Medicine Essay Competition
The Minds Underground™ Medicine Essay Competition is aimed at students in Year 12 (though younger applicants are welcome). The competition provides students with an opportunity to engage in university-level research, hone their writing & argumentative skills and prepare for university interviews. Entrants must choose 1 question to answer.
Submission Deadline: 3rd April 2024.
2024 Medicine Essay Competition Questions
01.
If you were awarded a £100k medical research grant, what would you research and why?
Hints:
Consider some of the key problems facing 21st century medicine. Obesity-related diseases? Cancer? Ischaemic heart disease?
Would you look at preventing/managing a common but not life-threatening condition, or would you try to find a cure for a rare but fatal disease?
There is no right answer to this as long as you have good reasoning – using terms like cost-utility and cost-effectiveness analysis will show an impressive level of thinking on this question (look up what they each mean!).
02.
How might you suggest the government go about addressing the shortage of doctors and nurses in the NHS?
Hints:
Start by thinking about why there is a shortage – e.g. working conditions, pay etc. These issues result in huge numbers of people leaving medical careers – start by addressing these and aim to retain the staff you already have.
Lots of doctors move to other countries such as NZ/Australia – perhaps look at their health systems and suggest why these might seem more appealing and how the NHS could adapt.
Do you think there is really a future for the NHS or do we need to privatise some parts of healthcare?
03.
Are humans still evolving?
Hints:
You could consider: Technology, how lifestyles have changed, access to healthcare.
Be careful with the above points as it could be argued these are not evolutional change pressures yet, evolution happens over 1000s of years.
Are you in Year 11/12 & Thinking of Pursuing Medicine at Degree Level/ Oxbridge?
We offer a range of exciting opportunities for students aspiring to a degree in Medicine at a leading university:
Research Projects in exciting current fields with subject experts (great for personal statement content)
Medicine Summer School for university/ Oxbridge applicants
Long-term Oxbridge / top UK University Medicine mentoring: Boosting knowledge beyond the curriculum, preparing for personal statement and interviews - visit our on-curriculum site, U2 Tuition for more information
Interested in a Medicine Competition Mentor? Looking for specialist support researching & writing? Our Oxbridge-educated masterminds are here to help! Sessions from £75/h + VAT. Enquire here
Past Questions
01.
An ex-alcoholic patient [who is a mother of two children], a nine year-old girl, a 75 year old war veteran and a man with terminal cancer need a liver transplant. Who should have it?
02.
Tell us about a key development/invention that you think has been most influential to medicine.
03.
What goes wrong for cancers to develop?
N.B. You may be interested in undertaking one of MU’s online Medicine masterclasses with our experts to give you ideas and help direct your research. Some examples below!
