The 2022 MJA Awards are now closed to entry. This information is left here for information and reference only.
There are £750 cash prizes and a trophy to be won in 15 categories, plus a £1,000 prize for the Outstanding Contribution Award, which is decided by our judging panel, for the best of the best.
The Awards opened to entry at 09:00 on Sunday May 1, 2022 and closed to entry at midnight on Tuesday May 31, 2022.
Bristol Myers Squibb are principal sponsors of the MJA Awards
Work submitted will need to have been first published/broadcast on or between Saturday February 13, 2021 and Saturday 30 April, 2022. (NB: this is an extended period as we have changed the timeline for the awards with the ceremony now in September rather than June)
Winners will be announced at the Awards ceremony on Thursday September 15, 2022 at the Barber-Surgeons’ Hall in the City of London. We would like to thank Bristol Myers Squibb, our principal awards sponsor for a third year, and individual awards sponsors Christine Webber, Edelman, Medtronic, Leigh Day, Real Chemistry, Roche, and Yakult.
To discuss sponsorship opportunities, please email us at
Award Categories 2022
NEW AWARD: The Gordon McVie Award for reporting cancer research — supported by Roche
Newcomer of the Year (36 or fewer months in journalism by April 30, 2022)
Mental Health Story of the Year — supported by Edelman
The Dr David Delvin Award for sex and sexual health journalism — supported by Christine Webber
Podcast of the Year
Feature of the Year (specialist audience)
Feature of the Year (broadcast)
Feature of the Year (general audience) – supported by Mearns & Pike and IVI
News Story of the Year (specialist audience)
News Story of the Year (broadcast)
News Story of the Year (general audience) — supported by Vaxart
Case Study of the Year — supported by Medtronic
Science Explained supported by Yakult
Freelance of the Year — supported by Leigh Day
Editor of the Year — supported by Real Chemistry
Outstanding Contribution to Health or Medical Journalism – this award is not by self entry but chosen by the judges from entries across all categories. Supported by Bristol Myers Squibb, Principal Sponsor of the 2022 MJA Awards.
Key Information on Successful Submission of Entries: When you submit your entry, you will be taken to a confirmation and payment page – if you are returned to this page scroll down as you will have missed out a required field in your entry. The only guarantee that your entry has been successfully submitted is the confirmation email that you will receive, containing a copy of your entry. If after checking spam you can not find a confirmation email please get in touch
Scroll down for the online entry form (entries are now CLOSED) but ensure you have read the guidance provided here first before completing the form.
Category Guidance
Case Study – These add human interest to complex medical stories making them more relevant to readers, listeners, and viewers or be used to explore or raise awareness of a condition or health problem. You may submit anonymous but not composite case studies (NB: composite means an article that does not distinguish between the individual, anonymous cases being referenced). (One piece of work may be submitted – any format).
The Dr David Delvin Award for sex and sexual health journalism – this award is being made in memory of Dr David Delvin, and has been made possible through the support of his widow Christine Webber. The award is for an article, TV or radio programme that gives good information about sex and sexual health for the general reader/viewer. The work should be accessible, accurate and well written to provide clear information and advice, as David strongly believed that if a person’s sex life is going well, their chance of being a happy, well-balanced and contented individual is much greater. (One piece of work may be submitted – any format).
Editor of the Year – The category is for editors not only of publications, but of health pages/sections, websites, or sections of larger websites. Please supply evidence of both your personal impact and your title’s, and the achievements of which you are proudest. (Three pieces of work may be submitted – any format).
Feature and News (general) – these are features or news story for a general, consumer audience. Mention if your story was exclusive or followed up elsewhere. (One piece of work may be submitted – written word only)
Feature and News (specialist) – these are features or news story for a specialist audience, usually appearing in a publication dedicated to health, medicine or science. Mention if your story was exclusive or followed up elsewhere. (One piece of work may be submitted – written word only)
Features (broadcast) – a longer piece in a more in depth or documentary style (either in a news/magazine programme or a stand-alone piece) that has been broadcast on TV, radio or online. The pictures, sound effects, interviews, editing, research and resources available/budget will be considered. Judges will also consider the time available to tell the story and amount of information and content conveyed within this time frame. It needs to be original material that has been edited together. (One piece of work may be submitted – broadcast only)
Freelance of the Year – judges will be asked to consider the range of work submitted, ability to adapt to different genres and to look for imaginative and engaging story-telling. (Three pieces of work may be submitted – any format)
NEW AWARD: The Gordon McVie Award for reporting cancer research – judges will look for complex or emerging cancer research stories made clear for a lay or specialist audience. Matching explanation to audience is vital. (One piece of work may be submitted – any format).
Newcomer –Entrants will have been working in health and medical journalism for under 36 months (not before 30 April 2019). Judges will look for evidence of impact and engagement, topicality and balance. (One piece of work may be submitted – any format).
News (broadcast) – a short news package that has been broadcast on TV, radio or online. This needs to be original material that has been edited together, ideally no more than five minutes in length. The judges will also be considering how the package has been constructed, looking at the choice of pictures and sound effects as well as interviews. (One piece of work may be submitted – broadcast only)
Mental Health – News, features, or broadcast package may be entered about this area of medicine often neglected by the media. It could be tied to a campaign, about emerging science, a case study, or an interview with a leading figure in mental health. (One piece of work may be submitted – any format)
Podcast – for a programme created and distributed as a podcast. Three examples of work may be submitted for judging. All three audio submissions must have been available to download via RSS, or free to access and subscribable on an audio app or website and should have been first ‘published’ during the entry period. (Three examples of work may be submitted – audio format)
Science Explained – Judges will look for complex or emerging science stories made clear for a lay or specialist audience. Matching explanation to audience is vital. (One piece of work may be submitted – any format).
Rules and Entry Guidance
Work submitted will need to have been first published/broadcast on or between Saturday February 13, 2021 and Saturday 30 April, 2022.
All work entered should be health- or medicine-related.
You can only enter once in each category.
You can enter more than one category (NB: entry fee is payable by non-members for each category entered – see below).
You cannot enter the same work within different categories. (Exceptions to this rule apply to the Editor and Freelance categories. Work submitted in these categories may also be entered in another category).
If your entry is for a team rather than for an individual, then please ensure you acknowledge the team (maximum four individuals) within the entry form ‘supportive information’ section, outlining their role in the entry clearly. The entrant named on the form will be considered the lead entrant and receive the prize fund which of course you may share with your team. (NB: Team entries are not allowed in the Editor, Freelance, or Newcomer categories as these are intended to recognise individual achievements)
Important information on acceptable file formats for your entry
All entries need to be made digitally by URL or by file submission. URLs must be available until the end of June 2021. If the URL is password protected the password details must be included on the entry form in the supporting information. Please note judges will not subscribe to view URL’s even if trial/free subscriptions are available – in this case provide a file submission. If you enter by file the entry form will only allow upload of files in PDF/MP3 format and with a maximum size of 8MB.
For those who need to enter files larger than 8MB or of a different format contact to organise large file transfer of your entry.
DO NOT include links to large file transfer in the form you MUST contact to transfer the file.
Files uploaded to the form should be labelled/renamed with your initial, name and category eg: JBloggsBlogger.
NB: Free online tools are available to make PDFs from URLs and to join PDF pages of longer submissions for the required one file submission allowed on the entry form.
Cost of entry
Entries are open to all but an entry fee of £60 per entry is payable by non-members.
Why not join the MJA for £50? Less than the cost of entering one category. You will enjoy all the benefits of membership and be able to enter as many categories as you like for free. (NB: Membership fees are tax deductible but your entry fee is not). Just complete our membership application form.
When completing the entry form you will be asked to indicate if you are an existing member, wish to join or wish to pay the entry fee. If you wish to join you can either apply now or after submission of your entry. If you wish to pay the entry fee you will be requested to do this via paypal after submission of your entry. You do not need a paypal account and can pay by credit or debit card. Your entry will not be accepted until the fee is received.
Members of the MJA may support one entry in the awards enabling a non member to enter for free. This is so that MJA members can identify great journalism and suggest that an individual enter with their support. You will need to name the MJA member supporting your entry on your entry form.
The finalists in all categories (apart from Outstanding Achievement) will be announced in August and you will be notified if you are a finalist. For Outstanding Achievement there is only a winner who will be announced along with all other winners at the Awards Ceremony.
The Awards will be announced and presented on Thursday September 15, 2022 at the Barber-Surgeons’ Hall, London.
For all queries regarding the Awards contact
We value our sponsors support but in keeping with the MJA motto — Independent and bloody minded — sponsors are not involved in the judging process in any way.
