£500
Undergraduate & Foundation
Medical students & final year doctors
Open to all UK medical students (Years 1–6) and Foundation Year 1 & 2 doctors.- No prior ophthalmology experience required.
Essay question
“Will artificial intelligence replace the ophthalmologist? Critically evaluate the current and emerging role of AI in ophthalmic diagnosis, screening, and surgical planning, and discuss the implications for medical student training and the future ophthalmic workforce.”
Entering a different career stage? View all prize categories →
Submission requirements
- Word count
- 1,500 – 2,000 words (excluding references)
- Referencing style
- Academic (Vancouver or Harvard accepted)
- Format
- PDF or Word document (.docx)
- Eligibility
- Open to all UK medical students (Years 1–6) and Foundation Year 1 & 2 doctors. No prior ophthalmology experience required.
- How to submit
- Email your essay manually to ophthalmologyq@gmail.com before the deadline
- Closing date
- 1st October 2026
- Hear back by
- January 2027
Judging & announcement
Essays will be assessed by a panel of consultant ophthalmologists, academic clinicians, and senior trainees. Entries will be judged on originality of argument, quality of evidence-based reasoning, clarity of academic writing, and engagement with contemporary issues in ophthalmology.
You should hear back by January 2027. Results will be announced and the prize presented at a forthcoming national event.
Ready to enter?
Send your submission manually by email to ophthalmologyq@gmail.com before 1st October 2026. Attach your essay as a PDF or Word document (.docx). Each entrant may submit one essay per category. Co-authored submissions are not accepted; entries must be your original, unpublished work.
For enquiries regarding eligibility or submission, email ophthalmologyq@gmail.com.