Attending Conferences and Seminars

A Revised Policy for Student Funding for Seminars and Conferences:

Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine encourages medical students to participate in seminars, conferences, and educational programs to promote a better understanding of medical education and the field of osteopathic medicine. The cost incurred for these educational experiences is the responsibility of the participating students.

From time to time, medical students are given the honor to present, hold elected office, or serve on a committee at a conference, seminar, or medical meeting. When such honor or opportunity presents itself, and when it directly represents the interest of the medical school, consideration will be given to a request for funding.

There is no obligation to honor every request, therefore students are strongly encouraged to obtain approval prior to making final arrangements. Exceptions will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Students who choose to attend a scientific presentation or conference without being required by a regional or national committee or do not meet the criteria below, may not receive reimbursement from Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine, but may request for an excused absence for classes missed which may be granted at the discretion of the Dean of Student Affairs.

Criteria for Requesting Conference Reimbursement

Although each request will be reviewed on its own merits, the following guidelines will be followed:

1. A student presenting at a scientific meeting or as part of an educational program - reimbursement up to $1,000.00 per student. This category pertains to oral presentations only and the student presenter must be the first author.

2. A student presenting a poster at a conference or seminar - reimbursement up to $500 per student. The student presenter must be the first author.

3. Total reimbursement limit is $1,500.00 per student, per year for research.

4. Elected officers or delegates of official School Organizations required to attend regional and national meetings - reimbursement up to $1,000.00 per student, per required meeting.

Process for Submitting Conference Requests

1. Requests for conference reimbursement pre-approval should be submitted no less than 30 days in advance of intended travel. Please utilize the Conference Funding Request Sheet to submit your request.

2. Students requesting funding must submit a Travel & Expense Reimbursement Form

3. Review and adhere to the Travel Policy

4. Provide the supporting documentation along with your pre-approval request. In the case of a scientific meeting or poster; the supporting documentation should include proof of invitation to the meeting, details of the conference or meeting, as well as any publication materials associated with the presentation. Proof of first authorship should also accompany the submission. In the case of student government leaders, proof of required attendance at national or regional meetings should also be provided in advance.

5. For reimbursement, please include a copy of your poster or slides for your oral presentation.

Goals for Meeting Attendance

There are many reasons to attend meetings: provide service to the profession, professional identity formation, increased knowledge, presentation of scholarly work, networking, etc. Presenting research at a meeting should not be the end of the research. The endpoint for dissemination of research should be publication, so please make every effort to turn oral or poster presentations into a manuscript.

Requests should be submitted to the following personnel based on your campus:

Harlem campus: please email Ms. Carolyn Burrowes at carolyn.burrowes@touro.edu

Middletown campus: please email Ms. Cindy Dickman at cindy.dickman@touro.edu

Great Falls, Montana campus: please email Ms. Sandy Robinson at srobinso26@touro.edu

Note: Students approved for attending off-campus conferences or events remain fully responsible for all presented information from missed lectures, laboratories, and/ or other course assignments. Any missed examinations must be promptly resolved in coordination with the appropriate instructor/coordinator as described earlier.