LOGISTICS
Q: What is ICHAMS?
A: ICHAMS (International Conference for Healthcare and Medical Students) is a student-run research conference that takes place at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI) in Dublin, Ireland every year. The conference welcomes undergraduate and graduate students from across the globe to present their research as oral and poster presentations. Participants will also enjoy keynote speakers, practical workshops, as well as a fun social program.
Q: Do I need a Visa to attend ICHAMS 2025?
A: Please contact your local Irish Embassy for information regarding travel requirements to Dublin. This year we will be providing Visa Letters to students who require them. Please send us an email at Ichamsit@rcsi.com if you require a visa letter. Visa letters will be provided on completion and payment of registration fees.
Please go to our Visa page for more information.
Q: Can ICHAMS book travel or accommodation for me?
A: ICHAMS does not book travel or arrange accommodation for delegates. However, you can find a helpful list of accommodation recommendations on our accommodations page
Q: How do I format my oral or poster presentation?
A: Please see the presentation guidelines page for more information.
ABOUT THE CONFERENCE
Q: What is active participation?
A: Active participants are undergraduate or graduate students who have performed research during their studies. Active participants submit their research in the form of a 300 word abstract by the fall deadline each year. The abstracts are reviewed by three RCSI reviewers and are ranked. The top abstracts are selected for oral presentation while the majority of abstracts are selected for poster presentation. There is no guarantee that your abstract will be accepted for presentation at the conference.
Click here to submit an abstract.
Q: Do I submit under the graduate or undergraduate categories for abstracts?
A: There are two categories of research that can be presented at ICHAMS i) an undergraduate category and ii) a graduate category.
i) Undergraduate Category: Research must have been completed during an undergraduate degree or as part of a professional degree including medicine, pharmacy, and physiotherapy. Research completed as part of a Masters degree or Ph.D. will not be accepted.
ii) Graduate Category: Research must have been completed as part of a Masters degree or Ph.D.
Q: What is the difference between poster and oral presentations"?
A: The top 10 abstracts submitted each year are invited to oral presentations. The remaining accepted abstracts are offered poster presentations. Please see our Poster and Oral Submission Guidelines for more details on the formatting of both of these presentations.
Q: What is passive participation?
A: Any student can enjoy the conference as a passive participant without submitting research. Passive participation costs €45 for in-person attendance. This gives you access to all conference events including keynote speakers, workshops and RCSI’s state-of-the-art simulation labs.
Q: What if I pay for active or passive participation but cannot attend the conference?
A: Unfortunately we cannot issue refunds for those who decide not to attend the conference.
Q: Will I receive a certificate of attendance for attending ICHAMS?
A: Yes. Certificates of attendance will be distributed at the registration table for delegates who have registered and paid for the conference.
Q: Where is the conference held?
A: ICHAMS 2025 will be an in-person conference, held at the Royal College of Surgeons, 123 St Stephens Green, Dublin 2, Ireland.
For more information on the RCSI, click here.
ABSTRACT SUBMISSION
Q: Do I submit under the graduate or undergraduate category?
A: Undergraduate research must have been completed during an undergraduate degree or as part of a professional degree including medicine, pharmacy, or physiotherapy. Research completed as part of a Masters degree or Ph.D. should be submitted under the graduate category. If you have any questions, just email ichamsresearch@rcsi.ie.
Q: What kind of research can I submit?
A: ICHAMS accepts original research, case reports, and systematic reviews. Literature reviews are NOT accepted.
Q: When will I hear if my abstract has been accepted?
A: Participants will be informed about abstract decisions before the end of December prior to the conference.
Q: What if my abstract is not accepted?
A. All applicants with an unsuccessful abstract submission will be invited to attend the conference as a passive participant at no added cost.
Q: Can I apply for an Invitation Letter for my Visa before I hear about my abstract?
A: This year we will be providing Visa Letters to students who require them to include with their visa application. Please send us an email at Ichamsit@rcsi.com if you require a visa letter. Visa invitation letters will be processed on completion and payment of registration fees. If your abstract is not accepted, you are still welcome to attend the conference as a passive participant.
Please go to our Visa page for more information.
Q: Can I present an abstract that has already been presented at another conference?
A: Yes, you may submit work that has already been presented at another conference. However, in compliance with copyright regulations you may not publish the same abstract more than once. Therefore, if you have already published your abstract in any journal you can present at ICHAMS but cannot sign the waiver for publication in the BMC Proceedings.
Q: Is there a template to help me format my abstract?
A: Yes, please review our “abstract submission guidelines” page for more information.
Q: Can I submit more than one abstract?
A: Yes, you may submit as many abstracts as you wish. All abstracts must confirm to the standards set out in the submission guidelines.
Q: My supervisor is not aware that I am submitting my abstract to ICHAMS – can I still submit?
A: No, as this is an undergraduate research conference all abstracts must be reviewed by your supervisor and the supervisor must be listed as a co-author.
Q: I have already submitted my abstract, however I have recently received new results that change the outcome of my abstract – can these changes now be made?
A: No, once an abstract has been accepted no further changes can be made. If accepted for oral or poster presentations, you may supplement your results with new data obtained since abstract submission. However, these changes will not be published in the BMC Proceedings (i.e. only the originally submitted abstract is published).
Q: I have more abstract authors than there is room for in the submission form – how do I add them all?
A: If you have more than 10 authors please send an email to ichamsresearch@rcsi.ie with your full name and the full title of your abstract. Please provide a list of all authors including first name, middle initial (if necessary), surname, and affiliation). Please mark the most senior author as the corresponding author.
Q: My co-author and I would like to present at ICHAMS - is this possible and how do I submit my abstract?
A: If you and a co-author would like to present at ICHAMS, groups are limited to 2 students per abstract submission. The main presenter is required to pay the full abstract submission fee, and the co-presenter will additionally be charged 55 Euros.
Q: Who is the corresponding author?
A: The corresponding author is the most senior author of your abstract, commonly your supervisor. If you choose to submit your abstract for publication in the BMC Proceedings, the corresponding author will be listed in the publication. Please note that all correspondence regarding the conference itself will be directed at the Lead Author. The corresponding author designation is strictly used for abstract publication.
Q: Will my abstract be published if I submit it to ICHAMS?
A: All abstracts accepted for oral or poster presentations that have not been published previously can be published in the BMC Proceedings. During registration at the conference, you will be provided with a publication waiver. This waiver must be signed in order for the abstract to proceed to publication. If you do not attend the conference or do not sign the waiver, your abstract will not be published.
Q: What if I do not want my abstract published?
A: If you do not sign the publication waiver on the day you register for the conference during the conference weekend, your abstract will not be published.
RCSI STUDENTS
Q: Can I submit an abstract that has been or will be published as a full article in the RCSI Student Medical Journal (SMJ)?
A: Yes, you can present your research at ICHAMS that was published in SMJ, however, you cannot publish your ICHAMS abstract in BMC proceedings, as it has already been published.
Q: Can I present my abstract at ICHAMS and at the RCSI Research Summer School Research Day?
A: Yes, please ensure that you check with your supervisor regarding publication of your abstract with ICHAMS.