Hippocrates Prize

The Hippocrates Prize for Poetry and Medicine is an annual international award for an unpublished poem on a medical subject. Poems must be no more than 50 lines in length and not have previously been published in any form. They must be by a living poet, written in English and should not be translations of another writer’s work. There is no limit to the number of entries.

Unfortunately, for administrative reasons, there will be no 2026 Hippocrates prize.

Poems are in 3 categories: 

Open Prize: open to any entrant

Health Professionals Prize: open to health professionals and health students from all disciplines.

Young Poets Prize: for entrants under the age of 18.

The prize money for the Open and Health Professional Categories is:

1st: £1000

2nd: £500

3rd: £250

The prize money for the Young Poets Prize is:

1st: £250

Eligibility Criteria & Important Information

  • The Hippocrates Prize for Poetry and Medicine is an annual international award for an unpublished poem on a medical subject. Poems must be no more than 50 lines in length and not have previously been published in any form. They must be by a living poet, written in English and should not be translations of another writer’s work. There is no limit to the number of entries.

  • Poems should be entered online and must be accompanied by payment of £6 for each poem entered, by secure online payment.

  • Applicants need to select the OPEN if your entry is in the international open category, or HEALTH PROFESSIONAL if you are entering entered in the category for Health Profession-related employees/students (current or former) from anywhere in the world. The YOUNG POET prize if open for poets between the age of 14-18 years.

  • Entries for the 2025 Hippocrates Prize opened on 1 November 2024, and closed on 14 February 2025.

  • The Hippocrates Prize judges will read a long-list prepared by filter judges, and their decision is final.

    For information about this year’s judges, click here.

  • Short-listed poets in all categories of the Hippocrates Prize will be informed by mid-April.

  • Results will be announced at an online Hippocrates Awards event in May 2024.

    Winning poems will be published on the Hippocrates Prize website, in an Anthology of winning poems.

    Prize-winners will receive their awards.

  • Copyright remains with the authors, but the Hippocrates Prize organizers reserve the right of publication, both online and in a prizewinners’ and other anthologies and publications of the Hippocrates Initiative.