What? The third annual CUGH Trainee Reflection Essay Contest highlighting reflection in global health education and practice. This year there are two themes, “Social Justice” and “Messages of Hope and Optimism,” as well as an open category for essays not reflecting those themes. See the details below.

Who? Trainees from undergraduate/university level, graduate/professional level and post-graduate levels are eligible to submit an essay to the contest.

When? Submissions are due by 11pm EST on December 1, 2014. Decisions on winners and runner-ups will be announced on January 15, 2015. A select group of winners will be invited to read their essays at the 2015 CUGH Annual Conference; a number of essays will also be invited for publication.

Where? Submissions should be emailed to cughessay@cfhi.org. Winners will be invited to attend and read their essays at the CUGH 2015 Annual Conference in Boston.

How? Email essay submission with the structure and information requested below to: cughessay@cfhi.org. To learn more about how to write a reflective essay, go here.

Reflection is a powerful tool in global health education and practice. The CUGH Trainee Reflection Essay Contest in its 3rd year is designed to highlight the power of reflection and transformational experiences by trainees in global health.

All current undergraduate, graduate and postgraduate trainees are invited to submit essays to reflect upon the meaning and lessons learned from global health experiences. These may be in a research, educational, clinical, or service capacity. The impacts of these experiences on professional development and personal growth are revealed in new partnerships, insights into cross-cultural or ethical issues and ideas for change. For the third annual CUGH Trainee Reflection Essay Contest, we encourage submissions with any of the following themes:

1. Social justice. Health inequities, human rights and socio-economic disparities are the driving stimulus for the global health movement. Global health practitioners worldwide serve as witness to social injustice and as agents for change. Complex social determinants such as poverty, education, environment, influence health, wellness and disease, and the drive for a more just world transcends the scope of one discipline, institution or government. When armed with passion, cultural humility, common values and shared responsibilities, each trainee and professional’s unique lens contribute to a deeper understanding of the intersection between global health and social injustice and their multi-dimensional solutions.
2. Message of hope and optimism. Progress in global health work is often sluggish and meager. Poverty, violence and disease appear insurmountable but through teamwork, capacity building and resilience, change is possible, and the evidence for it is everywhere. Reflection on success and failure, conflict and obstacle, perseverance and camaraderie in your global health path could provide message of hope and optimism to those struggling with challenging circumstances and enduring constraints. It is often said that on these roads less traveled, the reward and satisfaction come from little things that are like silver lining in every cloud. Even tales of defeat and disillusionment, repackaged with critical reflection, wisdom and perspectives became armamentarium in the fight for shared humanity and the hope for a brighter future.
3. Other themes for a reflective essay such as capacity building, cultural influences, beliefs and assumptions, self-awareness of privilege, mentorship, and global interdependence are all welcome. Click here for an example of writing prompts.

REQUIREMENTS FOR ESSAYS:

• The essay must be written while the trainee has student, trainee, or graduate/post-graduate status at a university, must be the work of a single author, and must represent original work. Essays must not have been previously published in print or electronic format.
• Entries must be in English, at least 11 point font, doubled-spaced, and must not exceed 1,000 words.
• Essay should be written in Microsoft or OpenOffice document.
• Do not put your name or any other identifying information on the document. Mention of any other individuals in the document should conform to anonymity standards to ensure privacy.
• Include the title of your essay on all pages of your word document submission
• Only ONE submission per person.
• Essays not meeting all requirements will be disqualified from the contest.

JUDGING CRITERIA:

Submissions from undergraduate and graduate/post-graduate trainees will be judged separately, with separate prizes for each group. Each essay is reviewed by 2 judges and scored on 4 categories— originality/theme, composition, critical reflection, and impact. A third judge is asked to review the essay if there is significant difference in the scores by the 2 judges. Authors will be anonymous to the judges. The finalists will be selected by members of CUGH’s Essay and Education Committees. Essay finalists will be notified by January 15, 2015.

PRIZES:

Monetary prizes of $500 and a waiver of the 2015 CUGH conference registration fee will be awarded to the top undergraduate and graduate/post-graduate submissions. A number of honorable mention essays will be selected for a special reading and recognition session at the conference.

HOW TO SUBMIT:

Send an email (including the below information) with your essay as an attachment to cughessay@cfhi.org

Please include the following information in the body of your email:

1. Last Name, First Name
2. Title of Essay
3. Address
4. Phone Number
5. Email Address (reachable even after graduation)
6. School/Sponsoring Institution/Training Program where Enrolled
7. Degree Program (if applicable)
8. Level of Training- choose one of two levels:
   1. Undergraduate (ie. College, undergraduate nursing, liberal arts, engineering, other undergraduate program)
   2. Graduate/professional school/post-graduate program (ie. Allied health program, medical school, public health, law, business, PhD, master studies, residency, post-graduate studies, fellowships)
9. Anticipated year of graduation

More information: Contact: buithuy@pitt.edu or jevert@fcm.ucsf.edu

This contest is co-sponsored by Consortium for Universities in Global Health, Child Family Health International, Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, and University of Pittsburgh’s Center for Global Health.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:

On writing: Purdue University Online Writing Lab

On reflection, go here
Wear D, Zarconi J, Garden R, Jones T. Reflection in/and writing: pedagogy and practice in medical education. Academic Medicine 2012; 87(5): 603-609