JCO invites you to enter our first Art of Oncology Narrative Medicine Contest for early career oncologists. Entries will be accepted through August 31, 2025. Finalists will be judged by a panel of board members and editorial fellows. Winners will be announced in the Fall of 2025.

The years of medical training and the first few years when hematologists/oncologists start practicing independently can be an incredibly rewarding time in a person’s career. We are looking for original narratives that explore the human experience of cancer and cancer care that reflect on the particular experience of trainees and early career hematologists/oncologists. Essays should be patient-centered, demonstrate empathy, and the vulnerability of the author. Potential themes could include the challenges of entering a new field or lessons learned that you will keep throughout your career.

Eligibility:

• Current medical residents
• Hematology/Medical Oncology fellows (or local equivalent in a cancer related field)
• Within the first 5 years as an attending or early career faculty within the first 5 years of completion of fellowship training

Submission Guidelines:

• Submissions for the contest should be submitted through this submission form and should NOT be submitted to JCO’s Editorial Manager submission system.
• Word limit: 2,000 words
• See other Art of Oncology criteria
• Include in your cover letter that this is for the narrative medicine contest

Winner Benefits:

• Submission published in a future JCO issue
• Invitation to participate in accompanied podcast interview
• Receive a crystal award
• If attending ASCO’s 2026 annual meeting, invitation to speak at an event

Deadline:

Submit by August 31, 2025.