Below find information about your role and responsibilities as program participants/faculty in Academy educational activities.
Primary Responsibilities
- Develop content that meets the educational needs of learners.
- Understand and adhere to ACCME and Academy policies in regards to financial disclosure and conflict of interest.
- Prepare balanced presentations free of commercial bias.
Chair/Section Moderator
The Chair or Section Moderator introduces each speaker in the session and is responsible for keeping the session running on time. The preferred format of the introduction is:
“The next presentation, (complete title of presentation), will be presented by Dr. (or appropriate title) (full name) of (city).”
Remind presenters to enter from stage right, audience left, when they are introduced. The previous presenter will exit stage left to ensure the flow of the session.
Please impress the importance of staying within the allotted time frame to each speaker.
There is a telephone on the Chairperson's table for communication with the floor manager and/or Program Director. Review details about session/course rooms.
If the presenter does not declare their financial interests at the beginning of their talk, the Chair/ Moderator should stop the presenter and remind them to disclose.
Panel Moderator Responsibilities (Subspecialty Day Only)
Well-coordinated panel discussions present more useful and relevant information than those that are completely spontaneous.
- Mold questions to fit to the recognized skills of the individual panelists.
- Strive to keep the audience engaged. For instance, use humor, great slides, etc.
Names and contact information for the panelists included in your section will be sent to you in Aug. Please contact them in late Aug. to initiate discussion of ideas.
The Academy will send panel moderators presentation outlines included in the section you are moderating. Moderators should send these outlines on to the panelists.
Panelist Responsibilities (Subspecialty Day Only)
The primary goal of the panel is to cover a specific range of topics, giving expert advice on clinical diagnosis and management. Panel discussions are not intended as a time to give mini-presentations. Panelists are encouraged to answer questions and to provide succinct commentary on various topics.
Keep your comments clinically oriented. The majority of attendees are clinicians who want up-to-date information from the experts.
Occasionally, it will be necessary to repeat questions before answering to ensure the audience has heard the question.
You should initiate conversation with the Panel Moderator of your section in late Aug. Please notify the Panel Moderator if you plan to bring prepared PowerPoint slides, so they can ensure enough time for each panelist.
Presenter Responsibilities
Presenters whose session is located in a networked session room, must upload their presentations to the AAO Presentation Management System website. These presenters must also check-in with the Speaker Ready Room.
All presenters are asked to check-in with the Floor Manager, at the table facing the stage, prior to the beginning of the session.
When you are introduced to speak, enter from stage right, audience left. The previous presenter will exit stage left to ensure the flow of the session.
Please rehearse your presentation to ensure that you stay within your allotted timeframe.
Subspecialty Day presenters: a written outline of your presentation is required for inclusion in the meeting syllabus. Find more information about outlines/syllabi for Subspecialty Day meetings.
Failure to Meet Responsibilities
A program participant will be notified of disciplinary action for any of the following:
- Presenting previously published material.
- Failure to submit an outline by the assigned deadline.
- Failure to appear for the assigned presentation or discussion.
- Failure to disclose financial relationships on both the disclosure form and at the time of presentation.
You will be prohibited from participating in the program for two years after the first offense and for five years after the second offense. Review all presentation policies.