Aston University Medical Student Neil Mukoro Takes Home 2024 Rosalind Franklin Essay Prize
Neil Mukoro, a second-year student at Aston Medical School, has won the prestigious 2024 Rosalind Franklin Essay Prize.
The annual essay writing competition, open to students in their second year at Aston Medical School, was launched in 2020 in memory of the pioneering chemist and x-ray crystallographer Rosalind Franklin, by her nephew Dr Daniel Franklin. Rosalind’s work was central to the understanding of the molecular structures of DNA, RNA, viruses, coal and graphite. Daniel is an Aston University alumnus, having received his PhD from the University in 1981, and an honorary degree in 2013. He has been executive editor of The Economist since 2003.
This year’s title, ‘Innovative Approaches to Delivering Healthcare in Resource-Scarce Environments: Adapting Medical Practice to Meet the Unique Needs of Areas of Political and Cultural Conflict.’, was chosen by medical school faculty. The topic each year is chosen to ensure it is relevant and of significant interest to medical students, as well as to address contemporary issues in the field. Students were expected to explore innovative strategies for delivering healthcare in environments where resources are limited and traditional medical infrastructure may be compromised due to political or cultural conflicts.
In his essay, Neil suggested the use of AI-powered mobile health clinics. The judges praised his structure, concrete examples and analysis of success stories from past healthcare interventions to support his arguments. They also said that his writing style made the content accessible to a wide range of readers.
Neil said:
“Participating in the Rosalind Franklin year 2 essay competition was an incredibly rewarding experience and I am honoured to receive recognition for my work. I’m grateful to have had the opportunity to explore the critical topic of the use of AI for healthcare delivery in conflict zones. This experience has inspired me to continue exploring innovative solutions to today’s healthcare challenges.”
The runner up was Gagandeep Kaur. The judges’ citation notes the comprehensive and clear-headed structure of her essay, its readability, and her ‘sensible observations’ on education, culture, resources and technology.
Gagandeep said:
“Participating in the Rosalind Franklin Competition was an incredibly enriching experience. It provided a unique opportunity to explore and propose solutions for delivering healthcare in challenging settings. The competition pushed me to think creatively about how to adapt medical practices to overcome the barriers presented by political instability and cultural differences. The process sharpened my research and writing skills, and the feedback from the judges offered valuable insights that have broadened my understanding of global health issues. I highly recommend this competition to anyone passionate about tackling real-world challenges in medicine.”
Daniel said:
“The Rosalind Franklin essay prize goes from strength to strength. Students are keen to take part, and the quality of their submissions is high. It’s gratifying to see how they throw themselves into the challenge of thinking through a health-policy issue that, while not directly part of their coursework, is highly relevant to them as future doctors.”
The 2023 prize was won by Yi-Huan Tang, on the topic ‘The Impact of ChatGPT on Medical Education and Patient Care: Advantages, Limitations, and Ethical Implications’.