We invite students, residents, and fellows to submit original essays for the inaugural UCSF Narrative Medicine Essay Contest.
Details
- Type Deadline
- Date
- Time -
About
About Narrative medicine is a practice that uses close attention to stories — in literature, art, film, and medicine — to foster reflection, meaning-making, and more humane care. This contest invites trainees to engage with that practice: to write about a moment, encounter, or experience that shaped how you understand illness, identity, healing, or what it means to be a clinician.
Prompt Open. Write about anything that feels true and urgent to you at the intersection of medicine and human experience.
Eligibility Open to students, residents, and fellows at UCSF.
Guidelines
- 500–1500 words
- Original, unpublished work only
- Submissions in English
- One submission per person
Prizes
- First place: $750
- Second place: $500
- Third place: $250
Winning essays will be featured on our website and media gallery at narrativemed.ucsf.edu.
Deadline June 23, 2026
Submission Submit via email to [email protected] with the subject line "UCSF Narrative Medicine Essay Contest." Please include your name, institution, and training level.
Questions Contact [email protected].