Erich Meyerhoff Prize

The purpose of the Meyerhoff Prize is to recognize and stimulate interest in the history of the health sciences. The prize is awarded annually for the best unpublished scholarly paper about a topic in the history of the health sciences. This prize was established in 1956 by Ralph and Jo Grimes of the Old Hickory Bookshop, Brinklow, MD, in memory of Murray Gottlieb, a New York antiquarian book dealer. It was sponsored by the MLA History of the Health Sciences Section from 2010 to 2020. In 2016, the award was renamed to honor longtime MLA member Erich Meyerhoff, AHIP, FMLA. Meyerhoff was a legendary figure in medical librarianship with great devotion to the history of the health sciences. The prize is now supported by the MLA awards budget.

Criteria

• The author of a paper submitted for the Erich Meyerhoff Prize must be a member of the Medical Library Association.
  • Membership Options
• The submitted paper must treat some aspect of the history of the health sciences.
• The submitted paper may be under consideration for publication at the time of submission but cannot have been published.
• The submitted paper must meet the requirements for submission to the Journal of the Medical Library Association.

Submissions

• The title of the paper must appear at the head of the manuscript and in the uploaded file name. 
• A 150-word abstract must be included on a separate page.
• The author’s name, title, institution/library, address, telephone, and email address should be included in the application form only.
• To facilitate blind review, and avoid disqualification, identifying information should NOT appear anywhere in the uploaded documents or file titles.   

The jury will review submissions and award points based on the following:  

• bibliographic research and documentation
• experimental design and accuracy
• relevance/contribution to the study of the history of the health sciences 
• originality
• style and writing quality 

Recipient

• The prize carries the right of first refusal for publication to the Journal of the Medical Association.
• The recipient will be notified in March. They will receive a complimentary registration to the annual conference and a cash award of $500 after the annual conference.
• The recipient will be asked to share a photo and video for the virtual awards ceremony held in April. 
• If there are no appropriate submissions, the association may elect not to present the prize in a given year.

Ready to Submit a Nomination?

The nomination must be completed, and all supporting documents uploaded no later than November 15.

Past Recipients

• 2024
• none awarded
• 2023
• Anne Morgan
• 2022
• none awarded
• 2021
• Aidy Weeks
• 2020
• none awarded
• 2019
• Aaron Jackson
• 2018
• Vicki Croft
• Susanne Whitaker
• 2017
• Bart Ragon
• 2016
• Laura Menard
• 2015
• Elena Azadbakht
• 2014
• none awarded
• 2013
• Richard Nollan
• 2012
• none awarded
• 2011
• none awarded
• 2010
• Lindsay Blake
• 2009
• Trenton Boyd
• 2008
• Heidi Heilemann
• 2007
• Elizabeth Connor
• 2006
• Suzanne Shultz
• 2005
• Ursula Ellis
• 2004
• Beth Wagner
• 2003
• none awarded
• 2002
• Michael A. Flannery
• 2001
• none awarded
• 2000
• Maggie Yax
• 1999
• Godfrey S. Belleh
• Eric v.d.Luft
• 1998
• Mary Westermann
• 1996
• Stephen J. Greenberg
• 1995
• Susan K. Rishworth
• 1994
• Thomas A. Horrocks
• 1993
• Glenda Wiese
• 1992
• Edwina Walls
• 1991
• Mary Rhinelander McCarl
• 1989
• Joan Krizack
• 1985
• Sara Anne Hook
• 1984
• Christopher Hoolihan
• 1983
• Charles Gordon Forrest
• 1982
• Lisa Dunkel
• 1980
• Judith A. Overmier
• 1979
• Georgia Walters
• 1978
• Mary Ryan
• 1977
• Estelle Brodman*
• 1976
• Joan Campbell
• 1971
• Violet M. Baird
• 1970
• Kay Olschner
• 1969
• Katherine T. Barkley
• 1968
• none awarded
• 1967
• Marjorie Wannarka
• 1966
• none awarded
• 1965
• Philip J. Weimerskirch
• 1964
• Irwin H. Pizer*
• 1963
• John Titley
• 1962
• Robert T. Divett
• 1961
• Martha Benjamin
• 1960
• Janet Doe*
• 1959
• Robert T. Divett
• 1958
• Bernice M. Hetzner
• 1957
• Marian A. Patterson
• 1956
• Dorthy Long