medical essay competition 2021

Medical Student Essay Award

Description.

Created to honor outstanding academic promise

Tips for Nominations

Submission by student to annual essay contest

Award Benefits for 2024 Award

• Complimentary registration for 2024 AAP Annual Meeting
• Up to $1,000 reimbursement for 2024 Annual Meeting-related travel and meal expenses
• Essay presented as e-poster at 2024 Annual Meeting

2023 1st Place: Brian R. Smith, Stanford University 2nd Place: Isabel Draper, Baylor College of Medicine 3rd Place: Serra Sozen, University of Vermont College of Medicine

2022 1st Place: William Thomas (Tommy) Baumel, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine 2nd Place: Eun Jin (Gloria) Yu, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA 3rd Place: Brittany Perry, University of South Florida College of Medicine

2021 1st Place: Sahana Nazeer, Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine 2nd Place: Chloe Malava, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth College 3rd Place: Mollie Marr, Oregon Health Sciences University 4th Place: Edward Tie, The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University

2020 1st Place: Jeff Jin, McGovern Medical School 2nd Place: Nicole Hadler, University of Michigan Medical School 3rd Place: David Jevotovsky, NYU Grossman School of Medicine

2019 Alan Elbaum, University of California - San Francisco

Your award includes complimentary registration for the AAP Annual Meeting, and up to $1,000 reimbursement for meeting-related travel and meal expenses.

The theme is: The Art of Communication in Psychiatry: Connecting with the Patient.

SUBMISSIONS FOR THE 2024 MEDICAL STUDENT ESSAY CONTEST ARE NOW OPEN.

Submission Requirements The contest is open to any student who is both currently enrolled in an accredited medical school (US, Canada, or anywhere in the world) and will be enrolled at the time of the Annual Meeting September 11 - 14, 2024. The work must be an original unpublished essay of 1,000 words or less . Due to an overwhelming response, ONLY ONE SUBMISSION PER STUDENT WILL BE ACCEPTED.

The top essay may be considered for publication in the Academic Psychiatry Journal in "The Learners' Voice" section. Essay winner does not guarantee publication in the Academic Psychiatry Journal . Please review the publication criteria when writing your essay here . Refer to MANUSCRIPT TYPE & GUIDELINES #8 The Learners' Voice.

Essays should be submitted electronically through the JOYN Awards Portal by clicking the link below. Please include a cover page with the following information:

• Student’s Name
• Name of Medical School where enrolled, year in school
• Mailing Address, Phone Number, Email Address

Selection Criteria

Judges will be blinded to the participant and affiliated medical school. Judging will be based on originality, uniqueness, flow of thought, and appropriateness to the theme.

Thank you for your interest. 

The AAP Abstract and Award Submission Portal for the 2024 Medical Student Essay ARE NOW OPEN. Click here to access the portal.

DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSIONS: JUNE 1, 2024

For QUESTIONS ONLY, contact James Haliburton, MD, Medical Student Essay Subcommittee Chair, at [email protected] . All essay submissions must be made through the Award portal.

Dr. Hope Babette Tang Humanism in Healthcare Essay Contest

• Eligibility, Selection Criteria, and Process
• Past Winners
• Essay Reviewers

2021 Essay Contest Winners

The Hope Babette Tang Humanism in Healthcare Essay Contest asks medical and nursing students to engage in a reflective writing exercise that illustrates an experience where they or a healthcare team member worked to ensure that humanism was at the core of care.

For the 2021 Hope Babette Tang Humanism in Healthcare Essay Contest, medical and nursing students were asked to use the following quote as inspiration to reflect on when they’ve experienced or observed, as an individual or as a team (doctors, nurses, therapists, etc.), the impact of human connection:

“We’ll observe how the burdens braved by humankind Are also the moments that make us humans kind; Let each morning find us courageous, brought closer; Heeding the light before the fight is over. When this ends, we’ll smile sweetly, finally seeing In testing times, we became the best of beings.”

–  Excerpt from “The Miracle of Morning,” by Amanda Gorman

2021 Medical Student Winners

First Place | “Dear Reader” Ross Perry University of California, Davis School of Medicine Read the essay in Academic Medicine

Second Place | “Motherhouse” Davy Ran University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry Read the essay in Academic Medicine

Third Place | “Someone Else’s Mother” Fletcher Bell Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons Read the essay in Academic Medicine

2021 Nursing Student Winners

First Place | “New Constellations” Hunter Marshall University of New Mexico College of Nursing Read the essay in Academic Medicine

Second Place | “Nurses Encounter Diversity” Anna Swartzlander University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Nursing Read the essay in Academic Medicine

Third Place | “Empty Beds” Jessica Grey University of Massachusetts, Amherst College of Nursing Read the essay in Academic Medicine

2021 Honorable Mentions

• Rebekah Boyd, fourth year, Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians & Surgeons, “Bound Together”
• Michaele Francesco Corbisiero, second year, University of Colorado School of Medicine, “Through the Partition: Medical Care in Detention Centers”
• Levi Brice Edouna Obama, fourth year, The George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, “Vox”
• Benjamin Elliott, second year, Kentucky College of Osteopathic Medicine at the University of Pikeville, “Cerumen and Cisplatin”
• Kristopher Jackson, nurse practitioner and PhD candidate, University of New Mexico School of Nursing, “Empathy and Expletives”
• Jenna Nowlin, second-year master’s student, Regis College, Young School of Nursing, “Untitled”
• Bharat Sanders, fourth year, Medical College of Georgia, “Taking Back Our Empathy:
• Reflections on a New Model of Medical Education”
• Yichi Zhang, Tulane University School of Medicine, “Smile”
• Brian Zhao, third year, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, “Untitled”
• Eleanor Wade, fourth year, Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences, “Nightshift”

2021 Reviewers

• Student Portal
• Teacher Portal

Medic Mentor is Part of Mentorverse ltd

Co. No: 15364722 VAT Reg: 456648553

01530 417 299

MENTOR HELPLINE

General Enquiries

Get INVOLVED IN Medic Mentor's

National essay & art competitions.

Prepare to unleash your creativity and make a lasting impression in the medical world. We invite you to take part in the highly esteemed national medical essay and art competitions, held four times a year. This is your chance to showcase your unique talents, whether through captivating essays or awe-inspiring artworks. As a winner, your outstanding work will be published in the national Mentor Magazine, reaching a wide audience of prospective healthcare students across the UK. Imagine the impact of seeing your name in print, alongside other talented individuals, as your ideas and artwork inspire others on their medical journey. Participating in these competitions not only allows you to express your creativity but also provides a platform for personal growth, skill development, and increased confidence.

Join Medic Mentor For Free and start your journey!

Why is it important to participate in medical competitions.

By securing a prize in these competitions, you showcase a range of desirable qualities that are highly sought after in the medical field. Firstly, it demonstrates your ability to think critically and articulate complex ideas effectively, whether through a well-crafted essay or an impactful piece of artwork. Medical schools recognise the value of participating in extracurricular activities that go beyond academic requirements, and these competitions exemplify your passion for medicine and your commitment to personal and professional growth.

Winning a prize in these competitions highlights your dedication to research, innovation, and staying abreast of the latest developments in healthcare. It showcases your willingness to go the extra mile, delve deeper into medical topics, and contribute meaningful insights to the field. This ability to engage in research and critical analysis is an essential skill for doctors, as they are constantly challenged with solving complex medical issues and staying updated with the latest advancements.

Moreover, the recognition and publication of your work in the esteemed Mentor Magazine provide invaluable exposure and credibility. It demonstrates that your ideas and artistic creations have been acknowledged by experts in the medical community, establishing you as a promising candidate in the eyes of medical school admissions committees. These achievements speak volumes about your potential as a future doctor and your ability to make a lasting impact in the field.

Medical Essay Competition!

We are thrilled to announce our current essay competition, centered around thought-provoking topics that are shaping the landscape of modern healthcare.

Theme : Skin Deep

Essay competition titles:

Medicine: Should aesthetic treatments and weight-loss medications be offered for free on the NHS?

Dental: To what extent is a straighter, whiter smile actually healthier?

Allied Health: What interventions should we prioritise to reduce the global incidence of skin cancer?

The deadline for submission is 1st May 2024 at 11:59pm, giving you ample time to craft a compelling essay that reflects your unique perspectives and critical insights. As a prospective doctor, dentist, veterinarian, or healthcare professional, this competition provides the perfect opportunity to enhance your reflective skills for your university application. It’s your chance to stand out and demonstrate your commitment to making a positive difference in the field of healthcare.

With a maximum word count of 1500 words, including the title and subheadings, you have the freedom to delve into your chosen topic with depth and clarity. Feel free to draw upon references to support your arguments, as we value evidence-based insights. Remember, the use of personal experiences and your own thoughts is encouraged, as it adds a unique dimension to your essay.

Our expert panel will be looking for essays that deliver a powerful message, offering critical insights into the chosen topic. We value creativity, originality, and a fresh perspective. By structuring your essay with clear paragraphs and utilising appropriate headings, you can effectively present your ideas and engage readers. Please use Calibri font size 12 for the main body of text, and feel free to experiment with larger font sizes for headings to make them stand out. And remember, your references are not a part of the 1500 word count.

We eagerly await your compelling essay submissions!

Medical Art Competition!

Get ready to showcase your creative flair and make a lasting impact through the National Artwork Competition. If you possess artistic talent and a passion for healthcare, this is the perfect opportunity for you to shine. Imagine having your artwork featured on the front page of our prestigious national wider reading magazine, reaching countless healthcare enthusiasts and professionals across the country. 

The theme for our upcoming issue is “Skin Deep, ” providing a fascinating and thought-provoking subject for you to explore and express through your artwork. We invite you to submit Artwork on ‘Skin Deep’ for June’s front cover. Whether you prefer paintbrushes, pencils, or digital mediums, let your creativity soar as you create an A4 masterpiece that resonates with the theme. We encourage you to unleash your imagination, captivate our judges, and leave a lasting impression.

Please do not submit AI art.

The deadline for submission is 1st May 2024 at 11:59pm, giving you ample time to channel your artistic vision and produce a piece that truly embodies the essence of the theme. Don’t forget to scan your artwork at the highest possible quality to ensure its full glory is captured.

Participating in this competition is a fantastic opportunity for applying students in any healthcare-related specialty. By entering, you not only have the chance to have your artwork featured on the front cover but also to appear on the back cover, receive a certificate of recognition, and have your work showcased on the Medic Mentor website and social media platforms. It’s an incredible way to gain exposure, build your portfolio, and connect with a wide audience of healthcare professionals and enthusiasts.

Meet The Editorial Team Who Were Once Successful Medic Mentor Applicants Just Like You!

We teach 50,000 students every year and our authenticity policy mandates us to abide by the GMC’s professional code of conduct: honesty, integrity, respect and politeness.   All photos and stories are of real people.   We will never engage with false or paid for reviews on third-party review platforms.  To learn more about our  authenticity policy click here.

Chris Geddie

Editor-in-chief.

Honor Kitson

Senior medical editor.

Scarlett Debbage

Senior dental editor, meet the whole editorial team, let's get that medical school, application sorted.

Medic Mentor is an all-in-one solution to your medical school application.  We bring only the best resources for tackling every single component of your medical school application to one place.  We are here to help you work efficiently, by balancing the UCAS application process alongside your school work and extracurricular activities.  One of the best ways to save you time is to direct you to the best advice and resources so that you do not have to waste time searching for them yourselves.

We know what you are going through, as doctors and medical students who were in your position!  By combining application knowledge, extracurricular opportunities, platforms to up-skill and boost confidence, it is not a surprise that Medic Mentor students are successful.  Will it be difficult? Yes, applying to medical school is not easy.  But through Medic Mentor it will be less stressful, and even fun.  Let’s get started!

Quick Application Guide to Medical School

Click on the links below to take you straight to the resources that you need help with.

• Entry Requirements (Grades)
• Work Experience
• Volunteering
• Extracurricular Opportunities
• Medicine Personal Statement
• Strategically Choosing 4 Medical Schools
• Medical School Interviews
• Scholarships to Study Medicine
• Reapplication: What to do if you don't get in

Get Expert Advice at the Get into Medicine University Conference

Our partners.

Making a huge impact on the medical profession...

• Privacy Policy
• Website T & C's
• Web Design by SO

• New Member Portal

CAI Student Medical Essay Competition 2021: Results

We are pleased to announce that this year’s winner of the CAI Medical Essay Competition is Conor Farrell (Trinity College Dublin, Year 3). The runners up are Robert Brodigan (RCSI, Year 4) and Isabelle Matthew (UCD, Year 4).

To access and read the winning essays on the topic of ‘Safety while we watch – What should a Patient Safety Culture in Anaesthesiology look like?’ please click below:

Conor Farrell – Essay [pdf]

Robert Brodigan – Essay [pdf]

Isabelle Matthew – Essay [pdf]

The standard of submissions this year was extremely high and incredibly there were over 37 excellent essay submissions. We thank all candidates for their interest in Anaesthesiology and we wish them all the best for their future careers.

RELATED POSTS

Aspire fellowship: clinical leadership and medical education, dr dermot phelan honoured by his alma mater..

World Hand Hygiene Day – Sunday May 5th 2024

Practitioner Health Dr Aiden Meade Annual Award 2024

Fellowship in pain medicine mcq - 28th april 2021, final fcai clinical / soe exam online-20 april, 2021, privacy overview.

You are using an outdated browser. Please upgrade your browser or activate Google Chrome Frame to improve your experience.

• Discover pathology
• Competitions

Essay competitions

The College’s two annual essay prizes offer undergraduates and Foundation doctors the chance to take an in-depth look at a particular aspect of pathology through a written piece. This year's essay questions centre around the impact of climate change on health, disease and pathology. 

Prize winners will be awarded £250, will have their essay published on our website and in the College magazine,  The Bulletin , and will be presented with a certificate at an RCPath event.

The Hugh Platt Foundation Essay Prize

The Hugh Platt Foundation Essay Prize is now closed and will re-open in 2025.

Foundation Doctors with an aspiration to specialise in pathology are encouraged to take part in the Hugh Platt Foundation Essay Prize. This competition offers the chance to explore how pathology makes a difference to patients, as well as a unique opportunity to boost your CV ahead of applying for your specialty training. 

The competition is posthumously named after Dr Hugh Platt, an RCPath Fellow who contributed a huge amount to the work of the College, and to the support of postgraduate medical training in pathology disciplines. 

Subject for 2024

The essay subject for this year is  ‘Today's greatest global challenges and health threats are the result of human activity affecting the natural environment. Discuss, with examples relevant to pathology specialties.'  

Further information about the competition

• The Hugh Platt Foundation Essay Prize will run annually and is open to Foundation doctors in their first two years of postgraduate medical training
• The Hugh Platt Foundation Essay Prize 2024 opens on 18 January 2024  and closes at 23.59 GMT on 8 May 2024
• The essay has to be no more than 1,000 words, excluding references and bibliography.
• A prize of £250 will be awarded to the winning entrant, as well as having their essay published on our website and in the College magazine, The Bulletin .
• Full details, including essay specifications and format, are in the Terms and Conditions document, which can be found below.

Hugh Platt Foundation Essay Prize 2024 Terms and Conditions

January 2024

How to enter

Submit your essay in either Microsoft Word (doc, docx) format or PDF format and email it to [email protected] and include subject line 'Foundation Essay Prize 2024'. Please download the front cover below and use it to submit your essay; keep all other pages of your essay anonymous (free of any personal information). The front page will be removed before essays go to the judging panel. Please note that we are only accepting online submissions. Further information is in the Terms and Conditions document below.  

huFoundation Essay Prize documents

Hugh-platt-foundation-essay-prize-front-page-2024,   the paola domizio undergraduate essay prize.

If you are passionate about pathology or are an aspiring pathologist studying any related undergraduate course, the Paola Domizio Undergraduate Essay Prize is your opportunity to demonstrate your enthusiasm and explore a fascinating subject through writing. 

The competition is posthumously named after Professor Paola Domizio, an RCPath Fellow who contributed a huge amount to the work of the College, and to pathology education.

Question for 2024

The essay question for this year’s prize is ‘Climate change presents a fundamental threat to human wellbeing. Discuss how it impacts health, disease and pathology.’

• The Paola Domizio Essay Prize will run annually and is open to undergraduates studying medicine, biomedical science, veterinary medicine or dentistry.
• The Paola Domizio Essay Prize 2024 opens on  18 January  and closes at 23.59 GMT on 8 April 2024

Paola-Domizio-Undergraduate-Essay-Prize-2024-Terms-and-Conditions

Paola-domizio-undergraduate-essay-prize-front-page-2024, previous prize winners, 2023 winners, hugh platt foundation essay prize 2023 winner - sally ashton.

Congratulations to Dr Sally Ashton for winning the Hugh Platt Foundation Essay Prize 2023. The essay subject for this year was   'How do you think pathologists will shape healthcare over the next 75 years?'. Download and read Sally's winning essay above. 

How do you feel about winning this year’s Hugh Platt Foundation Essay Prize?  I’m delighted! It was a lovely surprise to receive the news.

Why did you enter this essay competition?  During my foundation year, I have begun to discover the breadth of pathology and the essay question offered an ideal opportunity to further explore this area.

What is the name of your Foundation training programme?  I’m currently at the end of my F1 year in Wales. My rotations were respiratory, geriatrics and general surgery. Throughout the year, I have also spent one day a week in histopathology as part of a LIFT programme (Longitudinal Integrated Foundation Training).

What do you hope to do in the future?  I’m really drawn to dermatology and also enjoy aspects of histopathology and infectious diseases.

What do you like about pathology?  It is such a wide-reaching, ever-evolving specialty that underpins so much of what we do in medicine and surgery. A lot of innovation arises from improving our understanding of pathology.

What would you say to students who are considering entering this competition?  You might be surprised when researching the essay question by some of the interesting concepts you encounter.

Paola Domizio Undergraduate Essay Prize 2023 winner - Sam Parsons

Congratulations to Sam Parsons for winning the Paola Domizio Undergraduate Essay Prize 2023. The essay question for this year’s prize was  ' When the NHS was introduced, it was said that it would care for people ‘from the cradle to the grave’. 75 years later, how does this apply to pathology?'. Download and read Sam's winning essay above. 

How do you feel about winning this year’s Paola Domizio Undergraduate Essay Prize? I am thrilled and honoured to have won this year’s Paola Domizio Undergraduate Essay Prize. It’s a wonderful feeling to have my work recognised, and I am grateful to the judges for selecting my essay.

Why did you enter this essay competition? Entering this essay competition was a natural choice for me. This year’s topic provided a fascinating opportunity to explore my thoughts on pathology and expand my knowledge. As someone aspiring to pursue pathology, I saw this competition as a chance to showcase my passion for the subject.

What course and year are you currently studying and at which university? I recently graduated from Swansea University Medical School and I'm excited to begin a Cambridge Specialised Foundation Programme rotation, with a particular focus on research.

What do you hope to do in the future? In the future, my aspiration is toward continuous intellectual growth and exploration, with an inclination towards furthering my knowledge within the field of pathology. I am enthusiastic about contributing to the advancement of medical and scientific understanding.

What do you like about pathology? Pathology, to me, represents the epitome of scientific inquiry in medicine. Its etymological roots are the study of disease, and that aspect captivated me from the beginning. The pursuit of understanding and unravelling the underlying causes of disease is not simply fundamental to clinical medicine but is inherently fascinating.

What would you say to students who are considering entering this competition? To all the students contemplating entering this competition, I would say that while medical school can be demanding, don’t let the challenges deter you from pursuing your passions. If you have a genuine interest in pathology, or any subject, seize the opportunity to try and showcase your dedication and talent. Putting in that extra effort can be immensely rewarding.

2022 essay prize winners

Paola domizio undergraduate essay prize 2022 winner: anamay shetty, paola domizio undergraduate essay prize 2022 winner - anamay shetty.

Congratulations to Anamay Shetty for winning the Paola Domizio Undergraduate Essay Prize 2022. The essay question for this year’s prize was   'Which one scientific discovery or pathologist has had the most significant impact on medicine/pathology in the last 60 years?' . Download and read Anamay's winning essay above. 

Anamay is a final year medical student at the University of Cambridge, who will be going on to do his foundation training in Aylesbury and Oxford.

How do you feel about winning this year’s Paola Domizio Undergraduate Essay Prize? 

I am very glad that the judges enjoyed my submission as much as I enjoyed writing it!

Why did you enter this essay competition?

I heard about this competition from my medical school, and I enjoy writing about medicine, so I thought it was a good fit. The prize money would also go a (small) way to offset the costs from frequent trips home to see my family and London to see my friends!

What course and year are you currently studying and at which university? 

I am a final year medical student at the University of Cambridge, going on to foundation training in Aylesbury and Oxford.

What do you hope to do in the future? 

I don’t know what I want to do yet – I have heard pathology is a good speciality choice.

What do you like about pathology?  

I like pathology because pathology is modern medicine. Prior to pathology developing as a field in the late 19th century, we had made some progress in understanding the body (anatomy, the beginnings of physiology and infectious disease transmission, some bioactive compounds) but we were stuck without a correct theory of how these integrated together. The development of a theoretical base (germ theory, genetic basis of cancer) and the tools (microscopy, IHC, PCR) from pathology meant we could rationally investigate disease and develop treatments which we associate with medicine today.

What would you say to students who are considering entering this competition? 

You should apply for this competition! It is hard to find time to think about medicine broadly in medical school, so it is a great opportunity to write essays like this.

Hugh Platt Foundation Essay Prize 2022 winner - Saumya Singh

Congratulations to Dr Saumya Singh for winning the Hugh Platt Foundation Essay Prize 2022. The essay subject for this year was 'How has pathology changed in the last 60 years?'. Download and read Saumya's winning essay above. 

Saumya is a Foundation Doctor at the Essex, Bedfordshire, and Hertfordshire Foundation School.

How do you feel about winning this year’s Hugh Platt Foundation Essay Prize?

I am delighted to have won this year’s Foundation prize. I found this year’s question challenging but highly enjoyable. It was not easy trying to summarise sixty years of amazing advancement in pathology into 1000 words! I am pleased my entry was chosen by the judges.

I am at the stage of my career where I am exploring what to do after my Foundation training is complete. I enjoyed learning pathology at medical school and so I entered the competition to explore more about pathology as a field of work. This year’s question was broad and intrigued me.

What do you hope to do in the future?

I am keeping an open mind about my future career. I hope to complete Internal Medical Training as a first step and have been exploring Infectious Disease & Medical Microbiology by doing a taster week in the specialty.

What do you like about pathology?

I always enjoyed pathology at medical school. Pathology reveals the amazing intricacies of the body and its interactions with the outside world. I find the science fascinating and appreciate how an understanding of pathology aids clinical decision making and communication with patients about what is happening to them and why.

What would you say to students who are considering entering this competition?

I would encourage fellow Foundation Doctors to go for it and enter this competition! There is nothing to lose by entering. I learned a lot about pathology by participating and it was a fun challenge to work on.

2021 essay prize winners

Hugh platt foundation essay prize 2021 winner: maeve mclaughlin, hugh platt foundation essay prize 2021 winner - maeve mclaughlin.

Congratulations to Maeve McLaughlin for winning the Hugh Platt Foundation Essay Prize 2021. Download and read Maeve's winning essay above.  Maeve is currently in her second year of training at the Severn Foundation School. 

I am delighted, I really enjoyed learning about the subject and found it extremely relevant in the current climate.

The title grabbed me - the world is talking about testing strategies to manage COVID-19 and I wanted an opportunity to educate myself further on the current testing methods, and the future ones we are working towards.

I am hoping to specialise in Intensive Care. I worked there as my first foundation job and enjoyed it a lot. Understanding the underlying pathology helped me come to terms with the complex conditions the patients presented with. I was also redeployed there during the first wave of the pandemic. 

I always enjoyed pathology at medical school, I felt it was the bridge to making sense of disease processes. I feel a good understanding of pathology translates into better clinical practice and improves communication with patients. 

Go for it! It is a great way to learn more about a topic that you are interested in. 

Paola Domizio Undergraduate Essay Prize 2020 winner: Rebecca Sarsam

Paola domizio undergraduate essay prize 2021 winner - rebecca sarsam.

Congratulations to Rebecca Sarsam for winning the Paola Domizio Undergraduate Essay Prize 2021. Download and read Rebecca's winning essay above. 

Rebecca is studying medicine at King’s College London and currently undertaking an intercalated MSc in Immunology of Infectious Diseases at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. She will be returning to the fourth year of her medical degree in August.

Pretty great! It was a bit of a surprise, but a very pleasant one.

The question was a very interesting one, given the events of the last two years, and the competition was a good way to practice essay-writing skills and explore areas of pathology that were only touched upon in my medical course, such as the roles of virologists and immunologists.

I'm not totally sure yet. I've really enjoyed studying Immunology during my intercalation so Clinical Immunology sounds like a good specialty, but I also find Haematology very interesting, and there are still many specialties that I haven't had much exposure to yet.

What do you like about pathology? 

I like how the links are made between a disease process and the symptoms suffered by patients, and how understanding the aetiology of a disease can lead to discovery of  effective treatments.

Go for it! It's an excellent opportunity to delve deeper into an area of pathology that interests you and also to hone your writing skills.

2020 essay prize winners

Hugh platt foundation essay prize 2020 winner: chuer zhang, hugh platt foundation essay prize 2020 - winning essay by chuer zhang.

November 2020

Congratulations to Chuer Zhang for winning the Hugh Platt Foundation Essay Prize 2020. Download and read Chuer's winning essay above. 

Chuer is a FY2 trainee at   Northern Ireland Foundation School and is looking to make an application for histopathology training.

Very ecstatic! I’m so honoured that the panel liked my essay, and to have the chance to have my experience read by more people.

I came across this competition when I was exploring applying to pathology. The title “Tiny test, huge impact” immediately caught my attention. As detailed in my essay, I have had a lot of personal experience of how a pathology result can change a patient’s course of treatment and ultimately affect their lives and their wider social circle.

The variety it offers – it forms the basis of such a wide range of other specialties. Also, it allows further exploration and understanding of the mechanism of health and disease which I find fascinating.

Definitely give it a go! It makes you reflect on your experience more, and appreciate the role pathology plays in the course of a patient’s treatment despite often being in the background.

Paola Domizio Undergraduate Essay Prize 2020 winner: Harry Adams

Paola domizio undergraduate essay prize 2020 - winning essay by harry adams.

September 2020

Congratulations to Harry Adams for winning the Paola Domizio Undergraduate Essay Prize 2020. Download and read Harry's winning essay above. 

Harry is a final year medicine undergraduate at Newcastle University. We found out what motivated him to enter this year's competition. 

How do you feel about winning this year’s Paola Domizio Undergraduate Essay Prize?   

I am absolutely thrilled! It has come as a real surprise to me and I am so excited by it. 

Why did you enter this essay competition?  

Due to the lockdown imposed in response to COVID-19, I was unable to complete my immunology research project, which was the final part of my MRes intercalation. Entering this essay competition allowed me to continue developing my writing and research skills, in a topic that interested me.  

What do you like about pathology?  

I like the idea of how through understanding fundamental disease processes, a pathologist pieces together clinical and laboratory findings to arrive at a diagnosis, ultimately helping to understand the presentations of different patients and guide treatment.

What do you hope to do in the future?  

I am still undecided! I loved learning more about immunology over the last year and am torn between the academic and clinical approaches to medicine. 

What would you say to students who are considering entering this competition?  

Give it a go! It is a great opportunity to practice essay writing skills and appreciate topics not usually taught at university.  

2019 essay prize winners

Hugh platt foundation essay prize 2019 winner: keir edwards, hugh platt foundation essay prize 2019 - winning essay by keir edwards.

October 2019

Congratulations to Keir Edwards for winning the Hugh Platt Foundation Essay Prize 2019. Download and read Keir's winning essay above. 

Keir is currently in his second year of Foundation training at Poole NHS Foundation Trust and is hoping to enter speciality training in histopathology. We found out what motivated him to submit his essay. 

Why did you decide to enter the competition? 

During my FY2 jobs in haematology and microbiology I became interested in how we can better explain pathology results to patients. I wanted to explore this further in the essay.

The huge variety it offers; being at the intersection of science and clinical medicine; the people - many things!

Paola Domizio Undergraduate Essay Prize 2019 Winner: Toal O'Connor

Paola domizio undergraduate essay prize 2019 - winning essay by toal o'connor.

Congratulations to Toal O'Connor for winning the Paola Domizio Undergraduate Essay Prize 2019. Download and read Toal's winning essay. 

Toal is a third year medical student training at Queen's University in Belfast.

It was suggested by the module co-ordinator of my student selected component [SSC] that I consider applying for the competition. Dr Kathleen Mulholland at Altnagelvin Hospital gave us a great introduction to pathology in the clinical setting. The topic also seemed very relevant. I'm a graduate entrant to medicine, previously qualifying as a pharmacist, and genomics will also have a big impact on how that profession works.

That's a difficult one! I'm definitely considering a career as a pathologist at the moment, but medicine's so vast that I'm just taking it one step at a time.

What do you like about pathology?  I find pathology very interesting as it's the foundation of understanding all disease processes in medicine. I also quite enjoy the interdisciplinary aspect of the role of a pathologist and the opportunity to specialise further within the field.

Student Essay Prize

YPHSIG Student Essay Prize 2022

The winner of the YPHSIG Student Essay prize 2022 is Barbara Chow, a fourth-year medical student at King’s College London with a keen interest in Paediatrics and critical care.

Her essay “ What impact can chronic illness have on adolescent development and how can adolescent development effect chronic illness?” impressed our panel of judges with its clearly presented ideas and consideration of the biopsychosocial model.

You can read her full essay below.

Congratulations also to runners up: Rebecca Nock (University of Sheffield) and Daniella Bae (Imperial College London) who both showed great insight in their reflections on young people's healthcare.

Read the winning essay prize for 2022

Medical Student Essay Prize 2022 Guidance and Regulations

Guidance and Regulations

1. Eligibility

1.1 The competition is open to all those currently enrolled at a UK Medical School at the time of submission.

1.1.1 Entrants must detail their medical school and course year in their submission email.

1.2 Entries are invited one of the following essay titles:

· What impact can chronic illness have on adolescent development and how can adolescent development effect chronic illness? (1500 words)

· Case study: the patient that changed my outlook on adolescent healthcare. (1500 words)

· what are the advantages and disadvantages of digital healthcare for adolescents (1500 words).

2. Essay submission

2.1 Candidates must nominate themselves for entry by submitting a short essay on the specified topic to the judging panel.

2.2 Entries must be made to the following email address: [email protected]

2.3 Only essays that are submitted via email, in Word format to the published email address will be accepted.

2.4 Entries in PDF format will not be accepted

2.5 The deadline for submission is 23.59 GMT on Monday 31 January 2022 . Submissions after this time will not be accepted.

2.6 Essays must be up to 1500 words . Entries over the word limit will not be accepted.

2.6.1 The word limit does not include the title or references.

2.6.2 References should be presented as footnotes and endnotes; references presented in alternative formats may be considered to be part of the limit.

3. Judges and judging criteria

3.1 Essays will marked by both senior members of YPHSIG and the YPHSIG student representatives.

3.2 The panel will mark essays against the following criteria:

Style of writing

Punctuation, spelling and grammar

Content/understanding

Originality

3.3 It is the entrant’s responsibility to ensure submission has been received by YPHSIG. The student representatives will email to confirm receipt of applications within 5 working days of submission.

3.4 The judge’s decision is final.

4. The Prize

4.1 The 1 st place winner will receive a prize of £100 and free entry to the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH) Annual Conference (28 th -30 th June 2022) in Liverpool. The winner will receive a certificate during the YPHSIG organised session at the conference. The winning essay will be published on the YPHSIG website.

4.1.1 The conference ticket itself is non-redeemable or exchangeable with no cash alternative. Individuals are expected to cover the cost of their own travel and accommodation during the conference.

4.2 The winners of 2 nd and 3 rd place will each receive a prize of £25 and a certificate by post.

Updated 23/11/21

YPHSIG Student Essay Prize 2021

The winner of the YPHSIG Student Essay prize 2021 is Rebecca Howitt, a third-year medical student at the University of Oxford.

Her essay “What improvements should be made to adolescent healthcare in the UK over the next decade and what steps could be taken to reduce socio-economic heath inequalities?” impressed our panel of judges with its ideas for increasing service accessibility and improving transition to adult services.

Congratulations also to runners up: Ishika Bansal (University College London) and Monica Mangoro (University of Nottingham) who both showed great insight in their reflections on young people's healthcare.

Winning essay 2021 (click to expand/collapse)

What improvements should be made to adolescent healthcare in the uk over the next decade and what steps could be taken to reduce socio-economic health inequalities, introduction.

Adolescents form a unique group within healthcare as they transition from children to adults. It is a time where behaviour shifts towards risk-taking, many individuals become sexually active and habits which have long-term health implications such as drinking and smoking begin . Moreover, it is a time period associated with a steep increase in depression and anxiety diagnoses. Therefore, ensuring adolescents can easily access healthcare, particularly sexual health clinics and mental health support, is vital for the wellbeing of this age-group. Additionally, ameliorating the transition from adolescent to adult services and the shift to self-management of conditions, is crucial to preserving the future health of young people. Such improvements over the next decade can be achieved through a variety of ways but given the growing awareness of socioeconomic health inequality in this age-group, ensuring such changes target these disparities, rather than heightening them, is crucial to improve health outcomes for all adolescents.

Community-Based Healthcare

A key change to improve adolescent healthcare over the next decade would be to make it easier for adolescents to access primary care services. One way to achieve this would be to run clinics within schools or colleges so adolescents can receive care in a safe setting, but in the absence of their parents from whom they may not wish to disclose their health concerns. These could be generic GP or nurse clinics, or those with specific foci such as reproductive health. Given that under-18 conception rates in the poorest areas of England and Wales are over double those of the richest areas , making it easier for young people to access contraception at school could help tackle this health inequality, and pilot schemes have shown such drop-in services attract ‘hard-to-reach’ young people .

In addition, improving health education in schools, and other initiatives such as targeted social media campaigns, could also tackle behaviours which promote poor health. Two-thirds of smokers begin by the age of 18 and smoking rates in under 18s follow a socioeconomic gradient . Also, the UK has the highest obesity rate for 15-19 year-olds (8.1%) compared to 14 other European countries, and bar Finland, the highest inequality in obesity rates between those from affluent and deprived backgrounds . Whilst promoting individual behaviour change through targeted education campaigns is useful, it is important to recognise how deeply intertwined the issues of obesity and deprivation are, and so tackling upstream factors such as food poverty will also be key in promoting change over the next decade.

However, school-based clinics are not the only example of how adolescents can be better reached. Young people often reside at more than one address, in particular first-year university students, but also adolescents with separated parents. Therefore, allowing them to register at more than one GP practice would make it easier for them to access care when they need it, rather than waiting until they return near their registered GP or repeatedly switching practices, resulting in a lack of joined-up care.

Another solution would be to increase telemedicine for the adolescent population. Not only has the notion of increased reliance on technology for communicating with healthcare providers proved popular with adolescents , but it has been necessitated in many cases by the COVID-19 pandemic. An adolescent and young adult medicine clinic in San Francisco reported a shift from 0% to 97% of consultations being carried out via telemedicine, and these were well-received by patients . Whilst some difficulties were encountered such as it being hard to find a private space, these were often resolved, e.g. using the Zoom chat function to reply to questions if they felt uncomfortable when near other household members. However, whilst potentially a revolutionary tool for some aspects of adolescent healthcare, it is important to note that factors such as crowded housing and poor internet connectivity are higher in lower socioeconomic status households and may make telemedicine unsuitable for these patients. Therefore, implementing telemedicine alongside easy to access face-to-face clinics would prevent the health inequality gap being widened, instead of narrowed.

Hospital-Based Care for Adolescents

As well as improving primary care, steps should be taken to improve the experiences of adolescents receiving hospital treatment. From small steps such as ensuring there are adequate numbers of adult-sized chairs at outpatient clinics, to larger ones such as the creation of teenage wards/bays within paediatric inpatient units, ensuring adolescents feel acknowledged, and not treated like small children, is vital. Indeed, patients report higher satisfaction when being treated on adolescent specific cancer wards , such as those run by the Teenage Cancer Trust, and so extending this across both general and specialist units may improve patient experience.

Mental Health Support

Adolescents present their own health needs and requirements. Of particular note is the need for mental health support, with 75% of mental health problems emerging in adolescence . Moreover, the risk of mental health problems is four times higher for children growing up in adverse socioeconomic circumstances and socioeconomic disadvantage increases the risk of suicide . Together these highlight that although improving mental health care for all adolescents is important over the next decade, there needs to be a particular focus on outreach to those most at risk.

As highlighted previously, school-based approaches can be useful, and a survey of school leaders by the mental health charity Place2Be highlighted that 66% of schools already provide external professional support for mental health . However, extending this universally would be a good improvement to make over the next decade. Additionally, linking school support systems with Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) may help children receive more specialist support before issues escalate further. This is currently not the case, with only 4% of those school leaders surveyed feeling that CAHMS responded quickly to requests for support15.

In addition, self-referral schemes would make it easier for young people to request support from CAHMS. Whilst these mechanisms are in place in some regions, e.g. Buckinghamshire, they are not in others, e.g. Oxfordshire, creating regional disparities in access to mental health support for adolescents. Regional disparities are also seen in waiting times and referral rejections (17% of CAHMS referrals were rejected in London in 2019, compared to 22% in the North) and specific mental health services for looked after children are not available in all areas on the country . Addressing these differences is important in ensuring that all adolescents across the UK can receive adequate mental health support, particularly those who are the most vulnerable and who may not be in school to receive support there.

Finally, online resources and apps for mental wellbeing could be beneficial to adolescents, who as a patient group are more likely to engage with technology . These not only would provide ongoing support between appointments, but adolescents may discuss usage among peers and recommend them to one another, furthering their effectiveness. However, a recent review highlighted that despite their promise, no mental health apps have been specifically designed for adolescents , so this could be an avenue for improvement in the future.

Improving Transition from Adolescent to Adult Services

Finally, ensuring that adolescents receive adequate support when moving from child to adult services is a key change to be made over the next decade. Whilst NICE guidance recommends that transition planning should begin in Year 9 , only 4% of adolescents report experiencing a smooth transition from CAHMS to adult services . Therefore, having handover consultations where healthcare professionals from both services meet to discuss the continuation of care could potentially see a reduction in the rate of adolescents disengaging with adult mental health services upon transition, which currently stands at 50% . This is particularly important for vulnerable patients and care-leavers.

Improved care transition is also important for adolescents with chronic health conditions. Not only is there a shift in service provision, but also a shift from parental management of conditions, to self-management. In the UK, the asthma mortality rate for young people is 0.3 per 100,0008 which compares poorly with other high-income countries. Whilst the reasons underpinning this are not entirely clear, a survey by Asthma UK suggests that adolescents have relatively poor understanding of their symptoms and struggle with managing their health independently . Especially given patients living in more deprived postcodes have higher rates of hospital admissions with acute asthma , engaging young people in taking an active role in managing their conditions is crucial in improving healthcare outcomes for adolescents both whilst they are under child and adult services.

In conclusion, adolescents present their own healthcare needs, particularly surrounding sexual, reproductive, and mental health. Ensuring easier access to services over the next decade, such as through schools or via an increased reliance on technology, would improve care for this unique subgroup of patients. Moreover, ensuring the transition from adolescent to adult care is as smooth as possible is also of paramount importance. Yet achieving this in a way which reduces, and not further increases, socioeconomic health inequality is vital to improve both the current and future health of young people.

WORD COUNT: 1499

1. Hagell A, Shah R and Coleman J (2017) Key Data on Young People 2017. Association for Young People’s Health. www.youngpeopleshealth.org.uk/key-data-on-young-people. Accessed 29 January 2021

2. Hankin B et. al. (1998) Development of depression from preadolescence to young adulthood: emerging gender differences in a 10-year longitudinal study. J Abnormal Psychology, 107(1), 128-140

3. Gregory AM et. al. (2007). Juvenile mental health histories of adults with anxiety disorders. American Journal of Psychiatry, 164, 301-308

4. Office for National Statistics (2018) Conceptions in England and Wales: 2018. Office for National Statistics. www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/conceptionandfertilityrates Accessed 31 January 2021.

5. Ingram J, Salmon D (2010) Young people's use and views of a school-based sexual health drop-in service in areas of high deprivation. Health Educ J. 69, 227–235

6. Health and Social Care Information Centre (2015) Statistics on Smoking, England – 2015. Health and Social Care Information Centre. https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/statistics-on-smoking/statistics-on-smoking-england-2015 Accessed 30 January 2021.

7. NHS Digital (2014) Health and Wellbeing of 15-year-olds in England: Main findings from the What About YOUth? Survey 2014. NHS Digital. https://digital.nhs.uk/catalogue/PUB19244. Accessed 29 January 2021.

8. Shah R, Hagell A and Cheung R (2019) International comparisons of health and wellbeing in adolescence and early adulthood. Research report, Nuffield Trust and Association for Young People’s Health.

9. Radovic A, McCarty CA, Katzman K, Richardson LP (2018) Adolescents' Perspectives on Using Technology for Health: Qualitative Study. JMIR Pediatr Parent. 1(1), e2.

10. Barney A, Buckelew S, Mesheriakova V and Raymond-Flesch M (2020) The COVID-19 Pandemic and Rapid Implementation of Adolescent and Young Adult Telemedicine: Challenges and Opportunities for Innovation. Journal of Adolescent Health 67(2): 164–171.

11. Reynolds BC, Windebank KP, Leonard RC, et al. (2005) A comparison of self-reported satisfaction between adolescents treated in a “teenage” unit with those treated in adult or paediatric units. Pediatr Blood Cancer 44, 259–63

12. Kessler RC, Berglund P, Demla O, Merikangas KR and Walters EE (2005) Lifetime prevalence and age-of-onset distributions of DSM-IV disorders in the National Comorbidity Survey Replication, Archives of General Psychiatry 62(6), 593

13. Straatmann, V. S. et. al. (2019) How do early-life factors explain social inequalities in adolescent mental health? Findings from the UK Millennium Cohort Study. Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health 73, 1049–1060

14. Samaritans (2017) Dying from Inequality: Socioeconomic disadvantage and suicidal behaviour. Samaritans. www.samaritans.org/dying-from-inequality/report. Accessed 31 January 2021

15. Place2Be and NAHT (2020) Huge rise in school-based counsellors over past three years. Place2Be. https://www.place2be.org.uk/about-us/news-and-blogs/2020/february/significant-rise-in-number-of-school-based-counsellors/ Accessed 30 January 2021

16. Crenna-Jennings W and Hutchinson J (2020) Access to child and adolescent mental health services in 2019. Research report, Education Policy Institute.

17. Bakker D, Kazantzis N, Rickwood D, Rickard N (2016) Mental health smartphone apps: review and evidence-based recommendations for future developments. JMIR Ment Health 3(1):e7

18. Grist R, Porter J, and Stallard, P (2017) Mental Health Mobile Apps for Preadolescents and Adolescents: A Systematic Review. Journal of Medical Internet Research 19(5): e176.

19. National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (2016), Transition from children’s to adults’ for young people using health or social care services, National Institute for Health and Care Excellence https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng43/chapter/Recommendations#transition-planning. Accessed 31 January 2021

20. Appleton R, Connell C, Fairclough E, Tuomainen H, and Singh SP (2019) Outcomes of young people who reach the transition boundary of child and adolescent mental health services: a systematic review. European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry 28(11), 1431-1446

21. Care Quality Commission (2018) Brief guide: Transitions out of children and young people’s mental health services CQUIN. Care Quality Commission. https://www.cqc.org.uk/sites/default/files/20180228_9001400%20_briefguidetransition_CQUIN.pdf Accessed January 31 2021

22. Asthma UK (2019) The reality of asthma care in the UK: Annual asthma survey 2018.

23. Grecian S et. al. (2013) The relationship between social deprivation and hospital admissions with asthma. European Respiratory Journal 42(Suppl 57), 957

Previous Winners

Yphsig student essay prize 2020.

The winner of the YPHSIG Student Essay prize 2020 was Jessica O'Logbon, 2nd year medical student at Kings College London,.

Her essay "‘How should adolescent health services change by 2040 to better accommodate young people?" impressed our panel of judges with its ideas for patient participation in healthcare. You can read the full essay below.

Congratulations also to runners up: Daisy Lu (University College London) and Triya Chakravo (University of Oxford) who both showed great insight in their reflections on young people's healthcare.

Winning Essay 2020 (Click to expand/collapse)

How should adolescent health services change by 2040 to better accommodate young people, introduction.

Adolescence is a period of increasing freedom, personal autonomy and risk-taking behaviours that lead to preventable morbidity and mortality [1]. This makes it a critical time for engaging this population in their health. Until recently, adolescents were seen as being relatively healthy and were not considered to be a priority in terms of health service delivery [2]. A number of factors have now changed this perception. The rate of mortality in adolescents is declining much slower than other age groups with increasing morbidity [3]. It is also of great concern that there has been no reduction in rates of deaths from intentional injury among 10-18-year olds in three decades with suicide rates rising [4, 5]. This highlights important contributors to morbidity such as mental health and substance abuse [6]. Literature review, focus groups and workshops have sought the views of children and adolescents in regard to what they felt was important for their health and well-being. Key areas emerged such as being more informed and involved in decisions about health services; for schools to play a greater role in their health and better access to age-appropriate services when needed [7]. This essay explores innovative ways that adolescent health services can improve in these areas to better accommodate young people in the next 20 years.

INVOLVING ADOLESCENTS IN HEALTH

“Adolescents and youth should be supported and empowered to contribute to designing, implementing and assessing policies, programs and systems that contribute to their health and wellbeing” was considered the single most important theme by youth advocates across the world [8]. Working with young people, youth workers and other professionals can achieve more accessible, appropriate services. This can be improved further by fostering close relationships with voluntary and community sectors. NHS trusts should open a dialogue with youth organisations like the UK Youth Parliament to take account of young people’s concerns and ideas regarding health matters, with a particular focus on barriers to access.

There is a much higher rate of success where use of resources or services has been planned jointly with young people [9] and The GP Champions Project is an example of this. The project aimed to find unique ways of improving the health of young people aged 10 to 24 years. Some of these included weekly pop-up GP services for students attending Lewisham Southwark College and supporting young people to produce their own leaflets for every GP in Sheffield and Cornwall. Additionally, young people have created training materials such as videos on young people’s needs around mental health and wellbeing for GPs, pharmacists and reception staff [10]. These initiatives empower adolescents to take control of their care and allow professionals to form a deeper understanding of young people’s thoughts and feelings when accessing services. Similar videos have been used in the e-learning Adolescent Health Programme which is available for free to all health professionals working within the NHS, but more awareness needs to be raised amongst staff about undertaking this programme and its importance in practice.

Establishing systems for the training, mentoring and participation of youth health advocates has the potential to transform traditional models of healthcare delivery to create adolescent-responsive health systems [8]. This is particularly important for marginalised adolescents such as those who are homeless, looked after by the state, young offenders or LGBTQ+ and who often experience inequalities in health. As these groups are less able to access health services in any event, there is an even greater urgency in ensuring their unique needs are identified and met [2]. This can only be known through dialogue and more effort must be made in order to listen to and consult with young people about the effectiveness and suitability of adolescent health services [11].

BRINGING HEALTH SERVICES CLOSER TO ADOLESCENTS

Adolescents spend most of their time in education, employment or at home. They are often surrounded by their peers and family members and the majority of teenagers have access to the Internet and are using it daily. This presents a range of opportunities to increase accessibility.

Many young people would like health services to be provided within their school [12]. Health drop-ins in schools are easy to access and enable young people to attend without the knowledge of their parents. This is particularly important for young people from rural areas [13. It can also appear less stigmatising than a ‘problem specific’ service. School health drop-ins can reduce unnecessary delays and deliver basic care, especially for sexual, reproductive and mental health concerns with a clearer understanding of young people’s needs in ways that work better for them [14]. Most services are held during the lunch break to avoid young people missing teaching time, but this results in short consultations when many students attend. Therefore, clinic opening hours before or after school should be made available and this should also be applied to primary care opening times to make them more adolescent-friendly.

In addition to this, adolescents’ wide use of technology can pave the way for the integration of technology into their health care. Teens are comfortable on the Internet and use it for a variety of reasons such as social and emotional support, relationship creation and maintenance, entertainment and information seeking [15]. They can investigate topics they consider embarrassing or that might arouse their parents' suspicions without adult interference or supervision. Adolescents are attracted to customisation, interactivity and multimedia formats such as games, quizzes, and personalised health check tools so health care providers can utilise these methods to ensure health information is reaching them.

Digital health interventions are a promising way to intervene early and promote health and wellness among adolescents. They are most effective when they focus on an adolescent’s strengths and their online peer interactions [16]. Evidence suggests that adolescents would like to use technology-based communication tools with their health care providers [17]. To streamline this process, collaborating with adolescents to provide the patient perspective is vital, such as establishing a young people’s panel to advise on ways in which digital technologies might be used to provide health information, improve access to services and encourage engagement and participation. With health experts to inform content, technological experts to develop software and research teams to measure effectiveness with data collection tools built into media platforms, teens and young adults can begin using evidence-based, secure and seamlessly integrated social media sites to prepare for their upcoming doctor's visit – and then tell their friends to use it too [18].

ENHANCING HEALTH LITERACY IN ADOLESCENTS AND THOSE AROUND THEM

Limited health literacy can reduce opportunities for young people to develop the capabilities needed to be actively involved in decisions about their health and care.

Peer and parent influences are especially relevant for youth. Families provide the primary structure within which children are born, grow, and develop, and from which adolescents transition to adult lives. Considering the complexity and variety of UK health services available, it can be difficult for adults to navigate through the health care system let alone adolescents. Consequently, many parents themselves have only basic health literacy skills and find it difficult to guide their children about health matters. Public Health England reports that 42% of working-age adults (aged 16-65 years) in England are unable to understand and make use of everyday health information, rising to 61% when numeracy skills are also required for comprehension [19]. Therefore, it is crucial that parents as well as children are informed about health services.

Alternative ways to disseminate information such as open engagement events held at hospitals or local GPs, similar to parent-teacher association meetings held at schools, can foster active engagement from parents and break down barriers to navigating through the healthcare system. School, community and family-based interventions to promote health literacy have shown promising results. For example, the Adult Education Trust’s ‘Talk about Alcohol’ intervention, delivered in UK secondary schools, has reported a statistically significant delay in the age young people start drinking alcohol, as well as increased knowledge about the effects of alcohol [20].

Peer education is also an effective tool for promoting healthy behaviours and teaching skills among adolescents [21]. Adolescents who have been through the healthcare system themselves and students who understand how it works and the services available (e.g. healthcare students) means that there is already a reserve of accumulated experience and knowledge which can be shared with others. Embracing this new concept can help the way adolescents view healthcare and address their worries about accessing it.

The most powerful actions to improve adolescent health arise from directly learning from adolescents as individuals. More time spent understanding what they need and want from healthcare services can be scaled-up with funding and support given to youth health initiatives to create more adolescent-responsive healthcare services. Ensuring that there are high-quality health services provided in UK schools and better educational strategies to raise health literacy can reduce barriers to accessibility. Technology provides an exceptional opportunity for coordinating actions between health services as well as bringing them closer to adolescents.

(Abridged version of winning essay) Updated 09/07/2020

Message from the YPHSIG student link representatives

It has been a pleasure to organise the first YPHSIG Student Essay Prize. We received such a high standard of entries from medical students across the UK last year. It was a joy to read their insightful and innovative views on different aspects of adolescent health. Our entries varied from incredibly thoughtful reflections on a specific case that impacted the author to broad ranging and inspiring ideas on what adolescent healthcare might look like in 2040.

The YPHSIG student essay prize has allowed us to explore what thoughts and perceptions medical students have about adolescent health. The engagement of medical students nationally has demonstrated that they are engaging with adolescent health at an early stage in their careers. We hope that this annual essay prize and other future YPHSIG student events can continue to encourage medical students to get involved in adolescent healthcare and develop their interest.

Robbie Bain and Francesca Neale

YPHSIG student link representatives

• VisualV1 - Search Created with Sketch. Search
• VisualV1 - Arrow Created with Sketch. Membership

Search the IME website

Enter a word, phrase or sentence to find information from across this site

• Events and news
• Grants and Competitions
• Members Area

National Essay Competition for FY Doctors

For this annual competition, FY 1 & 2 UK doctors are invited to submit an essay about an ethical issue raised by an experience they have had as a foundation year doctor. Up to five cash prizes of £300 each are awarded. Besides this, the Robert Hillman Essay Prize of an additional £250 is awarded to the best overall entry. All winners will receive 12 months complimentary IME membership.

The next round of the competition will open autumn 2024.

2024 winners

The Robert Hillman Prize, for the best overall entry in the Institute of Medical Ethics Foundation Doctors National Essay Prize 2024, has been awarded to:

Zachary Chan  for Defying the Inevitable: The Battle for Autonomy in the Face of Death

The other Institute of Medical Ethics Foundation Doctors National Essay Prize winners 2024 are:

Grainne Breslin for Would you risk it for a chocolate biscuit? The decision to eat and drink in palliative care patients with swallowing issues who lack capacity

Kathryn Greenslade for Duty Deferred: Barriers to Communicating a Medication Error

Amy Jones for Ethical dilemmas surrounding ReSPECT forms in complex geriatric inpatient care

Surammiya Vasanthakumar for Mandatory vaccinations and lasting hesitancy – the legacy of the COVID-19 pandemic

Congratulations to all our winners!

2023 winners

The Robert Hillman Prize, for the best overall entry in the Institute of Medical Ethics Foundation Doctors National Essay Prize 2023, has been awarded to:

Ali El-Rhalibi  for White lies matter: An examination of lying for good in clinical practice

The other Institute of Medical Ethics Foundation Doctors National Essay Prize winners 2023 are:

Sheema Chaudhry for Patient vs Team – Who Should Decide?

Josephine Do for The weight of a medical error

Naveen Goddard for Patient Safety Incidents in the National Health Service: The Boundaries of Corporate Versus Individual Culpability for Failing Institutions

Antonia Mentel for Better safe than sorry? The struggle of doing less

Victoria Yang for Defining a life worth living: Capacity and Best Interests in a patient with Personal Disorder

2022 winners

The Robert Hillman Prize, for the best overall entry in the Institute of Medical Ethics Foundation Doctors National Essay Prize 2022, has been awarded to:

Gauri Saxena for Slipping through the cracks: mental capacity in the context of coercion

The other Institute of Medical Ethics Foundation Doctors National Essay Prize winners 2022 are:

Jun Yu Chen  for Upholding professional values of honesty, integrity and accountability as a new doctor in the NHS

Charlotte Galvin for  ‘Let me find someone else who can help you with that’ – Conscientious Objection in Healthcare

Elias Jamieson for Assessing capacity in the detoxing patient  

Arham Sahu for A shock to the system: ECT in severe depression

Ryan Wolff for Is Age Really Just a Number? Admission to ICU in Times of Scarcity 

Congratulations to this year’s winners!

2021 winners

The Robert Hillman Prize, for the best overall entry in the Institute of Medical Ethics Foundation Doctors Essay Prize 2021 has this year been jointly awarded to:

Joe Berry  for  Capacity in the aftermath of trauma and Denise Tan  for Disclosing a near-miss ‘Never Event’: A retained surgical swab

The other Institute of Medical Ethics Foundation Doctors Essay Prize winners are:

Madeline Charles-Rudwick  for   The Truth, the Whole Truth and Nothing but the Truth? The Use of Deception in the Care of Patients with Dementia

Alexander Miller  for  Prescribing; More than Meats the eye

Emma Pearson  for  Considering the Importance of Relatives in End of Life Decisions

Kaif Qayum  for  Are we playing God? Do we need to revise the abstinence mandate for alcoholic liver disease patients to be eligible for liver transplantation?

Akanksha Thumbe  for  Suicidal ideation and the capacity to self-discharge 

Joshua Winton  for  Confidentiality Issues from the Heart of the COVID-19 Pandemic

2020 winners

Essay prizes awarded for 2020.

The Robert Hillman Prize winner for best overall entry in the Institute of Medical Ethics Foundation Doctors Essay Prize 2020 is:

Duranka Perera – Resisting data fabrication in neurosurgical academia

Natasha Grace – What a girl wants: the ethical implications of an elective amputation in a minor

Nicholas Heng – To resuscitate or not to resuscitate – that is the question

Anna Hutchins – Patients and placebos: an ethical, professional and legal analysis of the response to patients requesting antibiotics for viral upper respiratory infections

Tumbi Otudeko – Prison health – you have the right to remain healthy

2019 winners

Essay prizes awarded for 2019.

The Robert Hillman Prize 2019 for best overall entry in the Institute of Medical Ethics Foundation Doctors Essay Prize is:

Caitriona Cox – Unwise or misunderstood? The challenges of judging patient understanding

The other Institute of Medical Ethics Foundation Doctors Essay Prize 2019 winners are:

Natasha Grace – The other side of the glass: An ethical analysis from the patient’s perspective

Harry Heath – Dear Dr Google: The influence of search engines on consultations

Priya Khetarpal – The Doctor’s Narrative – Should it be shared?

Eunice Xing – With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility: Responsible Use of ‘Evidence’ Based Medicine

2018 winners

Essay prizes awarded for 2018.

The Robert Hillman Prize 2018 for best overall entry in The Institute of Medical Ethics Foundation Doctors Essay Prize is:

Kishen Patel – “I’m sorry there is nothing more we can do.” A closer look at the most final of statements

The other Institute of Medical Ethics Foundation Doctors Essay Prize 2018 winners are:

Anita Chithiramohan – Patient-centred care and the learning experience of the medical student. The ethics of pedagogy in a teaching hospital

Peter Johnstone – Decisions, decisions: Searching for the chimera of autonomy

Christine Bolton – Battery or Negligence: Calling it Oncall

Michael Houssemayne du Boulay – The buck stops with you

Congratulations to all our winners.

2017 winners

Essay prizes awarded for 2017.

Robert Hillman Prize 2017 for best overall entry in the Institute of Medical Ethics Foundation Doctors Essay Prize

Joshua Parker – Junior Doctors & Moral Exploitation

The Institute of Medical Ethics Foundation Doctor Essay Prize 2017 

Alistair Wardrope – Of amputation & autonomy

Jennifer Hall – A tortured mind: Self harm in psychiatric care

Matthew Stone – Cardiac Arrest: Is there any role for placebo resuscitation?

James van Oppen – Giving medical treatment against a patient’s wishes

2016 winners

Essay prizes awarded for 2016.

Robert Hillman Essay Prize 2016 for best entry in the Institute of Medical Ethics Foundation Doctors Essay Prize

Joshua Parker – War and Peace: Conflicts of Conscience in the Junior Doctors’ Strike

The Institute of Medical Ethics Foundation Doctors Essay Prize 2016 

Yanrong Jiang – Sundowning and DoLS: Ethical Dilemmas in Managing an Acutely Delirious Patient as a Junior Doctor

Lucy Michael – Stumbling in the Dark

2015 winners

Essay prizes awarded for 2015.

Robert Hillman Essay Prize 2015 for best entry in the Institute of Medical Ethics Foundation Doctors Essay Prize

Bryony Coupe – The four principles or the four pillars? Reflecting on and learning from ethical issues as a junior doctor.

The Institute of Medical Ethics Foundation Doctors Essay Prize 2015 

Anngona Ghosh – Not to Add Insult to Injury: Honesty is the Best Policy

Julia Harrington – Capacity Assessment in the Emergency Department: 50 Shades of Grey?

James Morgan –  A Junior Doctor’s Duty To Inform

Laura Pugh –  What the Patient Needs When the Relative Wants

2014 winners

Essay prizes awarded for 2014.

Robert Hillman Essay Prize 2014 for best entry in the Institute of Medical Ethics Foundation Doctors Essay Prize

Frances Butcher – A Hard Sell: Admitting a patient to the ICU

The Institute of Medical Ethics Foundation Doctors Essay Prize 2014 

Johanna Andersson – An Exploration of compassion through narrative and reflection

Priyanka Chadha – Undocumented Migrants’ Access to Healthcare: Why Are We Still Having The Discussion?

Michael Newman – Confidentiality: A juxtaposition of medico-legal and ethical perspectives in a case of HIV

Hilary Thornton – Where hearts may break: the conflict of best interests

2013 winners

Essay prizes awarded for 2013.

The Robert Hillman Prize winner for best overall entry 2013 is:

Aime e Rowe – Reflective Practice

The other Essay Prize winners are:

Rebecca Sherlock – Withholding information from patients: A junior doctors experience

James McGowan –  The Liverpool Care Pathway in a 21st Century National Health Service: Old Ethics, New Challenges

Rammina Yassaie –  How much should we tell our patients and who are we to decide?

Sophie Newton –  A patient refusing lifesaving treatment

Kilsby student essay competition

We are listening to the voice of the next generation of healthcare professionals..

The BHMA runs an annual student essay competition to broadcast the voice of the best and most innovative thinking from those about to embark on a career in healthcare. We want your fresh insight and opinion on how to transform the health service into a more compassionate and caring version of its current self.

Our title for 2024 (BHMA’s 40th Anniversary):

‘Holistic Healthcare in Action: Reflections on the Past, Directions for the Future’ 

Please use 2 or 3 examples to illustrate your answer.

Essay option:

Essay of 1000-1500 words.

Creative Inquiry option:

The assignment should be in the form of a creative text (please submit photographs/DVD/music file as appropriate) alongside a written reflection of up to 1000 words. Marks will be allocated in four categories: Impact, Perception, Aesthetics and Reflection.

Please complete the form below along with your submission

Deadline June 30th

FIRST PRIZE – Essay and Creative Enquiry

• Your essay published in our journal and online
• Ticket to our conference & awards reception
• Free membership to the BHMA or free journal subscription for 1 year
• Your essay published online

For just £17 per annum, your student membership enables you to access our entire online library of the Journal of Holistic Healthcare plus 10-20% discounts on selected events, courses and other membership packages.

Many Ways of Knowing

JHH 20.3 Journeys into Medicine

Journeys Into Medicine

Health Creation and Creative Health

Holism and Medical Education

What’s missing from medical education?

Embodiment and bodywork

Integrative Medicine

Shifting the paradigm

Frontiers of self-care

Flourishing in Medical Education

Beyond COVID

Mind-body self-care

Stories in medicine

The Real Food Issue

Faith, hope and love in healthcare

Nature Connections

Social Prescribing

Healing Journeys

Transformative innovation in healthcare

Men’s Health

Women’s Health

Children’s Health

Saving the NHS

Nutrition and Lifestyle

Become an  Ambassador

How can a holistic perspective benefit practitioners, patients, and the planet? First Prize Essay

How can a holistic perspective benefit practitioners, patients, and the planet first prize creative enquiry, previous winners & runners-up.

Note that we have recently started publishing winners and a few other choice essays as blog posts. These appear in the side bar above.

2023: Sayed Adam Bukhari , King’s College London, How can a holistic perspective benefit practitioners, patients, and the planet?

2023: Felicity Smith , Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Arts and Crafts in Healthcare: What William Morris can Teach us About the Benefits of a Holistic Perspective for Practitioners, Patients and the Planet

2023: Kate Eustace , University College Dublin, How can a holistic perspective benefit practitioners, patients, and the planet?

2023: Alton Ajay Mathew , Medical University of Lodz, How can a holistic perspective benefit practitioners, patients, and the planet?

2022: Jonathan De Oliveira , St. George’s, University of London ‘What is missing in our clinical education’?

2022: Karla Hamlet , Canterbury Christ Church University – Creative Enquiry ‘What is missing in our clinical education?’ – The Student Voice

2022: Hamaad Khan , University College London ‘What is missing in our clinical education?’

2022: Lucy Butterfield , University of Manchester – Creative Enquiry ‘What is missing in our clinical education?’

2022: Andrew Zhou , University of Cambridge – Creative Enquiry ‘What is missing in our clinical education?’

2022: Pervana Kaur , University of Karol Marnkowski ‘What is missing in our clinical education?’

2021: Deeya Kotecha , Cambridge ‘ How can holistic healthcare influence health inequalities ‘

2021: Jabin Chowdhury , Birmingham ‘ If holistic healthcare is the answer what is the question? A take on healthcare inequality ‘

2021: Annie McKirgan , Liverpool ‘ All Animals are Equal … Or are They? ‘

2020: Lauren Wheeler, Imperial College London Faculty of Medicine ‘Holistic lessons from a pandemic…prevention is better than cure’

2020: Isabel Allison, University of Birmingham ‘Holistic lessons from a pandemic’

2020: Megan, University of Southampton: ‘Holistic lessons from a pandemic: Does anyone have a spare pen?’

2020: Simran , University of Southampton ‘Holistic Lessons from a pandemic: ‘All Lives Can’t Truly Matter Until Black Lives Matter’ ‘

2019: Jessica Frost Birmingham Medical School Let food be thy medicine, and let medicine be thy food

2019: Aaron Morjaria King’s College, London Is food the foundation for good health?

2019: Josephine Elliot University College, London Is food the foundation for good health?

2018: Thomas Christie Templeton College, Oxford Social Prescribing – are drugs or people the better cure?

2017: Fiona Field Imperial College London Re-imagining healthcare – in partnership with nature

2017: James Bevan University of Southampton Re-imagining healthcare – in partnership with nature

2017: Maddie Leadon University of Cambridge Re-imagining healthcare – in partnership with nature

2016: Robbie Newman Imperial College London Are we medicalising human experience? A radical review

2016: Alice Redfern University of Oxford Are we medicalising human experience? A radical review

2016: Vinay Mandagere University of Bristol Diagnosis: Are we medicalising human experience? A radical review

2015 Julius Kremling Germany, Why connection matters: Understanding patients’ illness by understanding their reality

2015: Tamar Witztum University of Bristol, Resilience in holistic care: Learning from Alice Herz-Sommer

2015: Lucy Brenner Brighton and Sussex Medical School, Cultivating compassion – students to lead the way?

2015: Eleanor Tanner University of Birmingham The Star of Compassion

2014: Olivia Sjökvist University of Hull, Coping with your own vulnerability in caring for a person who has a long-term condition

2014: Laura Clapham King’s College, London Coping with your own vulnerability in caring for a person who has a long-term condition

2014: Chiara Catterwell-Sinkeldam, King’s College London Coping with your own vulnerability in caring for a person who has a long-term condition

2013 Kundan Iqbal The importance of holism in medical care today and ways this can be promoted

2012 Reanne Jones Tears of Joy, tears of sorrow

2011 Thea Collins 2030: What made the NHS sustainable?

2010 Jason Ferdjani Improving global well being, improving personal well being

2009 Krishna Steedhar Student’s health matters

2008 Phoebe Votolato Being a Medical student

2007 Lewis Morgan A good holistic practitioner

Previous winners came from:

Privacy Overview

Search for:

• Student essay competition

The 2024 Student Essay Competition is now open for submissions!

• Services and Resources
• Our Journals
• Journals: Perspectives in Public Health

We are now accepting submissions for the seventh annual Student Essay Competition in partnership with SAGE Publications. The competition is open to all RSPH Student Members and the deadline for entries is 1 October 2024.

The winning article will be published in the January 2025 issue of the journal Perspectives in Public Health and the winner will also receive £200 Amazon vouchers, £100 SAGE book vouchers, one year’s free RSPH membership*, and a 6-month term on the Perspectives in Public Health editorial board.

The essay must be no longer than 1,000 words and include no more than 10 references and one table or figure. Prospective authors will write on the following essay title:

What will make the biggest contribution to improving the public’s health in the next 10 years?

Please use the below form to submit your essay or contact [email protected] for more information.

By submitting this form, you consent to us contacting you regarding the RSPH Student Essay Competition.  Click here  for more information about how we handle your data.

Not an RSPH student member?

RSPH student membership costs £25 and offers a range of benefits including: online access to Perspectives in Public Health, our monthly newsletter with topical public health updates, free webinars, and our Special Interest Groups. Find more information about joining as a student member here.

Past Student Essay Competition winners

Our 2021 winner of the Student Essay Competition is Raymond Li, a medical student at Imperial College London, whose essay addresses mental health from a unique perspective answering the question 'Evidence suggests that the root causes of mental health difficulties may be found in childhood and adolescence. What might education providers do to promote mental health?'. Raymond’s paper was published in the September 2022 issue of Perspectives in Public Health.

Prizes for students

The RSM has numerous prizes and awards aimed at students. By submitting an application, you will have the chance to present at a meeting, add to your CV and open up more career opportunities.

Please note this page is updated regularly.

All submissions must be sent in by 11.59pm on the stated deadline date.

Generally prizes, awards or travel grants must be claimed before the end of the academic year in which they are gained (30 September).

For more information or help please contact [email protected]

General Practice with Primary Healthcare

John Fry prize

Deadline:   Thursday 1 August 2024

Open to:   Medical, nursing and allied healthcare students with an interest in general practice and primary care

CAIPE John Horder Team Award and John Horder Student Award

Deadline: Wednesday 31 July 2024

Open to: Individuals or teams working within the community who can demonstrate outstanding principles of collaborative working and the Student annual essay award offered to a student who has been involved with interprofessional learning or working, within the community.

Team Award prize:  Certificate of achievement and £600, Student Award prize:  Certificate of achievement and £150

Obstetrics & Gynaecology

Dame Josephine Barnes Award

Deadline: Tuesday 1 August 2024 at 11:59pm

Open to: All medical undergraduate students

Prize: £100

BSHNI annual oral presentation

Submission deadline: Sunday 12 May 2024

Open to: All delegates. The presenting author should register for the meeting and  will receive a complimentary conference dinner invitation.

Paediatrics & Child Health Section: Overseas bursary

Deadline: Tuesday 28 May 2024

Open to:  RSM Paediatrics & Child Health Section members of all grades

Prize: C overs the registration fee plus a contribution of £500 towards travel and hotel costs

Students Section: Doubleday Prize

Submission Deadline: Friday 21 June 2024

Open to: Medical Students attending UK Medical Schools

Student section: Tomorrow's Doctors Conference Poster Prize 2024

Open to: Medical Students, entrants must register for the Tomorrow's Doctors Conference to be considered

Student section: Tomorrow's Doctors Conference Oral Presentations 2024

"It’s a great privilege for our team to have been recognised by this prestigious award from the RSM Surgery Section and reflects the dedicated work behind this exciting innovation."

See more from prizes and awards  or hear from  previous prize winners.

• Yekaterinburg
• Novosibirsk
• Vladivostok

• Tours to Russia
• Practicalities
• Russia in Lists

Rusmania • Deep into Russia

Out of the Centre

Savvino-storozhevsky monastery and museum.

Zvenigorod's most famous sight is the Savvino-Storozhevsky Monastery, which was founded in 1398 by the monk Savva from the Troitse-Sergieva Lavra, at the invitation and with the support of Prince Yury Dmitrievich of Zvenigorod. Savva was later canonised as St Sabbas (Savva) of Storozhev. The monastery late flourished under the reign of Tsar Alexis, who chose the monastery as his family church and often went on pilgrimage there and made lots of donations to it. Most of the monastery’s buildings date from this time. The monastery is heavily fortified with thick walls and six towers, the most impressive of which is the Krasny Tower which also serves as the eastern entrance. The monastery was closed in 1918 and only reopened in 1995. In 1998 Patriarch Alexius II took part in a service to return the relics of St Sabbas to the monastery. Today the monastery has the status of a stauropegic monastery, which is second in status to a lavra. In addition to being a working monastery, it also holds the Zvenigorod Historical, Architectural and Art Museum.

Belfry and Neighbouring Churches

Located near the main entrance is the monastery's belfry which is perhaps the calling card of the monastery due to its uniqueness. It was built in the 1650s and the St Sergius of Radonezh’s Church was opened on the middle tier in the mid-17th century, although it was originally dedicated to the Trinity. The belfry's 35-tonne Great Bladgovestny Bell fell in 1941 and was only restored and returned in 2003. Attached to the belfry is a large refectory and the Transfiguration Church, both of which were built on the orders of Tsar Alexis in the 1650s.  

To the left of the belfry is another, smaller, refectory which is attached to the Trinity Gate-Church, which was also constructed in the 1650s on the orders of Tsar Alexis who made it his own family church. The church is elaborately decorated with colourful trims and underneath the archway is a beautiful 19th century fresco.

Nativity of Virgin Mary Cathedral

The Nativity of Virgin Mary Cathedral is the oldest building in the monastery and among the oldest buildings in the Moscow Region. It was built between 1404 and 1405 during the lifetime of St Sabbas and using the funds of Prince Yury of Zvenigorod. The white-stone cathedral is a standard four-pillar design with a single golden dome. After the death of St Sabbas he was interred in the cathedral and a new altar dedicated to him was added.

Under the reign of Tsar Alexis the cathedral was decorated with frescoes by Stepan Ryazanets, some of which remain today. Tsar Alexis also presented the cathedral with a five-tier iconostasis, the top row of icons have been preserved.

Tsaritsa's Chambers

The Nativity of Virgin Mary Cathedral is located between the Tsaritsa's Chambers of the left and the Palace of Tsar Alexis on the right. The Tsaritsa's Chambers were built in the mid-17th century for the wife of Tsar Alexey - Tsaritsa Maria Ilinichna Miloskavskaya. The design of the building is influenced by the ancient Russian architectural style. Is prettier than the Tsar's chambers opposite, being red in colour with elaborately decorated window frames and entrance.

At present the Tsaritsa's Chambers houses the Zvenigorod Historical, Architectural and Art Museum. Among its displays is an accurate recreation of the interior of a noble lady's chambers including furniture, decorations and a decorated tiled oven, and an exhibition on the history of Zvenigorod and the monastery.

Palace of Tsar Alexis

The Palace of Tsar Alexis was built in the 1650s and is now one of the best surviving examples of non-religious architecture of that era. It was built especially for Tsar Alexis who often visited the monastery on religious pilgrimages. Its most striking feature is its pretty row of nine chimney spouts which resemble towers.

Plan your next trip to Russia

Ready-to-book tours.

Your holiday in Russia starts here. Choose and book your tour to Russia.

REQUEST A CUSTOMISED TRIP

Looking for something unique? Create the trip of your dreams with the help of our experts.

Virginia Gazette Opinion | World Focus: W&M essay winner looks at US…

Share this:.

• Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on X (Opens in new window)

• Virginia Gazette Public Notices
• Gazette E-paper

Virginia Gazette

Virginia gazette opinion, virginia gazette opinion | world focus: w&m essay winner looks at us strategy.

The Monitor is dedicated to expanding general awareness of current events involving foreign policy. It is an interdisciplinary publication committed to serving an increasingly global world.

The 2023/2024 issue of the Monitor featured a variety of rigorously researched, well-written essays by William & Mary students. They commented with insight on the problems plaguing the world.

The essay by Lilly Doninger, “Operation Imagination: Reimagining U.S. Strategic Design Based on Vietnam Failures,” however, stands out.

It justifiably won the first prize in the Monitor competition.

Doninger is a senior at William & Mary studying international relations and Hispanic studies. She will be continuing her education at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies, where she will get her master’s degree in strategy, cybersecurity and intelligence.

While at William & Mary, Doninger has participated in and led many academic projects. She held internships at the U.S. Army Training & Doctrine Command, the U.S. Army War College and the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command.

Doninger hopes to apply what she has learned at William & Mary into a future career in military operations analysis.

In fact, she is already doing it. Her essay may serve as an example, paraphrasing Colonial Williamsburg’s motto, “That the future may learn from the past.”

In the introduction to her essay, Doninger says: “The minute the United States pulled out of Afghanistan in 2021, the U.S. opened itself up to a future of uncertainty in terms of military planning and strategy. The era of counterterrorism was over. China and Russia continued to be looming threats, so the only way to characterize the expected future was great power competition.”

Doninger quoted the 2017 National Security strategy paper, asserting that after being dismissed as a phenomenon of an earlier century great power, competition has returned.

“Since the modern age of warfare, the United States has done this kind of thematic characterization to help guide the planners of tactical operations,” Doninger says. “The characterizations are devoid of nuance, the problem therein lies in the classic American strategic binaries — counterinsurgency or great power competition.”

She continued: “As the United States continues to develop technologically at a similar rate to China, any potential future confrontation will not depend on conventional ability, but rather who can out-nuance the other. A future U.S.-China war would require a complex combination by tactical approaches including adaptability to regular combat techniques, ability to navigate changing terrain and understanding of multidimensional aggressors.”

In her Monitor essay, Doninger uses historical analogies to U.S. strategic failures in the Vietnam War to help explain the importance for more comprehensive and imaginative military strategy when preparing for potential confrontation with China.

The Vietnam War analogy suggests ample recommendations for how the U.S. should proceed in time of tactical uncertainty as it remains the most prominent example of hybrid warfare battlefield in modern military history.

According to Doninger, the Vietnam case is incredibly relevant to the modern strategic context. “The U.S. has once again started to put significant energy into conventional warfare in light of the renewed shift to great power competition after the War on Terror,” she says. “As seen in Vietnam, an emphasis on one style of war may result in an adversary exploitation of vulnerabilities in other, more irregular styles.”

Concluding her essay, Doninger says, “The Vietnam analogy suggest that there needs to be early training, exercising, and preparation for complex threat environments, even when the overwhelming indication may be conventional warfare.”

Frank Shatz is a Williamsburg resident. He is the author of “Reports from a Distant Place,” the compilation of his selected columns. The book is available at the Bruton Parish Shop and Amazon.com.

More in Virginia Gazette Opinion

SUBSCRIBER ONLY

Virginia gazette opinion | commentary: how to get past our williamsburg bubble and help our planet.

Virginia Gazette Opinion | Building a bigger table for resilience

Virginia Gazette Opinion | Commentary: Your time investment in our community

Virginia gazette opinion | letters to the gazette, trending nationally.

• Baltimore D-Day veteran, 104, returns to Normandy, perhaps for the last time
• One nation, under watch: New brand of largely unregulated mass surveillance is expanding in Virginia
• Florida priest bites woman who grabbed Holy Communion wafers
• California city pays nearly $900,000 for ‘psychological torture’ inflicted by police to get false confession
• McDonald’s getting rid of soda machines, free refills

Current time by city

For example, New York

Current time by country

For example, Japan

Time difference

For example, London

For example, Dubai

Coordinates

For example, Hong Kong

For example, Delhi

For example, Sydney

Geographic coordinates of Elektrostal, Moscow Oblast, Russia

City coordinates

Coordinates of Elektrostal in decimal degrees

Coordinates of elektrostal in degrees and decimal minutes, utm coordinates of elektrostal, geographic coordinate systems.

WGS 84 coordinate reference system is the latest revision of the World Geodetic System, which is used in mapping and navigation, including GPS satellite navigation system (the Global Positioning System).

Geographic coordinates (latitude and longitude) define a position on the Earth’s surface. Coordinates are angular units. The canonical form of latitude and longitude representation uses degrees (°), minutes (′), and seconds (″). GPS systems widely use coordinates in degrees and decimal minutes, or in decimal degrees.

Latitude varies from −90° to 90°. The latitude of the Equator is 0°; the latitude of the South Pole is −90°; the latitude of the North Pole is 90°. Positive latitude values correspond to the geographic locations north of the Equator (abbrev. N). Negative latitude values correspond to the geographic locations south of the Equator (abbrev. S).

Longitude is counted from the prime meridian ( IERS Reference Meridian for WGS 84) and varies from −180° to 180°. Positive longitude values correspond to the geographic locations east of the prime meridian (abbrev. E). Negative longitude values correspond to the geographic locations west of the prime meridian (abbrev. W).

UTM or Universal Transverse Mercator coordinate system divides the Earth’s surface into 60 longitudinal zones. The coordinates of a location within each zone are defined as a planar coordinate pair related to the intersection of the equator and the zone’s central meridian, and measured in meters.

Elevation above sea level is a measure of a geographic location’s height. We are using the global digital elevation model GTOPO30 .

Elektrostal , Moscow Oblast, Russia