PIF New Zealand essay competition

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. first 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. 

1. Essay entries must address the topic ‘Addressing equity in psychiatric care’ including but not limited to improving mental health care of culturally and linguistically diverse individuals, and in rural and remote areas.
2. 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.
3. Entrants should cite the academic and other literature on which their submission draws and include a short bibliography.
4. All references must be formatted according to the Harvard system.
5. The essay must be submitted in English as a Word document (.doc or .docx; PDF is not accepted).
6. Essays must be submitted via the online form by Monday 20 January 2025.  

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

1. Essay authors retain ownership of their submitted essay.

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 or Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry and on the RANZCP website.

1. The RANZCP reserves the right to modify the format and content of essays for publication purposes.
2. The RANZCP reserves the right to publicise the names of winning entrants, their location and their university or workplace in any RANZCP communications.

1. The assessment panel will comprise members from the Royal New Zealand 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 24 February 2025. All outcomes are final. 

1. First prize, second prize and third prize winners will receive $1000, $500 and $250 respectively.
2. The first prize winning essay will be published in an edition of Australasian Psychiatry or Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry.
3. Prize money excludes GST and will be paid via bank transfer in New Zealand currency. 

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.

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

New Zealand competition winners

First place: Ria George
Second place: Jackie Hazelhurst
Third place: Angad Chauhan

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