Submissions Open: The 2023 (4th Edition) of South-East LAMS (Literary Award for Medical Students) Nigeria; Nov 13 to Dec 3, 2023

Submissions for the 2023 (4th) Edition of the Regional (Southeast) Nigeria’s “OCI Foundation’s Literary Award for Medical Students (LAMS) Essay Competition” will open on Monday, November 13, 2023. Scroll down to see the essay topic, prizes, entry guidelines and tips on how to win.

LAMS is an OCI Foundation-sponsored national essay competition for all medical students and all medical schools in Nigeria. The national version is a separate event, and its 2023 version ends on November 10, 2023.

The OCI Foundation (Nigeria) delivers Regional LAMS in conjunction with the Southeast Directorate of the Nigerian Medical Students Association (NiMSA). NiMSA is the umbrella body of all medical students’ associations in Nigeria. LAMS, on its part, is an initiative borne out of the OCI Foundation President’s desire to inspire literary prowess among future Nigerian medical doctors. The President, Assoc Prof Chris Ifediora, was, himself a one-time medical student in Nigeria.

Detailed reasons and rationale for the OCI Foundation’s involvement can be found HERE.

This is the Fourth “Regional Nigerian Edition”, having been held successfully in the past 3 years (since 2020). The 2020 winners, 2021 winners, and 2022 winners at the regional level can be viewed anytime, while pictures of some of these past winners at regional and national levels are available HERE.

A  “British Version of LAMS” is being planned for all medical schools in the United Kingdom, and is expected to commence sometime in 2024. Details of this British version, to be sponsored by the newly created OCI Foundation UK, are still being worked out.

ESSAY FLYER (1 of 2): Flyer 1 of 2: Topic, Tips, Prizes, and Dates.

TOPIC FOR ESSAY

A legislative bill initiated by the OCI FOUNDATION to tackle breast and cervical cancers in Nigeria recently passed both chambers of the 9^th Nigerian National Assembly (NASS) in April/May 2023. The Bill is awaiting Presidential Assent before becoming a law of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. An annual, nationwide cancer quiz competition will be introduced for Senior Secondary Schools in all parts of Nigeria as part of the measures to ensure engagement with this initiative.

Suggest three measures that you think will make this quiz competition successful, with one measure to cover:

(a) Rationale for either a Physical or Virtual structure such a quiz competition;

(b) Options for sustainable Funding/Sponsorships; and

(c) Which stakeholders to involve, and how best to engage them sustainably.

Tips For Essay (1 of 2): VIDEO

Tips for Essay (2 of 2): TEXT

• Scrubs are to be collected by the winners from the OCI Foundation’s Anambra Office. Logistics for these are to be borne by the winners themselves.

• The essay can be grouped into at least five sections or paragraphs. One paragraph each should cover the Introduction and Conclusion, while another three paragraphs are to cover each of the three measures listed.

• A version of the proposed quiz competition, called the *“Anambra State ArOY Campaign Schools Challenge (AHCSC)”* has been held across Anambra State since 2021. Two editions have been completed so far, and the third edition commences in November 2023, with the grand finale set for February 4, 2024. To know all about the Anambra Version, click here: https://ocifoundation.org/page/2/?s=ahcsc.

• The anti-cancer Bill is titled:  *“Mandatory Inclusion of Teachings on Breast, Cervical, and Prostate Cancers into the Curriculum of Senior Secondary Schools and Colleges of Education in Nigeria Bill, 2023”.*

• Link to Video with essay tips is here: https://youtu.be/IAEAqZ-kWuU

• Full story and video clips from the Public Hearing on Bill are available here (there are more from multiple print and electronic independent news media on the internet, available via Google): https://ocifoundation.org/full-story-pics-videos-public-hearing-of-oci-foundation-inspired-anti-cancer-bill-for-nigerian-schools-at-nigerian-national-assembly/.

• Articles on it, along with links to relevant research (see bottom of this article), were also captured in a number of international media like this: https://news.griffith.edu.au/2023/07/17/a-new-law-in-nigeria-lights-the-way-for-worldwide-cancer-prevention-strategy/.

• OCI Foundation President Interview on Australian national TV regarding the Bill: https://youtu.be/Nlo0cu-whp8?si=8JV-TeWie7xKx6P4.

• List of partners that helped in passing the Bill: https://ocifoundation.org/video-asia-pacific-apac-tv-network-interviews-dr-chris-ifediora-oci-foundations-president-on-research-that-led-to-the-new-anti-cancer-law-in-nigeria-aug-sept-2023/.

• Download the OCI Foundation’s Innovative Mobile Phone Application by typing “OCI CerviBreast on your Android or Apple Smartphone, or by clicking here: https://ocifoundation.org/oci-cervibreast-mobile-app/.

• To access and download the LAMS Essay Guide/Handbook developed by nImsa (Nigerian Medical Students Association, click here: https://ocifoundation.org/essay-guide-literary-award-for-medical-students-lams-essay-competition/.

ELIGIBILITY

Participants must be Nigerian Medical Students enrolled in any of the approved Southeast medical schools.  Any level study is acceptable.

KEY DATES

OPENING DATE: 13/11/2023

CLOSING DATE: 03/12/2023

All submissions must go to: [email protected]

PRIZES: TEXT

• First Prize (Worth N60,000 in total):
  • N50,000 + Certificate
  • Scrub

• Second Prize (Worth N40,000 in total):
  • N30,000 + Certificate
  • Scrub

• Third Prize: (Worth N30,000 in total):
  • N20,000 + Certificate
  • Scrub

• Consolation prizes (For 4^th to 10^th place finishes):
  • N5,000 + Certificate
  • Scrub

PRIZES: VIDEO

ENQUIRIES

1. JohnWilson Ojukwu: +234 802 315 3401

DETAILS, BACKGROUND AND REASON FOR LAMS/AUWAL SHANANO COMPETITION

• Inaugural (2020) LAMS for South-East Nigerian Medical Schools: Click HERE.

• Inaugural (2020) National LAMS/Auwal Shanano Sponsored by the OCI Foundation: Click HERE.

• Regional LAMS 2020 winners: Click HERE.

• Expansion of LAMS to become a national project and cover all Nigerian medical schools: Click HERE.

• Appreciation Letters from Nigerian Medical Students: Click HERE.