BGS Amulree Essay Prize winners announced
The BGS has announced the winners of its Amulree Essay Prize 2018. The annual prize commemorates Lord Amulree, a founder member and President of the British Geriatrics Society (1948-1973) and is awarded to medical students for an essay on a subject pertinent to ageing or old age written from a medical, biological or sociological point of view.
First prize - Robyn Barber
First prize was awarded to Robyn Barber at the University of Newcastle Medical School for the essay 'Feasibility of using an application based tool to screen for dementia in the Hai district of Tanzania.'
Robyn is currently a final year medical student studying at Newcastle University, although the essay is based upon research carried out last year as part of her intercalated Masters of Research in global health.
Her research project - based in the Hai district of Tanzania - is just one of many projects in the district which collectively aim to reduce global health inequalities by investing resources into research in lower-income settings such as this, with many having a strong focus on ageing and mental health.
Second prize - Gautham Kumar
Second prize was awarded to Gautham Kumar at the University of Cambridge for the essay 'Does the maturation of optogenetics enable new approaches to the treatment of Parkinson's Disease?'
Gautham is a fourth-year medical student at Cambridge with an interest in movement disorders, surgery, and medical education. He is involved in research at the Department of Psychiatry, supervising preclinical students at my College, and improving student experiences as part of Cambridge's ClinSoc.
Third prize - Dane Wanniarachige
Third prize was awarded to Dane Wanniarachige of Trinity College Dublin for the essay 'Understanding and combatting ageism in healthcare.'
Dane Wanniarachige is a fourth year medical student at Trinity College Dublin. He is interested in medical journalism, and holds a master's degree in journalism and a bachelor's of medical science degree from Western University in London, Ontario, Canada.