Medical Students

2011 Undergraduate Essay Prize for 3,000 word essay entitled "Discuss the Importance of Plasticity in the Auditory Pathway"

Much has been said about undergraduate medical education over the years but it seems that little changes:  as far back as 1979 the Council of the British Association of Otolaryngologists (BAO) considered how best to generate interest in ENT and to encourage undergraduate medical students into the Specialty. 

How better to achieve these aims than by establishing a competition and to offer a prize to the winner?  It is no surprise that the idea of awarding the prize on the basis of the results of a multiple choice exam was rejected in favour of an essay competition for undergraduates and the first Undergraduate Essay Prize was awarded in 1981 for an essay entitled “The Social Handicap of Deafness” and the prize continues to be awarded annually to a clinical medical student for an essay the title of which is published each year.

The tradition initiated so many years ago continues to flourish under the auspices of ENT–UK.

  The title of the 2010 essay was “Modern Medicine Benefits the Individual but not Humanity”.  The 2011 essay is entitled “Discuss the Importance of Plasticity in the Auditory Pathway” and the 2012 essay is entitled “What Evidence is there that ENT Operations are Effective?

1. ENT•UK will award a prize of £500.00 for an essay of not more than 3,000 words on the subject specified above written by a clinical medical student.

2. Students who have graduated, but who have not yet commenced clinical training, are eligible to make a submission provided this is done before leaving Medical School.

3. Essays must by sent by e‐mail to conferences@entuk.org by no later than 31st August 2011. Your covering e‐mail should include your full name, contact details, name of Medical School and Dean.

4. To ensure impartiality entries will be judged anonymously by an adjudicator appointed by ENT•UK.

5. The winner of the Essay Prize will be notified in November 2011 and will be invited to attend the ENT•UK Annual General Meeting in February 2012 when a certificate and cheque will be presented.

6. The winning essay will be posted on the ENT•UK website