Third annual poetry contest expands to include prose, offer more prizes

“What happens when people open their hearts?...They get better.”
― Haruki Murakami, contemporary writer

As part of its Creativity in Health Education program, the Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine joins the Community High School for Arts and Academics in sponsoring the third annual Creative Expression in Health and Medicine competition. Formerly called the Poetry and Medicine competition, the contest has expanded to include both poetry and prose that is fewer than 500 words.

The contest is open to participants in several categories: Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine students; master’s of fine arts students at Virginia Tech; Virginia Tech undergraduates; students at the Jefferson College of Health Sciences; and Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine faculty members.

The competition is sponsored in part by the Tuberculosis Foundation of Virginia.

Winning entries will be selected on the basis of craftsmanship, originality, and content and must be submitted no later than midnight March 15, 2015 (see Competition Guidelines below).

Poetry and prose in each category will be judged together. The winning entries in four of the five categories, excluding Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine faculty members, will receive monetary awards. Award amounts are as follows:

Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine students – $1,000 first; $500 second; $250 third
Virginia Tech master’s of fine arts students – $500 first; $250 second; $125 third
Virginia Tech undergraduates – $250 first; $150 second; $100 third
Jefferson College of Health Sciences students – $250 first; $150 second; $100 third

Winners will be announced in the spring of 2015.

“Our third competition builds upon the successes of the first two by expanding the scope, the number of entries, and the prize money,” said Dr. Molly O’Dell, director of the New River Health District, poet, and creator of the program. “We are thrilled to offer a creative outlet for area students and faculty, particularly those who are in health-related disciplines and who can appreciate the healing force of creativity.”