Mitchell/Goat Prize

The Mitchell/Goat Prize in Anaesthesia was established in 1971 and is open to trainees in the Oxford School of Anaesthesia. It was established to encourage trainees to prepare and submit short papers of merit on any topic associated with Anaesthesia.

The format has been revised for 2007.

The Prize competitions will be held twice each year, with closing dates at the end of January and the end of July. The format of each competition will be the same.

In line with the requirements of the Guide to Competency Based Training of the Royal College of Anaesthetists that all trainees should undertake audit or research, the Oxford School is to make it a requirement that all trainees will have made at least one appropriate entry to the competition by the date of their end of year 4 RITA interview. This will be introduced from the January 2007 competition.

Each competition will result in the award of two prizes.  The main prize is open to all trainees and is for the sum of £300.00. A secondary prize of £150.00 is open to trainees in the SHO grade. Further awards, at the discretion of the assessors, will reward entries of sufficient merit.

The funds for this prize are the result of generous contributions from the Regional Health Authority, the Nuffield Department of Anaesthetics, the Directors of Oxford Penlon Ltd, H G East and Co Ltd, the late W C Amey Esq, the late Dr Valerie A Goat, Regional Consultants and other individuals who have expressed an active interest in the prize.

REGULATIONS

Eligibility

Main Prize

Candidates must be trainee anaesthetists in the Oxford School of Anaesthesia within three months of the closing date. They must hold a full-time, part-time or flexible training SHO or Specialist Registrar post, (including fixed term training appointments or LAT posts).

SHO prize

Candidates must be trainee anaesthetists in the Oxford School of Anaesthesia within three months of the closing date. They must hold a full-time, part-time or flexible training SHO post.

Nature of Entry

Entries should take the form of an original paper or review on any subject of the candidate's choice associated with Anaesthesia. Subject matter may include a report of an appropriate audit project (two complete cycles), original research, or a balanced review article. In the case of the SHO prize, the same range of possible submissions applies; but equally, a well-written research or audit proposal (with or without supporting results) would be acceptable.

Format of Entry

The paper must not exceed 2500 words (excluding references). The papers must be type written on one side of A4 paper with double spacing and wide margins. Instructions given under 'Notice to Contributors' in the journal 'Anaesthesia' should be used for guidance wherever possible.

The paper must be submitted in a form that omits the Author's name.

Three copies (including figures and illustrations) should be submitted.

A fully completed application form countersigned by the College Tutor or supervising consultant must accompany it.

Only one entry from each trainee per competition is permitted.

A joint paper is eligible; in which case any prize awarded will be divided appropriately.

Additional Requirements

Papers will not be accepted if, in the same form, they have been the winning entry into any other prize or competition. Entries that describe work that has been submitted for presentation at scientific meetings or submitted for publication are welcomed. However, such manuscripts must be altered appropriately (i.e. not a word for word transcript) in order to avoid copyright conflicts.

Extra credit will be given for papers based on work undertaken while the applicant has been an anaesthetic trainee in the Oxford School and which has not formed part of a thesis for a higher degree.

One copy will remain the property of the candidate, a copy will be made available to all those who contribute to the prize, and the original will be retained in the library of the Nuffield Department of Anaesthetics.

The winner will be expected to make a presentation of their entry at an appropriate departmental educational meeting.

Assessment

Three assessors will judge the entries. One assessor will be chosen from the consultants of the Regional Hospitals, one from the Nuffield Department of Anaesthetics. The third will be a consultant with some expertise of the individual submissions.

The awards will be made within 2 months of the closing date.

No award will be made if the submissions received are of inadequate quality.

Date of submission

The three copies, together with the signed application form, should be addressed to Dr Christopher Kearns, Consultant Anaesthetist, The Nuffield Department of Anaesthetics, The John Radcliffe Hospital, Headley Way, Headington, Oxford OX3 9DZ by 31 January or 31 July annually. Electronic submissions will not be accepted.

Mitchell Goat Prize Entry Form