The World Psychiatric Association (WPA) announces the winner(s) of its 2024 Medical Student Essay Competition, a prestigious WPA Presidential initiative supported by the United Nations Secretariat – Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Division for Sustainable Development Goals.
Earlier this year, the WPA invited medical students from around the world to write and submit an essay of up to 3,000 words on the theme: "Improving Mental Health in the Global World Using the United Nations 17 Sustainable Development Goals.
The competition was designed to encourage innovative thinking and provided an opportunity for medical students to highlight mental health's critical role in global development, giving them a global platform to present their ideas.
The response to this year's competition came from 41 countries, 93 medical schools, and 6 continents.
The essays addressed the complex interplay between mental health and the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), with a high-quality standard throughout.
The selection process was rigorous following an adapted version of the Harvard Crimson Global Essay Competition (HCGEC) criteria which judges focus, clarity, academic rigor, structure, clarity, originality, and the ability to synthesise complex information.
Nine zonal representatives ( Chawanun Charnsil, Valsamma Eapen, Kostas Fountoulakis, Vinay Kumar, Amine Larnout, Nikolay Negay, Yong Chon Park, Thelma Sanchez, Johannes Wancata), as well as Muhammad Waqar Azeem, chair of WPA Special Interest Group on Medical Students and Bernardo NG, a member of Special Interest Group and Co-chair of WPA Congress Scientific Committee in Mexico, along with Nuhamin Petros from the office of the President of the WPA at KI, and Danuta Wasserman (President, WPA).
The judging panel was deeply impressed by the innovative approaches and comprehensive analyses presented in the essays. The submissions demonstrated a profound understanding of how mental health intersects with various aspects of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. The global interest in the competition underscores the critical need to integrate mental health into broader discussions on sustainable development, highlighting its essential role in achieving a healthier and more equitable world.
We would like to extend our congratulations to the 12 finalists, whose exceptional essays made this competition a true celebration of literary talent (in alphabetical order, by last name):
After careful deliberation, the winners of the 2024 WPA Medical students’ essay competition are Bahar Fazel and Vitor Santana
Bahar Fazel is a 5th-year medical student at Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences in Iran. Her winning essay ‘Meeting the Future in a Happy Spirit’ offers a thoughtful and introspective examination of the intersection between contemporary progress, mental health, and sustainable development, effectively highlighting the need for a holistic approach to well-being that transcends mere material success.
Vitor Santana is a 5th-year medical student at the University of Pernambuco (Universidade de Pernambuco) in Brazil. His winning essay ‘Minding the Minds in the World We Share’ intertwines the urgent global challenges of climate change, social inequality, and mental health, presenting a compelling and well-researched argument emphasising these issues' interconnectedness and the critical need for integrated, sustainable solutions.
The winners will be honoured at the 24th World Congress of Psychiatry (WCP) on 14th-17th November in Mexico City.
The WPA leadership, President Danuta Wasserman, and Dr Juwang Zhu from the United Nations Secretariat – Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Division for Sustainable Development Goals, extend their heartfelt congratulations to the deserving finalists and look forward to welcoming the winners at the 24th World Congress of Psychiatry in Mexico City.
Author: Danuta Wasserman, WPA President