The William Bynum Prize is awarded each year to the author of an original essay on any theme relating to the history of medicine and its related sciences. This international competition is open to doctoral students and early post-doctoral researchers (candidates who have completed their PhDs not longer than 3 years before submission of the entry). The Prize’s awarding committee is chaired by Professor Bynum himself, supported by the editor and members of the editorial advisory board of the journal Medical History.

All enquiries regarding the competition should be directed to the journal editors Dr Tara Alberts (tara.alberts@york.ac.uk) and Professor Man Kong Wong (mankongwong2@gmail.com). Please note that the specifications for submissions are the same as for a general article submitted to Medical History (please see the 'Preparing your materials' page on Medical History's website).

All submissions should be sent to the journal editor by the 31 January 2026. Details of the winning essay and its author will be announced in mid 2027. The William Bynum Essay Prize takes the form of a £250 cash award and £250 in Cambridge University Press vouchers. The winning entry will be published in Medical History if it succeeds in undergoing the journal’s usual reviewing processes.