2023 J.H. MacDermot writing prize winners

Ms Samantha Erron Gibbon	Ms Kaitlin Kwok

Ms Samantha Erron Gibbon is the winner of the J.H. MacDermot Prize for Excellence in Medical Journalism (Independent), which recognizes a BC medical student’s significant achievement in writing an article without any physician coauthors, for her article “Treating families and victims of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls tragedies: Recommendations for physicians.”

Ms Gibbon is an otipemisiwak and Nehiyaw iskwew from Treaty 6 territory in Alberta. She and her daughter are descendants of Peayasis Band and belong to the Métis Nation of Alberta. Having completed her undergraduate degree at the University of Alberta, Ms Gibbon is now completing the fourth year of her medical degree in the UBC Southern Medical Program. Ms Gibbon is also an award-winning artist and author, and between busy days as a student and a parent, she can be found working on her next book as well as advocating for Indigenous health and cultural safety in her community.

Ms Kaitlin Kwok is the winner of the J.H. MacDermot Prize for Excellence in Medical Journalism (Mentored), which recognizes a BC medical student’s significant achievement in medical writing as part of an author team that includes physicians, for her article “Pediatric sepsis during the COVID-19 pandemic.”

Ms Kwok is a third-year medical student at UBC with a passion for improving patient-centred care. She is particularly interested in understanding how unique populations are impacted by health care interventions and is involved in various research projects with age-based populations. Moving forward in her career, she hopes to contribute toward safe, accessible care with a continuing curiosity and enthusiasm for medicine. She is grateful for the guidance and expertise from her mentor, Dr Srinivas Murthy, throughout their research project.

The BCMJ welcomes article submissions from BC medical students and offers these two writing prizes for the best submissions accepted for publication. The prizes distinguish between student articles written with and without physician coauthors. A winning article for each prize is selected from all eligible articles published in a calendar year. Each winner receives $750 and recognition in the BCMJ and at the Doctors of BC annual awards ceremony.

For more information about the prizes, visit https://bcmj.org/submit-article-award.
 

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