INTRODUCTION

The WFC-NCMIC Louis Sportelli Research Awards are a prestigious recognition of excellence in chiropractic research. In 2025, the 18^th World Federation of Chiropractic (WFC) Biennial Congress will take place May 7-10 in Copenhagen, Denmark.

These awards celebrate innovative and impactful contributions to the field, offering researchers a unique opportunity to showcase their work on an international stage. With $25,500 in prize money available, the competition aims to support cutting-edge research that advances the science and practice of chiropractic.

Through these awards, the WFC and NCMIC emphasize the importance of high-quality, peer-reviewed research, fostering growth and recognition for both emerging and established researchers. All accepted abstracts at the 2025 Congress are eligible for consideration, ensuring a diverse range of topics and insights from across the global chiropractic community. By rewarding groundbreaking research, the WFC-NCMIC Louis Sportelli Research Awards inspire continued innovation and help shape the future of chiropractic care.

We invite all eligible participants to submit their work by March 15, 2025, and compete for these esteemed prizes, contributing to the advancement of scientific endeavor in chiropractic while gaining international recognition for their research efforts.

QUALIFYING ABSTRACTS

Researchers whose abstracts are accepted for presentation at the 18th World Federation of Chiropractic (WFC) Biennial Congress qualify to submit their work for the WFC-NCMIC Louis Sportelli Research Awards.

COMPETITION REQUIREMENTS (Submissions due March 15, 2025)

1. Eligible Abstracts:
   • Only abstracts that have been officially accepted by the 2025 WFC Biennial Congress can participate in the WFC-NCMIC Louis Sportelli Research Awards competition.
   • The abstracts submitted must be completely original and not published or submitted to any journal by the date of the Congress. Any abstract that has already been sent to a journal for review or has been published anywhere is not eligible for this competition.

• The corresponding author must confirm that all co-authors have been informed and consent to the submission of the paper to this competition.
• All submissions will be considered for all awards; however, only new investigators may win the new investigator award.

2. Publication of Research:

• • Prize winning authors are free to publish their research in any journal of their choice, but it is a requirement of the competition that the journal must be indexed in PubMed. This ensures the work is recognized and accessible in a credible, peer-reviewed journal.

3. Acknowledging the Award:

• • • A statement acknowledging the award in the final version of the published paper is required to qualify for receipt of prize monies.
    • This can appear in various locations:
      • In the header of the paper, or
      • On the first or last page of the article, or
      • In the acknowledgements section
    • The placement is flexible but inclusion is mandatory to qualify for the receipt of prize monies.

4. Payment of Prize Money:

• • Prize money will be distributed once all competition requirements have been met and the prize-winning paper achieves “in press” status. This means that the paper is in its final form – where the proof has been corrected and approved for publication – even if it has not yet been assigned to a specific journal issue.
  • Proof of corrected proof or publication status must be submitted in order to claim the prize.

RESEARCH PRIZE CATEGORIES

1. Scott Haldeman Award for Outstanding Research (value US$10,000)

• Eligibility: Any abstract accepted by the 2025 WFC Biennial Congress is automatically eligible for this award.
• Criteria: The prize will be awarded to one outstanding research submission that demonstrates the highest level of scientific merit, innovation, and potential impact on the chiropractic field.
• Publication: Winners of these awards can choose to publish their work in any PubMed indexed journal.

2. NCMIC-JMPT Research Awards (two awards, each valued at US$6,250)

• Eligibility: Any abstract accepted by the 2025 WFC Biennial Congress is automatically eligible for this award.
• Criteria: These two prizes will be awarded to research submission that demonstrate high levels of scientific merit, innovation, and potential impact on the chiropractic field.
• Publication: Winners of these awards can choose to publish their work in any PubMed indexed journal.
  1. If the authors choose to publish their prize-winning in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics (JMPT), their paper will be designated as free access (valued at US$3000), meaning that the full text may be accessed and read without a subscription or paywall.
  2. This free-access feature adds significant value to the winners who choose this journal.

3. NCMIC New Investigator Award (value US$3000)

• Eligibility: This award is specifically for New Investigators, early-career researchers who meet the following criteria:
  • The first author of the paper must either be:
    • Actively enrolled in a master’s or PhD (or equivalent) program, or
    • Within three years of completing either a Master’s or PhD degree.
  • Proof of eligibility: Entrants to the New Investigator Award must provide documentary evidence to confirm their status as a New Investigator. This includes proof of enrollment on a Master’s or PhD (or equivalent) program or evidence that the qualifying degree has been completed within three years prior to May 7, 2025. Proof must be submitted via the award submission website.
  • Research Leadership Requirement:
    • To qualify for the New Investigator Award, the research project must have been primarily led by the New Investigator (i.e., the first-named author on the paper and the presenter of the abstract).
    • Additional documentation will be required to demonstrate that the New Investigator played the lead role in conceptualizing, conducting and directing the research.

SUMMARY OF KEY POINTS

• Eligibility: Only abstracts accepted by the 18th World Federation of Chiropractic Biennial Congress, that have not been submitted to a journal and are unpublished before the date of the Congress, qualify to enter the competition.
• Publishing: Winners are free to publish in any PubMed-indexed journal but must acknowledge the award in the final published paper.
• Prizes:
  • Scott Haldeman Award for Outstanding Research: US$10,000
  • Two NCMIC-JMPT Research Awards: US$6,250 each
  • NCMIC New Investigator Award: US$3,000
• Payment: Prize monies will be transferred after all requirements are met, and the paper has “in press” status or is published.

In respect of all awards, the decision of the judges will be final and cannot be subject to appeal. The WFC and NCMIC take no responsibility for any disputes arising from the competition results, publication decisions, or any other matters related to the awards.