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The Royal College of Ophthalmologist’s Academic Sub-committee opens applications for the 2022 Nettleship Medal

10 August 2021

The Nettleship Medal is a prestigious award established on Mr Edward Nettleship’s retirement from practice in 1901. A fund was inaugurated by his friends and pupils with the object of founding an Edward Nettleship Prize for the encouragement of scientific ophthalmic work.

The 2022 Nettleship Medal

A silver-gilt medal and cheque for £500.00 are awarded for the best piece of original work by a British ophthalmologist published during the last three years (1 January 2019 and 31 December 2021). Papers can appear in any journal.

An opportunity to present at Congress 2022

The award will be presented at the RCOphth Congress, Monday 23 to Thursday 26 May 2022, in Glasgow. The award winner is expected to present a talk to explain the impact of the research and how it has contributed to change.

”I remain very honoured to receive the prestigious Nettleship Medal in 2019, which was last awarded 10 years previously. It felt like a lifetime achievement for me after all the hard work that went into the CLARITY study that was funded by the NIHR EME grant. I encourage every researcher to apply for this medal for their best piece of original work.”  – Sobha Sivaprasad, Chair, RCOphth Scientific Committee – 2019 Winner

Application criteria and process

The applicant should be British, a member of The Royal College of Ophthalmologists, and the work must be undertaken under the auspices of a British institution.

Criteria used to judge the submitted paper:

  • This will primarily be based upon the quality and importance of the science
  • In addition, impact or potential impact in terms of improving the healthcare agenda, fundamental knowledge, advancement of policy or innovation and enterprise will be considered.

Application form:

Please send completed applications to laurelle.bygraves@rcophth.ac.uk.

Timetable for 2022 Nettleship Medal:

Applications open: 14 September 2021

Applications close: 7 January 2022

Announcement of winner: 4 February 2022

Award made at Congress 2022 Awards Ceremony in Glasgow. 

Judging panel

Subgroup of the Academic Sub-committee.

Previous recipients

Join this prestigious list of winners:

1904 Priestley Smith LLD Msc MB

1907 Sir John Parsons CBE FRS

1909 Edward Nettleship FRS

1912 George Coats MD

1915 Edward Treacher Collins

1918 Sir Gordon Holmes CMG CBE MD FRS

1921 H M Traquair MD

1924 S E Whitnall MD

1927 C H Usher MD

1930 Ida Mann CBE FRCS 

1933 Sir W. Stewart Duke-Elder GCVO MD FRS

1936 H B Stallard MBE MD LLD

1940 Dorothy Campbell MD

1950 A J Ballantyne LLD MD

1954 Norman Ashton FRCP FRS

1959 T Keith Lyle CBE MD MCh FRCP FRCS

1963 Frederick Ridley FRCS

1966 Barrie R Jones FRCS

1972 S S Hayreh MS FRCS PhD

1975 E S Perkins MD FRCS

1980 John Marshall PhD

1984 D L Easty MD FRCS

1989 J V Forrester FRCS FRCOphth

2006 M P Clarke FRCOphth

2009 A Lotery FRCOphth

2019 Sobha Sivaprasad

Other awards and prizes

RCOphth offers a wide range of travel awards and clinical/research fellowships in partnership with other organisations.

You can find out about other awards and prizes here.