USI offers new ways for health professionals to share research and best practices

The USI Center for Health Professions Lifelong learning is currently accepting abstracts in the areas of research, evidence-based practice and performance improvement in healthcare. 

"Accepted abstracts will be presented as voice-recorded posters and hosted on our website for one year beginning December 2025,” says Dr. Anita Hagan, Director of the USI Center for Health Professions Lifelong Learning. “Additionally, these presentations will be available as a continuing education opportunity for health professionals seeking CE credit." 

Disseminating the abstracts as part of a “virtual showcase” replaces the previous format for USI’s Annual Research, Evidence-Based Practice and Performance Improvement in Healthcare Conference, which has traditionally been an in-person event. In recent years, conference planners added accommodations for remote presenters before deciding to make the switch from a “live” event to a totally online and on-demand offering, according to Hagan. “We wanted to expand access and engagement by providing a flexible format for students, faculty and healthcare professionals throughout the United States,” she says. “This approach allows us to showcase innovative work while aligning with the evolving needs of healthcare.” 

Abstracts will be accepted in October and March each year for the Research, Evidence-Based Practice and Performance Improvement in Healthcare Showcase. This year, the deadline for submitting an abstract is Saturday, November 1. 

Three types of abstracts are invited for submission: 

1. Abstracts of Research: Research is the systematic collection of information to generate new knowledge. 
2. Abstracts of Evidenced-Based Practice: Evidence-based practice is the conscientious integration of best research evidence with clinical expertise and patient values and needs for the delivery of quality, cost-effective health care. 
3. Abstracts of Performance Improvement in Healthcare Issues: Performance improvement is a continuous and ongoing effort to achieve measurable improvement in the efficiency, effectiveness and performance to achieve quality outcomes. 

The virtual, on-demand showcase format is also being added to USI’s Healthcare Educator Conference, according to Hagan. Abstracts focused on healthcare education will be accepted each year in April and May and will also be available for viewing for CE credit for one year. 

Three types of abstracts are invited for submission for the Healthcare Educator Showcase: 

1. Abstracts of Healthcare Education Research: Research is the systematic collection of information to generate new knowledge. 
2. Abstracts of Evidenced-Based Teaching: Evidence-based teaching is the conscientious integration of best teaching principles of evidence with academic expertise and student-centered delivery of quality healthcare education. 
3. Abstracts of Teaching Environment Quality Improvement: Teaching environment is a continuous and ongoing effort to achieve measurable improvement in efficiency, effectiveness and performance to achieve quality education environments. 

“Healthcare is constantly evolving, and we are always looking for creative ways to offer innovative strategies to improve patient and student outcomes,” says Hagan. “We are putting the call out for abstracts on current research projects and innovative education strategies for our new virtual showcases. Our goal is to reach a wider audience throughout the United States for both presenters and those in need of a flexible option for continuing education.” 

More details about abstract submission are at USI.edu/health/abstracts.