RCR Clinical Oncology Undergraduate Essay Prize

Every year the RCR offers a number of bursaries, prizes and awards to undergraduate medical students and societies, as well as trainees and consultants involved in undergraduate education.

The clinical oncology undergraduate essay prize, formerly known as the Edinburgh EAR Congress Essay Prize, is for an essay either on a topic relevant to clinical oncology or describing personal experience of working in a department of clinical oncology during an elective period or vacation. The successful applicant may be invited to present a talk about their essay at the appropriate RCR meeting. 

See a list of previous prize winners.

Funding: £200

Eligibility: UK medical students

How to apply:

Applications should be submitted by email to undergraduate@rcr.ac.uk no later than 17:00 pm on Friday 10 March 2023. The Royal College of Radiologists' clinical oncology undergraduate committee will consider the applications and decide on a winning essay. Their decision is final and binding. Applicants will be informed of the outcome of their application as soon as possible after the decision.

Applications should include:

• An indication of which prize the application is for
• The student's full name, permanent address, and medical school.
• The essay, which should not exceed 4000 words including references and tables. Please note that only the first 4000 words will be assessed.
• A supporting statement from a Fellow of the Royal College of Radiologists or Medical School lead, who is aware of the student's work, confirming the essay, is the original work of the applicant.

Assessment criteria:

• Background information/research
• Relevance of subject matter (a focus on radiotherapy will be highly valued)
• Essay structure and presentation
• Quality of report
• Conclusion

Enquiries should be directed to undergraduate@rcr.ac.uk

Presentation from our 2021 prize winner

Patrick McAleavey, a final year medical student at Queen's University Belfast, discusses his prize-winning essay on 'Drug-radiotherapy combinations in glioblastoma.' Watch here.