Creative Writing

Purpose
Stories and poems are powerful ways of sharing the vision and depth of family medicine, its philosophy of care and scope of practice. We invite submissions of written materials that derive from the experience of teaching/learning or practicing family medicine.

Eligibility
Faculty, clinicians and medical students in the northeast region of the US are eligible to participate. Stories, poems, and other forms of fiction or non-fiction writing are welcomed.

Submission Process

  • Submissions are welcome from family physicians, residents, medical students, or representatives of organizations who are FMEC members in the northeast region of the US ((Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, New York, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Ohio, West Virginia, Virginia, Maryland and the District of  Columbia (D.C.)).
  • The submissions will be reviewed by a review committee that is made up of FMEC members and previous award winners.
  • While submissions remain the property of the author, a submitter grants the FMEC unrestricted use of the material.

The award winner will be recognized at the FMEC annual meeting.
Questions? Contact [email protected]

Past Award Winners listing (2017 and older)

2023 Prose Winners
Maureen Litchman, MD - first place prose - "Not Knowing"
Sukanya Srinivasan, MD, MPH - second place prose - "It's Complicated:  Thoughts on a Personal Grief Journey"
Brianna K. Moyer, MD - third place prose - "Is This Normal?"

2023 Poetry Winners
Aimee Burke Valeras, PhD, LICSW - first place poetry - "How to Talk About Pain"
Hailey Kindt, MSIV - second place poetry - "If You Read Her Chart"
Jessica L. Faraci, MD - third place poetry - "Help"

2022 Prose Winners
Davy Ran, MSIV - first place prose - "Death and Diet Pepsi"
William Callahan, DO - second place prose - "Why Me?"
Briana Krewson, MPH, MSIV - third place prose - "Sky"

2022 Poetry Winners
Kara Romanowski, MSIV - first place poetry - "Dignity in the Details"
Allison Ogawa, MSIV - second place poetry - "Medicine Isn't Faster"
Kathleen Sweeney, DO - third place poetry - "The Empty Tomb"

2021 Prose Winners
Maureen Litchman, MD - first place prose - "The Perfect Match"
Best Student Prose (tie) - Pratiti Roy, MSIV - "Raising the Brightness"    and   Charlotte Walmsley, BS - "Being Useful"

2021 Poetry Winners
Carla Jardim, MD - 1st place poetry - "The Garden"
Katharine C. Barnard, MD - 2nd place poetry - "Portraits in Dignity"

2020 Prose Winners
Krystal Green, MD - 1st place prose (tie) - "Monday Night"
Luis Garcia, MD - 1st place prose (tie) - "Thirteen Years"

2020 Poetry Winners
Nel Trasybule, MD - 1st place prose/poetry - "Helpless"

2019 Prose Winners

Maureen Litchman, MD - 1st place prose - "Red Was Her Name"
Julia Marsala - 2nd place prose - "Hole In My Bucket"

2019 Poetry Winners
Corey Fogleman, MD - 1st place poetry - "If Only Just"
Corey Fogleman, MD - 2nd place poetry - "Turn It Off.  Turn It Back On Again"

2018 Prose Winners:

Warren J. Ferguson, MD - 1st place prose tie - "An Enduring Relationship in the Medical Home"
Lisa S. Gussak, MD - 1st place prose tie - "How Do You Code That?"
Warren J. Ferguson, MD - 2nd place - "Third Time the Charm or Loser"

2018 Poetry Winners:
Hugh Silk, MD, MPH - 1st place poetry - "Friday, Late Afternoon"
Jessica Bloom-Foster, MD, FAAFP - 2nd place poetry - "Sally at 90"

2017 Prose Winners:
Adam Lake, MD - 1st place prose - "Addiction in Isolation"
Jessica Platt, MD - Honorable Mention - "Code Status"
Suzanne E. Minor, MD, FAAFP - Honorable Mention - "Compassion Fatigue"

2017 Poetry Winners:
Kristen Thornton, MD - 1st place poetry - "Aging"
Virginia Van Duyne, MD - Honorable Mention - "New"
Aimee Burke Valeras, PhD, LICSW - "What Others See"