The University of Ottawa Journal of Medicine (UOJM) is pleased to have conducted the first edition of the UOJM National Commentaries Contest. The  goal of this initiative was to foster critical thinking and creativity in resolving issues in healthcare through academic writing. Students from the Faculties of Medicine across Canada were invited to submit a commentary on a current medical issue, controversy, or social determinant of health, written in English or French. Over 80 students from 11 different universities across the nation submitted creative and original commentaries this spring. The commentaries were evaluated in duplicate using a double-blinded procedure by the UOJM editorial team. Top-ranking submissions were further evaluated by University of Ottawa Faculty of Medicine professors. Articles were judged on topic relevance, the quality of writing, supporting evidence, and call to action. This current special issue of UOJM features a selection of the best commentaries submitted.

We wish to first thank all the participants for their outstanding submissions that made the first edition of this contest a great success! We would also like to thank the contest reviewers, the faculty professors who served as final judges, and the UOJM sponsors, for their investment in UOJM’s vision and mission. A special thank you to the Francophone Affairs of the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Ottawa for sponsoring the totality of the Francophone prizes.

We hope you enjoy perusing the commentaries published in this special issue of the UOJM!

UOJM Co-Editors in Chief
Zacharie Saint-Georges & Omar Dewidar