Awards for Excellence in Health Care Journalism
Since 2004, the Awards for Excellence in Health Care Journalism have recognized the best health reporting in print, broadcast, and online media. The contest was created by journalists for journalists and is not influenced or funded by commercial or special-interest groups. There are 14 categories. Most are topic-based, meaning entries compete head-to-head whether they appear in magazines, newspapers, online outlets or on radio or television stations.
For the 2023 Awards for Excellence in Health Care Journalism entries published or aired between Jan. 1 and Dec. 31, 2023 were accepted.
New for 2023.
We are rolling out big changes for the 2023 contest. Entries no longer require a PDF submission, outlets that specialize in health or science no longer automatically default into the Large division, and whether an entry qualifies for the Large or Small division is now determined by both outlet type and number of editorial staff. Detailed information about all the changes can be found on the Rules for Entry page.
The changes are informed by feedback we received from past AHCJ contest entrants, combined with information that members of the AHCJ contest committee gathered about how other journalism contests break down sizes.
“The media landscape is evolving, so the AHCJ contest must evolve as well. We’re hopeful that our updated definitions of Large and Small entries will create a more level playing field. We remain open to feedback on how to continue to improve the contest.”
Christine Herman
AHCJ Contest Chair and Freelance Editor
2023 Contest Entry Details
Early-bird entry deadline: Jan. 24, 2024, 1 p.m. ET
Regular entry deadline: Mar. 1, 2024, 5 p.m. ET
Please note, the entry deadlines are final and there will be no extensions provided
– AHCJ member early bird: $30 per entry
– Non-member early bird: $55 per entry
– AHCJ members, regular: $50 per entry
– Non-members, regular: $75 per entry
Student category
– AHCJ member early bird: $15 per entry
– Non-member early bird: $25 per entry
– AHCJ members, regular: $25 per entry
– Non-members, regular: $35 per entry
To claim the member entry fee, you must be a current AHCJ member. A team entry may claim the member fee if at least one member of the team is a member of AHCJ. If you’re not certain about membership status, email membership manager, Tina England (Tina@healthjournalism.org).Not an AHCJ member? Now’s the perfect time to join. Join today and save on your entry fee for each entry.
First-place winners receive $500 and a framed certificate, as well as complimentary lodging for two nights and registration for AHCJ’s annual conference, where winners will be recognized during the conference awards luncheon. Second- and Third-place winners will also receive certificates and be recognized at the annual conference.
If there is more than one entrant on the award, it is up to these winners to divide any prize. Lodging and conference registration will only be covered for one individual in each category.
Audio Reporting (Large division and Small division)
Beat Reporting (all sizes)
Consumer/Feature (Large and Small division)
Health Policy (Large and Small division)
Investigative (Large and Small division)
Public Health (Large and Small division)
Business (all sizes)
Trade (all sizes)
Student Reporting (all sizes)
See more information on our Rules for Entry or FAQ pages.
Categories applying to “all sizes” will seek the best work in that topic category regardless of size.
Categories referring to “Large division” and “Small division” will judge work in that topic category against work from similar-sized news teams.
New in 2023: The definitions for Large and Small depend on the number of editorial staff and the type of outlet that published or broadcast the entry. To determine the number of editorial staff, please consider the number of full-time equivalents, or FTEs, of the outlet where the story was published (and all collaborating outlets, if applicable.)
A news outlet’s editorial staff includes any and all editorial roles, including but not limited to: reporters, editors, producers, hosts, anchors, photojournalists, board or camera operators, show or podcast staffers, social media and community engagement staff, and newsroom or programming managers and supervisors.
If an outlet relies on part-time or contract employees, those employees should be included in the FTE count. (A half-time or quarter-time employee would count as 0.5 or 0.25 FTEs, respectively).
This year, the contest entry form will include additional questions aimed at better understanding outlet sizes among our entrants, so that we can continue to revise the Large and Small definitions going forward, with the goal of creating a level playing field for submissions from media platforms of all kinds and sizes, as well as collaborations.
Large division:
- Entries published in outlets specializing in health or science, with more than 30 editorial FTEs.
- OR – Any entry produced in collaboration with, or with editorial input from, an outlet that specializes in health or science, in which the total number of editorial FTEs in all participating outlets exceeds 30.
- Entries published by print or digital outlets (including newspapers, magazines and online-only outlets) with more than 100 editorial FTEs.
- If an entry published by a print/digital outlet was produced in collaboration with or with editorial input from another outlet, the total number of editorial FTEs in all participating outlets must be counted. If the total number of FTEs exceeds 100, the submission belongs in the Large category.
- Entries produced by broadcast outlets (radio, TV, podcasts, videos) with more than 50 editorial FTEs.
- If an entry published by a broadcast outlet was produced in collaboration with or with editorial input from another outlet, the total number of editorial FTEs in all participating outlets must be counted. If the total number of FTEs exceeds 50, the submission belongs in the Large category.
- Any collaboration between Large and Small outlets.
- Any piece produced by a freelancer, or person employed by a Small outlet, that received editorial input from or was produced in collaboration with a Large category outlet needs to enter in the Large category even if the entered work appears in an outlet that would otherwise qualify as Small.
- Entrants may choose to default any entry into the Large category.
Small division:
- OR — Any entry produced in collaboration with, or with editorial input from, an outlet that specializes in health or science, in which the total number of editorial FTEs in all participating outlets is 30 or fewer.
- Entries published by print or digital outlets (including newspapers, magazines and online-only outlets) with 100 or fewer editorial FTEs.
- If an entry published by a print/digital outlet was produced in collaboration with or with editorial input from another outlet, the total number of editorial FTEs in all participating outlets must be counted. If the total number of FTEs is 100 or fewer, the submission belongs in the Small category.
- Entries produced by broadcast outlets (radio, TV, podcasts, videos) with 50 or fewer editorial FTEs.
- If an entry published by a broadcast outlet was produced in collaboration with or with editorial input from another outlet, the total number of editorial FTEs in all participating outlets must be counted. If the total number of FTEs is still 50 or fewer, the submission belongs in the Small category.
More About the Awards
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