The  abstract submission window for 2021 is now closed.

Award Categories:
The Free Communications Committee and NATA Foundation Board of Directors have approved new award categories for the Free Communications submissions.  The new categories will include 5 types of awards across the research spectrum, which will all be presented as Oral Presentations.
Free Communications Awards Scoring Rubric

1. Pre-Professional/Professional Student – Individuals eligible for this award would be undergraduate students or entry-level students who are pursuing education to become an athletic trainer (i.e., pre-ATC credential).
2. Post-Professional Advanced Clinical Track Student – Individuals eligible for this award would already have their athletic training credential but are still a student pursuing further education for the goal of becoming an advanced clinician and includes advanced master’s degree and residents.
3. Post-Professional Terminal Degree Student – Individuals eligible for this award would already have their athletic training credential but are still a student pursuing further education in a terminal degree (e.g, DAT, PhD, EdD, DHSc/DHS, ScD/DSc, DHEd)
4. Early-Career– Individuals eligible for this award would be working in their current position and have < 7 years of experience since being a student, including postdoctoral fellows, faculty, staff, other.
5. Established Career – Individuals eligible for this award would be working in their current position and have at least 7 years of experience since being a student, including: faculty, staff, other.

NEW! Poster Tours:
Poster tours will be a new addition to the 2021 Free Communications Program. The Free Communications Committee will select 4 experts to host four separate 1-hour tours focused on hot topics. Tours will include 8 to 12 posters. Each tour will be limited to 20 attendees.

Student Exchange Program Announcement:
To align with the Free Communication Committee’s mission and the NATA Foundation’s strategic priorities, the Free Communications Committee has voted to eliminate the Student Exchange Program. Students can still present their research during the NATA convention through the Free Communications Program by submitting their abstract through the peer-review track. Every abstract submitted to the Free Communications Program is reviewed by the committee, allowing the committee to better advance its mission to the “discovery, dissemination and application of scientific knowledge in athletic training domains through written and oral forum.” Students are encouraged to submit through the peer-review track of the Free Communications Program