National competition · 2026

Undergraduate & Foundation Essay Prize

£500 national prize · closes 1st November 2026 (extended from 1st October 2026) · hear back by January 2027. Open to medical students & final year doctors.

£500

Undergraduate & Foundation

Medical students & final year doctors

  • checkmarkOpen to all UK medical students (Years 1–6) and Foundation Year 1 & 2 doctors.
  • checkmarkNo 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 November 2026 (extended from 1st October 2026)
Hear back by
January 2027

Announcement

You should hear back by January 2027. The winner will receive a certificate. We intend to publish all submitted essays on the OphthalmologyQ website.

Ready to enter?

Send your submission manually by email to ophthalmologyq@gmail.com before 1st November 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 Co-authored submissions are not accepted; entries must be your original, unpublished work.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.