The Foundation Psychosomatic and Social Medicine

invites medical students to consider applying for

The International Balint Award 2021 – „Ascona Prize“

They should describe a student-patient relationship, an experience, or experiences, from the student’s medical studies and include critical reflection on personal meetings with patients.

Prize monies of € 5,000 are available for the authors of the best three essays. Papers must be in English.

The criteria by which the papers will be judged are as follows:

1. Exposition:
The paper should include a presentation of a truly personal experience of a student-patient relationship. (Manuscripts of former medical theses or diplomas cannot be acceptePd.)

2. Reflection:
A description of how the student experienced this relationship, either individually or as part of the medical team.

3. Action:
The student’s own perception of the demands to which s/he felt exposed and an illustration of how s/he responded.

4. Progression:
A discussion of both ways in which the student’s own approach might change in the future, and also possible ways in which future medical training might enhance the state of awareness for individual students.

Submissions of 5.000-12.000 words should be sent by email, as a Word attachment to

They must be received before 31st December 2020. The awards will be presented at the 22 th International Balint Congress in Brussels / Belgium, September 2021.

The prize winners will be expected to give a short presentation of their essay (not more than 15 minutes) at the Congress and the full text of the papers will be published in the Proceedings of the Congress and other Balint journals.

The Congress fee will be waived for prize-winners and they will be provided with free accommodation. In addition, each prizewinner may claim reasonable travel expenses (the cheapest available air fare) on the production of appropriate receipts.

Read more: stiftung-ps.de/home-en-gb/, www.balintinternational.com