Every year all students of the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences at Stellenbosch University are invited to participate in the annual Medical Protection Society (MPS) Ethics Essay Competition that is facilitated by the Centre for Medical Ethics and Law. This year, the essay competition was based on the topic: "Should physician-assisted dying be legalized in South Africa?"

Ryan Jacobs, a fifth-year MB,ChB student, won the competition and was awarded a prize of R5 000 by the MPS at their annual ethics event "Ethics for All", that was held in Cape Town on 6 October 2016. The winning essay was selected by Dr Graham Howarth (Head of Medical Services, Africa, at Medical Protection) at the MPS office in London in the United Kingdom.

Jacobs submitted an interesting essay on this controversial issue, which is a taboo topic in many parts of the world. In his essay, entitled "Legalizing physician-assisted suicide in South Africa: Should it even be considered?" he investigated international and South African perspectives and presented arguments for and against physician-assisted suicide.

The competition was held for the sixth time this year and, with the assistance of Prof Keymanthri Moodley, head of the Centre for Medical Ethics and Law, previous winners have published their work internationally. "We encourage students to think critically and independently and look beyond the narrow focus of medicine," Moodley said.

Photo: Ryan Jacobs, a fifth-year MB,ChB student, won the 2016 Ethics Essay competition