Before you begin: Please review the eligibility requirements, submission guidelines, and review process for the 2026 Dr. Hope Babette Tang Humanism in Healthcare Essay Contest. These details outline who may apply, how essays are evaluated, and the terms associated with submission and publication, including the 2026 prompt and the AI policy. To read past winning essays and additional information, visit the main Essay Contest page.

Essays must be 1,000 words or fewer.

We have moved the Essay Contest Application to a new website due to technical issues affecting submissions. Going forward, we kindly ask that all new applications be submitted using the updated form.

Please note that any applications already submitted through the Gold Foundation website remain valid and will be reviewed.

Submission Deadline: 11:59 p.m. PT, March 16, 2026.