Poetry Competition

2011 Pharos Poetry Competition

Purpose
To encourage medical students to write effective poetry using imagery and rhythm or rhyme to structure the poem. See "What Poetry Does" for more help in writing effective poetry.

Prizes
$500 first; $250 second; $100 third, honorable mention $75.

Eligibility
Authors must be enrolled at medical schools with active AΩA chapters (Class of 2011 or later), but need not be members of AΩA.

Dates
Entries must be postmarked no later than January 31, 2011, and sent by online form, first-class mail, express mail, or by courier. Winners will be announced about May 1, 2011.

Poem Requirements:

1. Poems must be written while the student is in medical school, must be the work of a single author, and must represent original work. Only one poem may be submitted to the competition per author.
2. The poem may be on any subject related to medicine.
3. The poem must be single spaced, single column, and not exceed two pages of 12-point type with minimum 1-inch margins. The author's name and poem title must be on each page, and pages must be numbered.
4. The poem must not have been offered to or published by any other journal or entered in any other contest and must be submitted to The Pharos, the official publication of AΩA, which has the right of first refusal.
5. The following information must accompany the poem on a separate sheet: Author's full name, address, phone number, e-mail address, name of medical school and year of graduation, and poem title.
6. The poem may be sent by online application, e-mail, or regular mail:
   Alpha Omega Alpha Pharos Poetry Competition
   525 Middlefield Road, Suite 130
   Menlo Park, California 94025
   info@alphaomegaalpha.org
7. Poems not conforming to the instructions will be returned.
8. A committee of the editorial board of The Pharos will review the poems and select the winners.
9. The author's Social Security number will be required for payment of the award.

Errata
Poems not accepted for The Pharos but published elsewhere should include the following acknowledgment:
Submitted as an entry in the 2011 Pharos Poetry Competition.

More Information
Managing Editor Debbie Lancaster
(650) 329-0291
d.lancaster@alphaomegaalpha.org
Sample Student Essays and Poetry (PDF)

To submit a poem to the contest by USPS or courier, please complete the form below and enclose it with your poem.
Word Document

Online Submission
Submit a Poem for Consideration