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PIF New Zealand essay competition

Held annually, the NZ PIF Essay Competition allows eligible NZ PIF members to explore and discuss a specified topic on psychiatry and/or mental health through a written essay.

Essay entries are limited to 1000-1500 words and judged by an assessment panel of RANZCP members according to clarity of expression and logical presentation of argument, along with demonstrated evidence and originality.

The winning essay receives NZ$1000 and is published in Australasian Psychiatry, with 2nd and 3rd place receiving NZ$500 and NZ$250 respectively.

2023 Essay Competition

Whakataukī: Naū te rou rou, Nāku te rou rou, Ka ora ai te iwi.

With your food basket and my food basket the people will thrive.

With this whakataukī (proverb) in mind, discuss mental wellbeing within the current global climate change.

The word limit for the essay is 1000-1500 words. 

How to submit

Essays must be submitted via the online form by 5 pm NZDT Monday 15 January 2024.  

Please read the Terms and Conditions below before entering the competition.

 Submit now

Terms and conditions

Eligibility
  1. Entrants must be:
    • a current Psychiatry Interest Forum (PIF) member in New Zealand (or have an eligible PIF application pending); and
    • a medical student (including a recent graduate who is yet to commence PGY1 year); or
    • a medical postgraduate year 1 or year 2 doctor (PGY 1/2).
  2. Trainees and Fellows of another specialty are ineligible to enter.
  3. Previous PIF Essay Competition winners (i.e. 1st place award recipients) are ineligible to enter.
  4. Only one essay entry per entrant is permitted. Co-authored entries will not be accepted.
  5. Submitted essays must reflect the original work of one eligible individual and must not have previously been published online or offline in any format. 
Entry requirements
  1. Essay entries must address the topic:  ‘Whakataukī: Naū te rou rou, Nāku te rou rou, Ka ora ai te iwi.

    With your food basket and my food basket the people will thrive. The word limit is 1000-1500 words. Essay submissions that are greater than 10% above or below word limit (900-1650) will be deemed ineligible. The word limit includes all citations and quotes within the body of essay, but excludes the reference list, bibliography, or any appendices.

  2. Entrants should cite the academic and other literature on which their submission draws and include a short bibliography.

  3. All references must be formatted according to the Harvard system.

  4. The essay must be submitted in English as a Word document (.doc or .docx; PDF is not accepted).

  5. Essays must be submitted via the online form by 5 pm NZDT Monday 15 January 2024. 

  6. Entries received after this date and time will not be accepted.

Entry terms
  1. Essay authors retain ownership of their submitted essay.
  2. The winning essay authors agree to grant RANZCP the right to publish their work (either in whole or in part) in RANZCP publications, including Australasian Psychiatry, and on the RANZCP website.
  3. The RANZCP reserves the right to modify the format and content of essays for publication purposes.
  4. The RANZCP reserves the right to publicise the names of winning entrants, their location and their university or workplace in any RANZCP communications.
Assessment
  1. The assessment panel will comprise members from the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (RANZCP).
  2. Entries will be judged according to clarity of expression, logical presentation, demonstrated evidence, and originality.
  3. The RANZCP reserves the right to not award prizes if essay submissions are not considered appropriate.
  4. Results will be announced and winners will be contacted in the week of 19 February 2024. All outcomes are final. 
Prizes
  1.  
    1. 1st prize, 2nd prize, and 3rd prize winners will receive NZ$1000, NZ$500 and NZ$250 respectively.
    2. The 1st prize winning essay will be published in an edition of Australasian Psychiatry.
    3. Prize money excludes GST and will be paid via bank transfer in New Zealand currency. 

Contact

For any enquiries, please email pif@ranzcp.org

Previous winners

2023 PIF Essay Competition

Winners will be announced in November.

2022 winning essays

Topic: What is the role of psychiatry in recovery from severe trauma?

New Zealand competition winners

First place: Thomas Swinburn
Second place: Emma Cadman
Third place: Nico Calderón-Hunt

Last updated 01 December 2023