Since 1907, the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (RSTMH) has been dedicated to improving tropical medicine and global health. Through our network of members across the world, we facilitate research, share knowledge, guide lifelong careers, and drive impact.
As a respected Society at the heart of the tropical medicine and global health community, we connect people and organisations who work, or are interested in, these areas. We’re an independent organisation and have a unique role in convening diverse stakeholders from many sectors and disciplines.
We play a role in all stages of global health practice from initial research and development, publication and showcasing, implementation, debate, and impact.
Our work includes funding and disseminating multidisciplinary research through peer-reviewed journals and a calendar of meetings and events. We provide grants for UK and international research and travel scholarships, as well as awarding medals for excellence in practice and to recognise emerging talent.
This reporting template is to be used by our RSTMH early career grant recipients. Thank you for completing your research project, we hope you enjoyed it. We use this form to capture the outcomes, successes and challenges our awardees experience throughout their projects. We will share the useful information to our partners and to shape the future of the programme itself. Please email sian.tatbak@rstmh.org with any questions regarding filling out this template.
RSTMH Student Essay Competition
RSTMH aims to support our members, Fellows and wider networks from the very start of their Careers. Our Student Essay Competition invites students to explore a wide range of challenging and interesting topics of global health and tropical medicine each year.
2024 RSTMH Student Essay Competition: How could the use of AI improve global health outcomes in LMICs?
The RSTMH Student Essay Competition is open for applications. The essay topic this year is “How could the use of AI improve global health outcomes in LMICs?”.
The Competition is for students studying global health as a degree, or any degree with a component of global health or medicine. It is open to current, full-time, students, based anywhere in the world. Evidence of student status must be provided at the point of submission.
The essay should clearly set out your personal perspective and specific view, with evidence to back up your choice. The essay must demonstrate a combination of scholarship, original thought, and analysis.
The essay should be submitted by 12:00pm BST 21 August 2024
Guidelines
Length: The essay should be between 1,500 and 2,000 words, excluding references, footnotes, and tables. A 150–200-word summary should also be submitted together with the essay. Please note that if the summary is omitted; the essay will not be considered.
References: All sources must be appropriately acknowledged using references numbered in the order in which they appear in the text with brackets e.g. (2) For reference 2. References do not count as part of the word count.
Format and presentation: The essay must be in English. Please try and organise the essay into a logical succession of headed sections, where possible. Only one essay per person can be submitted.
Originality: The essay should be entirely your own original work and should not have been previously published. The use of AI is not permitted. All essays will be checked for plagiarism, and we encourage you to refer to an academic writing handbook such as this one produced by LSHTM for guidance.
https://www.lshtm.ac.uk/sites/default/files/academicwritinghandbook.pdf
Assessment
The winner(s) will be decided by the RSTMH Education and Training Committee. Highly commended essays may also be selected. The decision of the Committee is final.
The panel will be assessing essays using the following criteria
- How well your personal perspective links to the national or international landscape
- How well structured the essay is
- How easy the essay is to understand
- The evidence basis for your essay, including how you make use of relevant references
- How much the essay inspires or engages the reader
Prize
The prize for the winning essay is £200, plus a year's free student membership to RSTMH, either new or a renewal. We will also invite the winner to be presented with a certificate and their prize fund at an RSTMH event in 2024.
Announcements
We may publish, on our website or in our newsletter, anonymized data relating to submissions to the competition. We will announce the winners name and essay title, plus that of any highly commended submissions on our website and through other communication channels. We may publish submitted essays on the RSTMH website and through our other communications channels. We may publish the winning essay in our scientific journal and on our website. By submitting an essay, you agree to these conditions.
- Lapsed RSTMH members and Fellows who are unable to renew their membership due to financial difficulties, are encouraged to apply
- Residents of low- or middle-income countries (LMICs) who have never been a member or Fellow of RSTMH are invited to apply
- Four candidates per application period will be approved and will have their membership subscription paid for three years
- Presidents’ Fund Awardees will be required to show their support and engagement for RSTMH at least once per annum during the three years of their paid membership. This will be through one or more of the following activities:
- Writing a blog post or case study on how they have utilised their membership
- Volunteering with the Society in some capacity
- Showing proven initiative in helping to recruit new members
- Attending at least one of our events and writing a blog about the event highlights.
If you have any queries, please contact Amelia Fincham (amelia.fincham@rstmh.org)
Unfortunately, existing RSTMH members or Fellows at the time of the application period (26 June-16 Aug 2024) are unable to apply.
Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene Global Assessors Application
Thank you for your interest in becoming an assessor for the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (RSTMH). This role will assess entries to our small grants programme, and abstracts for our events.
Since 1907, RSTMH has been dedicated to improving tropical medicine and global health, working with and through our members based in over 80 countries. We do this through funding and disseminating multidisciplinary research through grants awards programmes, peer-reviewed journals and a calendar of meetings and events.
We are currently looking to extend our global network of assessors to represent all areas of knowledge and experience of tropical medicine and global health required to assess such a broad range of potential research.
Main duties and responsibilities
As a global assessor for RSTMH, you would be asked to review submissions for our small grants, travel scholarships, event abstracts and possibly other RSTMH activities.
We would provide all resources needed to carry out assessments using our online platform Submittable and would support assessors with other resources needed. We would hopefully also try and provide a platform for assessors to network with one another, making new contacts.
We would like global assessors to:
· Have sufficient knowledge to be able to provide a robust review of applications
· Have a good understanding of RSTMH and our work
Benefits
Being a global assessor will hopefully strengthen your own personal development and we will look into ways to formalise this. You will be seeing research ideas and concepts at the start of their journeys and be able to help improve research practice. Your work will help encourage and inspire the next generation of researchers and professionals in global health. RSTMH would provide references for global assessors and would recognise their work and support whenever possible.
The Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene Country Ambassador application form
Thank you for your interest in becoming a Country Ambassador for the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (RSTMH).
Since 1907, RSTMH has been dedicated to improving tropical medicine and global health. As a respected society, our members are at the heart of the tropical medicine and global health community, and with them we play a role in all stages from initial research, implementation, debate, through to impact. Our overarching ambition is to save lives and improve health around the world through increased access and improved equity in healthcare.
We bring together researchers and professionals from all sectors to understand the current position of tropical medicine and global health, and the challenges which exist that hinder their progress. Our work includes funding multidisciplinary research and disseminating it through peer-reviewed journals, as well as through meetings and events. We also bestow medals and awards to recognise excellence in practice and emerging talent.
We are currently looking for a group of Country Ambassadors; volunteers who can help us ensure the relevant individuals and organisations in their country are aware of our work and activities. We want researchers and professionals to be aware of the ways RSTMH could help them progress their careers and showcase their work. We also want to ensure their knowledge and experience is represented in our networks, and part of the impact we can achieve.
The role of the Country Ambassador
The Country Ambassador is a new voluntary role, which was created as a result of our new strategy, launched late 2017.
The aim of the role is to ensure we are better connected with our members, supporters and networks outside of the UK. Ambassadors help influence how the Society operates, through their links to the Board of Trustees and also to the team.
Main duties and responsibilities
As a Country Ambassador, you could help ensure researchers and professionals in your country or area can better benefit from the work of the Society, and you can also inform us about we best work in your country or area.
You can be involved through a number of ways:
- By spreading the word about RSTMH and our work through disseminating information to your networks
- By potentially helping us deliver local events in your country or area
- By helping ensure progress in tropical medicine and global health from your country is represented in our journals, at our meeting and events, and in our data through encouraging your networks to be involved with us
- By advising us on how the work in your country or area aligns with our strategic priorities
- By helping us understand the contacts and organisations in your country and area that you feel we should be in contact with
We also want to hear your thoughts on how we can best achieve our aims and objectives for global health and tropical medicine.
We would like Country Ambassador to be able to work with us for at least three years, to be able to establish links and networks and make best use of the role.
For most countries we will look to recruit one Country Ambassador only, however we recognise that for some countries we may need more than one.
Skills and experience needed
You will have been based in the country you would like to represent for at least a decade and will be there for at least a further year.
You will have a good understanding of the health environment, as well as have established links to tropical medicine and global health networks and organisations.
You will be knowledgeable in your specific area of tropical medicine and global health and will have established good networks within your country, in your field and more widely, preferably across the clinical, academic, charitable industry and policy making sectors.
You will have represented your organisation or work in other non-exec or voluntary capacities in the past and will have a good understanding of how to disseminate information and extract ideas and advice.
Finally, you will be a member of RSTMH, and be confident and willing to represent RSTMH.
Benefits
We hope that volunteering as an RSTMH Country Ambassador will be of benefit to you. You will be part of a network of ambassadors around the world, hopefully expanding your existing networks and contacts in your area of work.
The RSTMH Team is happy to provide references for Country Ambassadors. Once the network of Regional Ambassadors is in place there are opportunities to discuss other benefits relevant to the region.
Fellows and members of RSTMH are invited to nominate an RSTMH fellow or member to be awarded the Donald Mackay Medal 2018. This medal is jointly held by the RSTMH and the American Society of Tropical Medicine & Hygiene (ASTMH). It is given out annually, in alternating years by RSTMH and ASTMH, and in 2024 this honour falls to RSTMH.
Dr Donald Mackay, who was Deputy Director of the Ross Institute at the London School of Hygiene and tropical Medicine, died in 1981, after many years of outstanding work in tropical occupational health, especially on the tea plantations of South Asia. He was an outstanding physician, brilliant teacher, and man of the greatest integrity and commitment.
The Medal is for outstanding work in tropical health, especially relating to improvements in the health of rural or urban workers in the tropics. Preference is given to suitable medically qualified candidates, but those in other disciplines are eligible.
The deadline for submissions is the 19th Of March, 5pm BST (British Summer Time). Complete submissions received after the deadline will not be considered.
As a Student Ambassador for the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, you could be involved in a range of activities that help raise the profile of RSTMH at your university/institution and potentially with your wider networks.
RSTMH expectations of Student Ambassadors
- Be a member existing RSTMH member for a minimum of 3-months
- Be a full-time student in a subject related to global health, though part-time students will also be considered.
- Have good networks and be confident and willing to represent RSTMH at events and meetings.
- Provide feedback and ideas, thoughts or comments concerning Society activities to help with the process of continuous improvement.
- Always treat RSTMH staff, supporters, partners and members with respect, consideration and appreciation.
- Be friendly and professional at all times when representing RSTMH and engaging your networks about RSTMH.
- Help disseminate announcements to relevant students and staff on an ongoing basis, for instance, via departmental mailing lists, Noticeboards, or social media; via online resource portals and/or via the course convener for the relevant degree programmes.
- Provide as much notice as possible if you are unable to fulfil your Student Ambassador commitment.
- Have a good understanding of RSTMH and our work: our events, grants, journals and other plans.
- Be able to communicate clearly about RSTMH and our work, staying within RSTMH’s brand guidelines.
- Be familiar with the aims and scope of our two journals.
- Act in a way that doesn’t discriminate against or exclude anyone.
- Respect different opinions and be sensitive to different cultures.
- Have a strong social media presence.
- Donate as much time to the role as you can.
How to apply
Student Ambassadors are recruited throughout the year.
We are now open for applications. If you would like to apply to become a RSTMH Student Ambassador, please complete the application form.
Please give as much information as possible about your experiences, interests and availability.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact Amelia Fincham, amelia.fincham@rstmh.org.