This fee cannot be waived.

When is the abstract submission deadline?

The submission deadline is Tuesday, October 20, 2020, at 1 p.m. ET.

Are there example abstract submissions I can see?

Yes. We provide examples for the following categories on our Annual Scientific Session site: Complex Clinical Cases (FIT and CVT cases). If you would like to see examples of abstract submissions, you can view them in the ACC.20/WCC Abstract Supplements of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology: Supplement 1 and Supplement 2.

How do I complete my disclosures?

Visit https://disclosures.acc.org and log in using your ACC username and password. If you do not have an ACC username, you can create one for free on that page.

Do all co-authors need to complete their disclosures?

No. Only the presenting author and lead investigator are required to complete their disclosures. If a person is both the presenting author and lead investigator, then only they need to complete their disclosures.

Does the Lead Investigator need to complete their disclosures in order for the submission to be complete?

No, they do not. The only person who must complete their disclosures in order for an abstract to be complete is the submitting author/presenting author. If the abstract is accepted, ACC will follow up with any lead investigators who have not disclosed.

Is there a maximum number of authors that can be on an abstract submission?

Yes, the maximum number of authors that can be on a single submission is 25.

Who should I list as the Lead Investigator for my abstract?

Generally, the Lead Investigator is the senior author of an abstract, but sometimes the presenting author will list themselves as the Lead Investigator as well.

Can I change who the presenting author is?

Yes, you can. To do this, log back into the submission site, click on the submission you want to make the change to, and go to the "Author" tab on the left-hand side of the screen. There, you will see the option to "Change who is Presenting" underneath the author names.

Can I change the order authors are listed?

Yes, you can change the order of all co-authors, except for the first author. To do this, log back into the submission site, click on the submission you want to make the change to, and go to the "Author" tab on the left-hand side of the screen. There, you will see the option to "Change the Order these Author(s) are listed" underneath the author names.

Why can't I change who the first author is?

The system automatically makes the submitting author the first author because they have completed their disclosures. If you would like to make someone other than the submitting author the first author, you will need to have them first complete their disclosures and then you will need to contact Annual Scientific Session staff to have them change the first author for you.

Why is there an "N/A" displayed next to my name as the first author on the "Author" tab? Why is my institution information missing?

The first author will always have "n/a" displayed to the right of their name. This is normal and does not display anywhere else other than on the "Author" tab. Do NOT enter your name more than once to enter in your institution information since institution information is entered in on a separate tab.

Is there a maximum character count for a submission?

Yes, the maximum character count per submission is 1,900 characters NOT including spaces. If you choose to add an image or table to your submission, it will count as 600 characters towards the total 1,900 characters that are allowed.

Do the section headers in the body of my submission count towards the total character count of my submission?

Yes, they do, and they cannot be removed. Please account for the section headers in your abstract's total character count.

Can I change the section headers in the body of the abstract on the submission site?

No, the headers in the body of the abstract cannot be edited. However, if you are submitting a case to one of our regular abstract categories and your sections do not align with the section headers, you can add your own header after them.

If I am using commonly known abbreviations like TAVR or STEMI, do I need to include them in my 5 unique abbreviations?

o No, you do not. Commonly known abbreviations do not need to be counted towards the 5 unique abbreviation limit and they do not need to be written out in their entirety upon first use.

Can I include a table in my abstract?

Yes, you may include a table in your abstract by uploading an image of it as GIF or JPG file. The easiest way to do this is by taking a screenshot. You can do this on a Windows computer by using the snipping tool, and you can do this on an Apple computer by hitting Command-Shift-4.

Do I need to get a signed patient consent form for my case submission?

No, you do not. We work under the assumption that you have already taken all necessary steps to protect your patient's identity and respect their privacy.

How do I know my abstract is complete?

All tabs on the left-hand side of the submission site will have checkmarks next to them and the "Review My Work" tab will have a message saying, "Your submission is complete and will be sent to review." You will also have the option to send yourself a confirmation email that your submission is complete at the top of the "Review My Work" page. This option will only appear if your submission is complete.

Am I able to save a copy of my abstract?

Yes. You can save a copy of your abstract by logging into the submission site, clicking on the submission that you want to save, and then going to the "Review My Work" tab on the left-hand side of the screen. On the top of that page, you will have the option to print your abstract for your records.

Can I make edits to my abstract after the submission deadline?

No, you cannot. Per ACC policies and procedures, no edits can be made to abstract submissions after the submission deadline. This includes adding author names or correcting errors in data. Please carefully review your submission prior to the submission deadline to ensure all co-authors are listed and all information is correct.