Meeting Watch

Submit Abstracts for RSNA 2009

The online system to submit abstracts for RSNA 2009 is now open. The submission deadline is 12:00 p.m. Central Time on April 15, 2009. Abstracts are required for scientific papers, scientific posters and education and applied science exhibits.

To submit an abstract online, go to RSNA.org/abstracts. For more information about the abstract submission process, contact the RSNA Program Services Department at 1-877-776-2227 within the U.S. or 1-630-590-7774 outside the U.S.

Abstract Awards

Trainee Research Prize

Resident/physics trainees, fellows and medical students from North America who submit abstracts for RSNA 2009 will be eligible for a Trainee Research Prize. Submissions will undergo the usual peer-review process and, if accepted for presentation, the authors will receive a letter of invitation to submit a 2,000-word abstract for consideration for the Trainee Research Prize.

A prize certificate and $1,000 are presented to the recipient during the scientific session in which the award-winning paper or poster is given.

Travel Awards for Young Investigators in Molecular Imaging

RSNA will assist with travel expenses for up to 15 young investigators whose molecular imaging abstracts are accepted for presentation at RSNA 2009.

To be eligible, an abstract presenter or poster exhibitor must have been awarded his or her doctoral degree no more than seven years prior to the time of abstract submission. The recipient must personally attend RSNA 2009 to present his or her work.

Notifications of abstract acceptance and travel awards will be made simultaneously.

International Visitors

Start Visa Process Now

Personalized letters of invitation to RSNA 2009 are available for request at RSNA2009.RSNA.org. Click International Visitors. This section of the annual meeting Web site also includes important information about the visa application process. It is recommended that international annual meeting attendees start the visa process now.

Access more visa information at www.unitedstatesvisas.gov, travel.state.gov/visa and nationalacademies.org/visas

Travel Approval Required for Visa Waiver Countries

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) reminds travelers from all Visa Waiver Program (VWP) countries that they are now required to obtain approval through the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) prior to traveling to the U.S.

ESTA is a Web-based system that determines the preliminary eligibility of visitors to travel under the VWP prior to boarding a carrier to the U.S. More than 99.6 percent of applicants have been approved, most within seconds, according to DHS. Access the ESTA system at esta.cbp.dhs.gov.