Following are details about contest eligibility and the review and selection process.
Eligibility
The essay contest is open to medical students at schools that are members of the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) and American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine (AACOM) and nursing students at schools that are members of the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN).
Nursing students must be pursuing a bachelor’s or baccalaureate degree or higher (i.e. master’s, doctorate, etc. are acceptable).
Students at international medical schools that have a Gold Humanism Honors Society (GHHS) chapter are also eligible.
Medical schools must have at least preliminary accreditation status from AAMC and AACOM.
2024 Dr. Hope Babette Tang Humanism in Healthcare Essay Contest Prompt
Medical and nursing students were asked to reflect on the following prompt for this year’s contest.
Using the following quote, reflect on an experience in any healthcare setting where you or another healthcare team member worked to put the person at the center of care.
“The practice of medicine is an art, not a trade; a calling, not a business; a calling in which your heart will be exercised equally with your head.” — William Osler
Review Process
The Gold Foundation includes outside experts to support the review process and make recommendations to the Gold Foundation.
Judges will be looking for essays that connect strongly to the Gold Foundation’s mission of humanism in healthcare for all. Winning essays will illuminate how the human connection can make a meaningful difference in care.
Based on these external recommendations and internal reviews from Gold Foundation staff, Essay Contest winners are selected based on the following criteria:
- Reflects the annual contest prompt and resonates with the mission of the Gold Foundation.
- Narrative content (the piece is compelling, thought-provoking, and/or elicits a strong emotional response by the reader)
- Demonstrates strong writing style (grammar, spelling, structure, etc)
The Gold Foundation champions humanism in healthcare, which we define as compassionate, collaborative, and scientifically excellent care. Winners of the Essay Contest are expected to reflect these values in daily practice and to continuously strive to be exemplars of humanism in healthcare.
How to Enter
The 2024 Dr. Hope Babette Tang Humanism in Healthcare Essay Contest has closed, and essays are under review.
By submitting an essay to the contest you agree to abide by the Essay Contest Terms and Conditions.
To ensure that you are made aware of this open call each year, sign up for the Gold Foundation’s monthly newsletter, News and Notes.
Honoring the Winners
Winners receive a monetary award of up to $1,000 for first place, $500 for second place, and $250 for third place.
The nursing and medical student essays will be published both in Academic Medicine, the journal of the Association of American Medical Colleges, and The Journal of Professional Nursing, published by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing.