FEATURE
I
t’s time for the 2019 Richard Spear, MD, Memorial Essay Con-
test!
The 12 th annual Richard Spear, MD, Memorial Essay Contest
has arrived. This year, we’re asking you to sit back and contem-
plate, “Should Medical Marijuana Have a Place in Kentucky
Health Care?”
Prior to Election Day 2018, 30 states and Washington, DC have
legally allowed marijuana to be prescribed for medical purposes.
Some states allow medical dispensaries, others allow home cultiva-
tion. A few states have approved both approaches. Still, in Kentucky
there has been much debate on the product in its totality. That’s
why we want to hear from our physicians. What do YOU think of
medical marijuana?
The contest has two entry categories: practicing/retired physicians
and in-training physicians/medical students. Both groups will have
the same topic. The prize for practicing/retired physicians is $1,500,
and for physicians-in-training/medical students, the prize is $750.
Each entry will be considered on excellence in expression, creativ-
ity, readability and clarity by the all-volunteer judges. Each entry must
be between 800-2,000 words. The essays are due on Monday, March
4 th, 2019. Don’t let your thoughts go up in smoke; make them useful.
The winning essays will be announced at the annual Presidents’
Celebration on May 19, 2019, and then published in the July 2019
issue of Louisville Medicine. For this contest, all entries must be
original, unpublished writing intended solely for publication in
Louisville Medicine, and pertinent to the themes. Please remember
HIPAA guidelines: include NO information that could potentially
identify real patients.
Please use a separate cover letter with your name, entry category,
essay title and contact information for our staff, who will remove all
ID before sending your entry on to the judges.
Send entries and cover letters via email as separate Microsoft
Word documents to Aaron Burch at [email protected]. Please
note that only GLMS members are eligible.
We’re looking forward to your essays!
Mary Barry, MD, Louisville Medicine Editor
T HE 2019 RICHARD SPEAR, MD,
MEMORIAL ESSAY CONTEST
GUIDELINES
To enter, you must be a GLMS physician member
(practicing or retired), GLMS in-training member or
a University of Louisville medical student.
THEMED ESSAY CONTEST:
All entries must be original, unpublished writing
intended solely for publishing in Louisville
Medicine. Essays must be pertinent to the
following theme.
“Should Medical Marijuana Have a Place
in Kentucky Health Care?
LENGTH:
800 to 2,000 words
DEADLINE:
Monday, March 4, 2019
PRIZE:
$1,500 for practicing and retired
$750 for physicians-in-training
FORMAT:
Do not put your name on your essay! Judges are
blinded to authors. Instead, include a separate
cover letter with name, entry category, essay title
and contact information.
SUBMISSION:
Send via email as an attachment to Aaron Burch at
[email protected].
DECEMBER 2018
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