Dr. Hope Babette Tang Humanism in Healthcare Essay Contest

Dr. Hope Babette Tang Humanism in Healthcare Essay Contest

The annual Dr. 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 (doctors, nurses, therapists, social workers, pharmacists, patients and families, etc.) worked to ensure that humanism was at the core of care. Submissions that touch upon students’ personal experiences of humanistic care or stories of family and friends are also accepted.

The 2025 Dr. Hope Babette Tang Humanism in Healthcare Essay Contest is now closed.

First-, second-, and third-place essays for both nursing and medical students are chosen by a panel including healthcare professionals, writers/journalists, and educators.

Winners receive monetary awards of $1000, $500 and $250, respectively, and their essays are published in Academic Medicine and The Journal of Professional Nursing in the fall.

For details, visit Eligibility, Selection Criteria, and Process.

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Who was Dr. Hope Babette Tang?

The essay contest is named in memory of Hope Babette Tang, MD, an Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center and the Pediatric Medical Director of the hospital’s HIV clinic until her death in 1998 at age 36. Dr. Tang’s patients were often facing numerous obstacles on top of their devastating medical challenges, which made healing even more difficult. Her mantra in caring for her patients was “Whatever it takes.” Her approach meant she saw the person in front of her, not just their medical situation. Many of her acts of caring only came to be known after her death. She treated the whole patient, a hallmark of humanistic care.

2025 Dr. Hope Babette Tang Humanism in Healthcare Essay Contest Prompt

Students are asked to use the following quote to reflect on an experience in any healthcare setting where they or another healthcare team member worked to put the person at the center of care.

“Of all the tools in my medical bag, the most important of all is not in the bag itself – it’s my ears, to listen to the patient.” — Dr. Arnold P. Gold, pediatric neurologist and co-founder of The Arnold P. Gold Foundation.

Learn how to submit an essay: Eligibility, Selection Criteria, and Process.

2024 Medical Student Winners

Congratulations to the winners of the 2024 Dr. Hope Babette Tang Humanism in Healthcare Essay Contest! Read the full announcement here.


First Place | “A Drop of a Person”
Caterina Florissi
Harvard Medical School

 

 


Second Place | “Apartment 5 on Dolphin Drive”
Noor Ahmed
Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine at Seton Hill University

 

 


Third Place | “A Place for Grief”
Danielle Collins
Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine

2024 Nursing Student Winners

First Place | “Baby J’s Song”
Hailey Sommerfeld
University of Utah College of Nursing

 

 

Second Place | “The Cat”
Megan McDowell
Brenau University

 

 


Third Place | “A Quiet Place”
Erin Bowdish
The Valley Foundation School of Nursing at San Jose State University

 

Read the full announcement of the 2024 winners.

Hear past essay winners read and share about their essay through the Gold Connection Podcast

Jessica Pierce, who won first place for nursing students students in the 2022 contest, reads her winning essay, "As the Sun Sets." The reading is followed by a conversation with Jessica and Gold Foundation Editor in Chief Brianne Alcala, exploring the writing process. Jessica is pursuing her doctoral degree in Nurse Anesthesia at Oregon Health & Science University. Listen here
Square image with Molly Fessler's headshot and the words On Writing "Every Patient After" Molly Fessler, who won second place for medical students in the 2022 contest, reads her winning essay, “Every Patient After.” That reading is followed by a conversation with Molly and Gold Foundation Editor in Chief Brianne Alcala, exploring the writing process. Molly is a fourth-year student at the University of Michigan Medical School. Listen here
Mason Blacker, a medical student at NYU Grossman School of Medicine, won first place for medical students in the 2022 contest. In this podcast episode, he reads his winning essay, “The Light.” The reading is followed by a conversation with Mason and Gold Foundation Editor in Chief Brianne Alcala, exploring the writing process. Listen here

 

For more information about the Gold Foundation programs or their status, please contact VP, Programs, Louisa Tvito at ltvito@gold-foundation.org.