Stanford Medical School Wins 6 Writing Awards

By SUSAN IPAKTCHIAN

STANFORD UNIVERSITY, CA -- Writers in the Stanford University School of Medicine’s Office of Communication and Public Affairs received six awards for their work in the Association of American Medical Colleges’ annual competition.

In all, the office received four of the five gold awards in the national contest’s writing categories, along with a silver and a bronze award. The awards were for work published in 2017-18.

Science writer Krista Conger received the gold award in the basic-science writing category for “Eye spy,” a feature that was published in the summer 2017 issue of Stanford Medicine magazine. It describes the journey of Uruguayan-native Alfredo Dubra: As a young boy, Dubra suffered from strabismus, or crossed eyes; today, he is a renowned physicist who is spending his life trying to find better ways of examining the retina.

Science writer Bruce Goldman received the silver award in the same category for “Brain balls,” a feature in the winter 2018 issue about researcher Sergiu Pasca’s efforts to develop brain organoids that can be grown and studied in the lab.

“Magical moment,” which recounted the events surrounding the first U.S. adult heart transplant, earned a gold award in the general staff writing category. Science writer Tracie White brought to life the historic surgery that took place 50 years earlier at Stanford Hospital. The story was published in the winter 2018 issue of the magazine.

In the solicited articles category, novelist Joyce Maynard received the gold award for an essay she wrote about life while her husband was being treated for cancer and how the experience changed her. The essay, “In the fog of loss,” was published in Stanford Medicine’s summer 2017 issue.

The magazine is edited by Rosanne Spector.

Conger also received a gold award in the news release category for her Jan. 31, 2018, release about a new cancer “vaccine” being developed by researcher Ronald Levy. Goldman received the bronze award for his Oct. 27, 2017, news release about researcher Michael Eisenberg’s findings linking the frequency of marijuana use to the frequency of sexual intercourse.

The news releases are edited by John Sanford.

The awards are given by the AAMC’s Group on Institutional Advancement, which includes communications, development and alumni relations staff at academic medical centers. This year’s awards will be presented April 11 in Orlando, Florida, at the group’s annual meeting.

Susan Ipaktchian is the director of print and web communications for the medical school's Office of Communication & Public Affairs. Her email is susani@stanford.edu.

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