Medical Student Prize

Applications for the 2026 Medical Student Prize are now open!

2026 Medical Student Prize

This year medical students are invited to submit an essay on their Quality Improvement Project (QUIP) and how it has equipped them and their department to perform better. The project must have completed at least one round of the Plan Do Study Act (PDSA) cycle and can be on any aspect of T&O - from education to patient preparation or adoption of surgical innovation.

The lead author of the winning submission will receive the following:

BOA-recognised certificate
£100 prize money
A ticket for Medical Student's Day at the BOA Annual Congress 2026 in London
Travel and one night's accommodation at the BOA Annual Congress 2026 paid for by the BOA

The BOA also wish to recognise the exceptional submissions we receive with a highly commended certificate.

FAQs

How do I submit my project?

You will be required to submit an application form along with your essay. The application form can be found here; please complete this and send it, along with the supporting letters, to [email protected] by midnight 31st July. There is a limit of one entry per student.

Am I eligible?

The competition is open to all medical students in the UK or Republic of Ireland.

Medical Students from the UK or Republic of Ireland who are studying abroad are not eligible to submit an essay.

Is there a word limit?

The maximum word count for the essay is 1000 words. The essay title and references/figures/tables (including in-text references) are not included in the word count, but any accompanying text i.e. the name of the table if stated above/below it, will be counted in the Word Count. Appendices are not encouraged but maybe used to present relevant additional information referred to in the essay. We usually receive a large number of submissions and the people marking the essays are not expected to read Appendices and therefore these should not be used to display details which are essential to your work.

Can I include graphs or images in my submission?

Yes, you may include graphs and/or images. Any accompanying text will be included in the word count.

Does the word count include references and figures?

The word count does not include your references/figures/tables, including in-text references, but does include the accompanying text to any included figures.

What referencing style shall I use?

There is no preferred referencing style.

When is the final deadline?

The deadline for submissions for the 2026 BOA Medical Student Prize is 23:59 on 31st July.

When will the winner be announced?

All participants will be informed of the result of their submission and the winner will be contacted directly. The prize is presented at the BOA Annual Congress in September.

Will I receive feedback?

Due to the high number of submissions that we expect, the BOA may unfortunately be unable to provide individual feedback.

Who can I contact if I have a problem?

Our policy team are happy to help you with any queries you may have regarding the elective bursaries. You can contact us by email at [email protected] or by telephone on 02074056507.

Past Winners

2025 - Colette Revadillo: A Quality Improvement Journey to Optimise Antibiotic Management and Enhance Outcomes in Paediatric Osteomyelitis Care. Their essay is published on Orthopaedics Online which you can read here.

2024 - Andreas Conte: National Guidelines - a Guaranteed Success? Their essay is published on Orthopaedics Online which you can read here.

2023 - Sumedh Sridhar: Bones, Burnout, and Beyond: Strategies for Supporting T&O Staff and Patients in a Changing Landscape. Their essay is published on Orthopaedics Online which you can read here.

2022 - Jan Drmota: “Eco-Wolff’s law”: Identity-based sustainable adaptation of trauma and orthopaedics. Their essay is published on Orthopaedics Online which you can read here.