Abstract Awards

Overview

These are awarded each year at our Annual Conference in recognition of the top scoring abstracts within four areas: Young investigator, Nurse and allied health professional, Student award (in association with Versus Arthritis), Paediatric rheumatology.

To be considered for one of our abstract awards you’ll need to submit an abstract for our Annual Conference through the abstract submission site.

Top scoring abstracts have the opportunity to showcase work at annual conference, winners are also awarded:
- A certificate of achievement
- A complimentary three-day registration for Annual Conference 2025
- The Young Investigator award is also eligible for research publication in the Rheumatology journal*
*Research is peer-reviewed before publication is approved

What does an award-winning abstract look like?
It’s highly original: the abstract presents new, ground-breaking findings or ideas that significantly advance the field of rheumatology.

There’s evidence of excellent methodology: the study design is robust, with appropriate data collection and statistical analysis, and well-described techniques.

There are strong, well-supported conclusions that are directly tied to the research findings and highlight meaningful implications for future research or practice.

Find out more about each award as well as entry and scoring criteria below:

Awards

Discover our Abstract Awards

Young investigator Award

The Young Investigator Award is presented in recognition of an abstract that showcases results that could advance knowledge within the field. This award was introduced in 2000 with the intention to encourage the work of young investigative rheumatologists and recognise research excellence in early career researchers.

Who can apply?
You must be:
• A clinical or non-clinical researcher
• At a relatively early stage of your career (completing a higher degree or within the first three years of completion)
• A member or non-member, but non-members will need a society member to sponsor their application. You can download the sponsor declaration form here.

NB: if you have won an award in the last five years, you will not be eligible to enter this award again until the five-year period has passed
This excludes period not working in research (e.g. parental leave)

Submissions will be reviewed based on:
• Quality of written content
• Originality of hypothesis and experimental design
• If results could advance knowledge within the field

Nurse and Allied Health Professional Award

The Nurse and Allied Health Professional Award is designed to highlight examples of innovation and excellence within rheumatology.
This award is presented in recognition of an abstract that demonstrates outstanding clinical work, best practice and improved patient care.

Who can apply?
You must be:
• A nurse or health professional (anyone registered on the HCPC or GPhC register)
• A member
NB: if you have won an award in the last five years, you will not be eligible to enter this award again until the five-year period has passed

Submissions will be reviewed based on:
• Originality of work
• Demonstration of innovative contribution to patient care or benefits to clinical training
• Quality of written content

Student Award (in association with Versus Arthritis)

The Student Award is given once a year in recognition of the best student abstracts, this award aims to encourage the next generation of clinicians to engage with the specialty as part of our mission to promote rheumatology as a career.

Who can apply?
You must be:
• A current undergraduate student
• A member or non-member
NB: health professionals are eligible if they've both finished their studies in the last 12 months and completed the research associated with their abstract as part of their studies.

All abstracts will be peer-reviewed by a panel of experts, and the best student abstracts will be chosen.

Paediatric Rheumatology Award

The Paediatric Rheumatology Award is presented in recognition of an abstract that demonstrates outstanding clinical work, best practice and improved patient care.
Who can apply?
You must be:
• A paediatric and adolescent rheumatologist
• A member
NB: if you have won an award in the last five years, you will not be eligible to enter this award again until the five-year period has passed.

To be considered you must submit an abstract under the paediatric and adolescent topic. Please note, literature reviews and case studies are not eligible

Submissions will be reviewed based on:
• Originality of work
• Demonstration of innovative contribution to patient care or benefits to clinical training
• Quality of written content