The BAPS Prize

The prize is worth £500

The Prize will be awarded for an essay describing research performed by a Trainee in Paediatric Surgery. The work may be clinically orientated or in the basic medical sciences. If the latter, there should be an indication of how this is of relevance and significance to practising paediatric surgeons. There should be a clear statement that the author was primarily responsible for the work and the manuscript. This should be substantiated by a supporting letter from the supervisor

All submissions will be assessed by the Executive Committee. In addition, each entry will be sent to an appropriate external assessor for specialist review. The Executive Committee will award the Prize in the light of its own assessment and of the assessment provided by the external examiner

The winner may be invited to read the paper at the BAPS Annual International Congress

1 The competition is open to doctors in the UK and overseas. In the case of entrants who are already a consultant evidence must be produced to show that, at the closing date of the competition, they were in post as consultant for less than two years

2 All entries must be sponsored in writing by a member of BAPS indicating that the submitting author is a trainee or a consultant within 2 years of appointment

3 The work should not have been presented at a national or international meeting, or published prior to presentation at the BAPS Annual Congress but there is no objection to prior publication or presentation of papers whose content concerns part of the subject matter of the essay providing that these are cited in the references. The submission should include a reasonable proportion of original, previously unpublished work, and should be by a single author. The work will normally be published in the Congress issue of the Journal of Pediatric Surgery

4 The essay should be of not more than 3000 words and contain key references only. The original manuscript and 10 copies should be sent to the Honorary Secretary, British Association of Paediatric Surgeons, at The Royal College of Surgeons of England, 35-43 Lincoln’s Inn Fields, London WC2A 3PE

5 The closing date for entries is the end of January in any year

6 The Committee reserves the right to award the Prize if there is no entry of sufficient merit

7 Should your submission be unsuccessful your work may still be considered for inclusion in the Scientific Programme for the BAPS Annual International Congress