Surgo Vision Competition

Abstract

"A picture is worth a thousand words" - Confucius

To encourage intellectual curiosity, critical thinking, observational and diagnostic skills, the ability to empathize with patients, and promote a general sense of well-being, Surgo will publish up to 5 images submitted by medical students in each issue.

Images can be in the form of a painting, cartoon, photograph, still life drawing, doodle ... the list is endless - limited only by your imagination.

Selection criteria:

• The image must be an original piece, submitted via email to the Editor in Chief, Surgo (format - JPEG or TIFF)
• It should be certified as original and be accompanied by a short description of what it represents/means to you / why it should be published.
• The best 5 will be selected for publication in Surgo by Professor Cindy Chew.
• Each successful submission is awarded £20.
• At the end of the year, all published images are eligible to compete for the Best Medical Vision prize - up to £100.

A few years ago, I looked in the mirror and made a declaration: I was going to commit to growing my hair as long as possible. Albeit a fairly small decision in the moment, it grew to become a feature that would softly shape the edges of my cementing teenage identity. I began to be acknowledged as ‘the girl with the long hair’ in school. In times of self-doubt, it could become a veil of confidence. On many more joyful occasions, it acted as a fun conversation starter, offering countless little moments of connection.

A couple of years ago, I looked in the mirror and had a realisation: my hair was no longer growing as it used to. As I began to juggle health problems alongside university demands in my second year, getting through exams and coursework grew more challenging. Less time was available to be spent on ‘unproductive’ hobbies: taking extra time for haircare and carving out quiet moments of creativity was no longer possible. As the ends of my hair began to grow a little more ragged, the fringes of my broader identity began to fray slightly.

Last year, I gave myself the space to really see my reflection, and I realised I needed to reconnect with the person I used to see in that mirror. During my intercalation year, I have regularly been making space for health, creativity, and some wonderfully therapeutic unproductiveness. A couple of months ago I observed that my hair was starting to look healthy again.

As one of the first drawings I have done since I was around thirteen, this sketch felt like a moment of recoupling parts of my younger identity with the person I want to be now. I feel very fortunate to know that I am on a career pathway which aligns so deeply with my core values - it is truly the greatest privilege to know I will be in a position to help so many people at such vulnerable moments - though I don’t doubt there will be many more challenging periods ahead.

It has felt significant to see this physical, visible representation of the importance of filling my own cup. My hair isn’t as long as this yet, but as I continue to prioritise self-care, perhaps someday it can be. To me, this image is a reminder that I always have the power to make positive changes: I can relearn to draw at 22; I can be joyously unproductive when I need to be; and, as my hair has taught me, it’s always possible to make some positive growth.