Topic outline

  • General

    • PRIZES in memoriam   Dr Jeannie MacLeod  (1874-1902)

       Dr Jeannie Macleod was the 2nd female medical graduate from the University of Aberdeen and these endowed prizes are awarded in her memory. This portrait of Dr Macleod by Richard Greaves now hangs in the Suttie Centre for learning and teaching in healthcare

      Portrait of Dr Jeannie Macleod

      Read her story  

      Gerada, C (2018) Doctors and suicide. British Journal of General Practice; 68: 168

      For more information read the article below by Dr Bob Clarke


      Eligibility: University of Aberdeen MBChB Medical students Years 3-5


      Prizes: £300 is awarded to the successful submission in each category


      Submission: by email to Dr Leeanne Bodkin leeannebodkin@abdn.ac.uk 

      SUBMISSION DEADLINE  January 2025

      Submission requirements

      •       A 500-word summary should also be submitted along with the full essay. This should not merely be an abstract: it should outline not only the topic under discussion, the aims and principal conclusions of your work, but also reflect on the story of Dr Jeannie MacLeod and how your medical humanities work relates to issues raised.

      Preliminary short-listing will be performed on the basis of these summaries.

      •       Essays should be between 3,000 - 5,000 words or an equivalent submission (e.g. creative writing / artwork) undertaken in medical humanities (SSC, Intercalated degree or elsewhere).

      •       All sources must be appropriately acknowledged in bibliography and footnotes or references as appropriate to the humanities discipline.

      •       Those shortlisted for the award will be invited to deliver a presentation on their topic at a Prize presentation event



  • Prizes 2026

    • Pleased to announce this year's PRIZE WINNERS 

      Women in Medicine

      The prize will be awarded for the best submission or submissions on the subject of, the changing roles and experiences of women in healthcare and medicine. 

      MAHNOOR IMRAN 

      The Body as a Canvas: Making endometriosis visible through art ~(ME33A2 Alternative Project)


      Diversity in Medicine

      The prize will be awarded for the best submission or submissions on the subject of, valuing diversity and inclusivity in medicine and healthcare.

      JOSHUA JEAL

      A proposal to survey MBChB students at The University of Aberdeen to understand attitudes, awareness and confidence toward providing trans*-inclusive healthcare(ME33A2 Alternative Project)


      Mental Health, Resilience and Wellbeing 

      The prize will be awarded for the best submission or submissions on the subject of mental health, resilience in healthcare practitioners, and initiatives to promote health and wellbeing. 

      DUAA EL-ZAROUK 

      Threads of Me A Collection of Short Stories (ME33CW Creative Writing)



  • 24-25

    • group photo

      Diversity in Medicine

      JACK INGLIS  Third year MBChB

      Levelling the donating field (ME33A2)

      Women in Medicine

      KATHRYN GILLESPIE Third year MBChB

      ‘Under the hood’: a design-forward medical education website exploring female sexual function. (ME33A2)

      ·Mental Health, Resilience and Wellbeing  

      ERIN SANDIFORD Third year MBChB

      How did the perception of mental illness change in Europe in the Modern Period? (ME33BM)



  • 23-24

    • photo of winners

       Women in Medicine

      FRANCESCA LEE  -  A Voyage With Medicine (QR code to musical composition)

      QR code to musical composition

       Diversity in Medicine

      LAUREN WILSON  - What’s Stopping Diversity at the Doors of UK Medical schools? A regression analysis quantifying the impact Medics&Me has on entry to medical education

       Mental Health, Resilience and Wellbeing  

      STEFANIE MCMULLAN – Creative writing portfolio

       

      Recording of all presentations by shortlisted students can be listened to here:

      https://abdn.cloud.panopto.eu/Panopto/Pages/Viewer.aspx?id=0cb66555-8d07-4d8e-8d15-b12400d7d9d1



  • WINNERS of PRIZES 22-23

    • photo of winners with benefactor

      Women in Medicine

      WINNER of the prize for the best submission on the subject of the changing roles and experiences of women in healthcare and medicine was awarded to

       Amna Irfan - Patrimonial Pestilence           (creative writing)                              

      https://abdn.cloud.panopto.eu/Panopto/Pages/Viewer.aspx?id=725e8383-ea9c-4ccb-b3fb-afb300a2afbd 


      Diversity in Medicine

      WINNER of the prize for the best submission on the subject of valuing diversity and inclusivity in medicine and healthcare was awarded to

       Rabii Aboulhosn - Epilepsy from Ancient Mesopotamia to the 21st century: how have the social perceptions and disease concepts evolved? A historical review.

      https://abdn.cloud.panopto.eu/Panopto/Pages/Viewer.aspx?id=121aa050-4039-4c6e-bb87-afb600e02907


      Mental Health, Resilience and Wellbeing  

      WINNER of the prize for the best submission on the subject of mental health, resilience in healthcare practitioners, and initiatives to promote health and wellbeing was awarded to 

      Heather Marshall - Compassion fatigue and the hidden cost of caring: the emotional labour of hospice and palliative care workers



  • 21-22

  • 20-21

    • Diversity in Medicine

      The prize awarded for the best submission or submissions on the subject of valuing diversity and inclusivity in medicine and healthcare.

      Winner (£300) MEGAN SHAW  Y5 MBChB

      Fitting in when you stand out – My experience of inclusivity in the NHS

      Benefactor’s runner up prize (£100) EMMA BOWDEN Y3 MBChB

      The masculinisation of hysteria; gender disparities in mental health history, c. 1860 - c. 1910

      Recording of presentations;

      https://eu-lti.bbcollab.com/recording/2a0a5ad119de48b2aaa00970a31932ce

       megan

      Mental Health, Resilience and Wellbeing  

      The prize  awarded for the best submission or submissions on the subject of mental health, resilience in healthcare practitioners, and initiatives to promote health and wellbeing. 

      Winner (£300) EMILY EDWARDS Y3 MBChB

      ‘Things I tell myself to get through a pandemic’ Art

      Benefactor’s runner up prize (£100) CONOR MCAVOY Y5 MBChB

      ‘Bibliotherapy’ creative writing

      Recording of presentations;

      https://eu-lti.bbcollab.com/recording/312280474963497eac1ec68e065336b2

       emily

      Women in Medicine

      The prize  awarded for the best submission or submissions on the subject of the changing roles and experiences of women in healthcare and medicine. 

      Winner (£300) ANNA STRACHAN Intercalated degree Medical humanities

      ‘Women in Medicine’ Art

      Benefactor’s runner up prize (£100) SARA YAHIA MOHAMMAD

      ‘Cycle of Life - Floral Sculpture of Female Reproductive system’ Art

      Recording of presentations;

               https://eu-lti.bbcollab.com/recording/fff422a08f9e4d3ea4aa2fc0db8ef435

       anna

       

      Read her story  

      Gerada, C (2018) Doctors and suicide. British Journal of General Practice; 68: 168

       

      Members of the awarding panel include; Professor Rona Patey, Dr Isobel Cameron, Ashley Meldrum, Nichola Hendry, Dr Leeanne Bodkin and Dr Bob Clarke the prize benefactor.



  • 19-20

    • RECORDING OF STUDENT PRESENTATIONS AND PRIZE GIVING Feb 2020

      Three Prizes of £300 awarded, one for each category

      • Women in Medicine The prize awarded for the best submission or submissions submitted on the subject of the changing roles and experiences of women in healthcare and medicine.
        • WINNER 2020 Rebecca Dunlop Y4 MBChB: Surgeons of the Scottish Women’s Hospitals for Foreign Service:Women and Military Surgery in World War I
      • Mental Health The prize awarded for the best submission or submissions on the subject of mental health, illness and cultural context.
        • WINNER 2020 Miriam McDonald Y4 MBChB: The Admission of Women to Aberdeen Royal Asylum in the second half of the 19th century

      • Resilience and Wellbeing The prize will be awarded for the best submission or submissions submitted on the subject resilience in healthcare practitioners, the importance of and initiatives to promote wellbeing.
        • WINNER 2020 Emma Barnott Y4 MBChB –Mind over matter /Get a grip /A person not a condition (Art exhibition)




  • 18-19

    • Mental Health; The prize awarded for the best submission and presentation on the subject of mental health, illness and cultural context.

      Awarded to fourth year medical student Tara Aldhikari -  The perception and treatment of mental illness in Nepal,  and how this is being influenced by Westernisation 

      Resilience, Health and Wellbeing;  The prize awarded for the best submission on the subject of the need for resilience in healthcare practitioners, the importance of and initiatives to promote health and wellbeing of practitioners.  

      Awarded to fourth year medical student Fiona Farquarson. The Use of Mindfulness as Resilience Tool for Stress, burnout and Self-Compassion in Healthcare Professionals


       Women in Medicine; The prize awarded for the best submission on the subject of the changing roles and experiences of women in healthcare and medicine. 

       Awarded to fourth year medical students Claire Repper and Rosannah Jackson Women in Medicine: from healers to doctors through the 20th and 21st century