James Spence Medal

This is the highest honour awarded by the RCPCH. It is awarded for outstanding contributions to the advancement of knowledge and understanding in paediatrics and child health.

Nominations for our 2025 James Spence Medal are now closed.
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About

The James Spence Medal is presented to persons working in the UK or in any country of the British Commonwealth within the field of clinical or social paediatrics, public health, clinical science, epidemiology or family practice.

The award is made on the recommendation of RCPCH Council on the advice of the Nominations Committee, and presented at the RCPCH Conference along with a volume of the collected writings of Sir James Spence.

Nominations

Nominations for our James Spence Medal 2025 are now closed. 

We thank all nominators for their submissions, and we will be in touch in due course.

Nominations for the James Spence Medal can only be proposed and seconded by RCPCH members (any category).

We thank all nominators for their submissions, and we will be in touch in due course. 

Recent winners

2024 - Professor Andrew Bush

2023 - Professor David Edwards

2022 - Professor Imtiaz Choonara and Professor Sir Andrew Pollard

2021 - Professor Henry Halliday

2020 - Professor Catherine Law

2019 - Professor Alan Emond

2018 - Professor Frances Cowan

2017 - Professor Anne Greenough

2016 - Professor Kate Costeloe and Professor Sir Terence Stephenson

2015 - Professor David Dunger

2014 - Emeritus Professor Ieuan Hughes

2013 - Professor Sir Albert Aynsley Green

2012 - Dr Sheila Shribman

2011 - Professor Anthony Costello and Professor Andrew Wilkinson

2010 - Emeritus Professor Malcolm Levene


See former James Spence Medallists

See Wikipedia entry about Sir James