Submission deadline was Wednesday, 14 January 2026
Submitted abstracts will be considered for either an oral presentation or a poster presentation.
Abstracts are submitted under one of the five SMDM Scientific Areas of Interest:
- Decision Psychology and Shared Decision Making;
- Applied Health Economics;
- Health Services, Outcomes, and Policy Research;
- Quantitative Methods and Theoretical Developments; and
- Patient and Stakeholder Preferences and Engagement
Oral Abstracts are organized around common themes and presented from a podium in 15-minute blocks, including audience Q&A. The Annual Meeting typically features 80 – 90 oral presentations in no more than 4 concurrent sessions of up to 6 abstracts per session.
Poster Abstracts are presented in sessions of 50 – 70 posters each, with presenters assigned to specific sessions where they will be available to discuss their work. This poster format allows the author to delve into and discuss the specifics of an abstract in one-on-one and small group conversations with other meeting attendees. The Annual Meeting typically offers 200 – 240 poster abstracts.
The Lee B. Lusted Student Prizes are awarded for outstanding student posters at the Annual Meeting. The competition is named after Dr. Lee B. Lusted, a leader in advancing medical decision making as a field, founding member of the Society in 1979, and the first editor of the Journal of Medical Decision Making. Two awards are given in each of the five SMDM Scientific Areas of Interest. To be eligible for the Lusted Student Prize Competition, the first author on the abstract must be enrolled in a degree granting program, a resident/fellow in a clinical training program, or postdoctoral research fellow at the time of abstract submission.
Beginning in 2026, SMDM is asking every person who submits an abstract to assist with peer review. Visit our reviewers page for more information!