Though UHS provides Harvard students with flu shots for free, exorbitant health care costs burden millions of Americans every year. If you have a story related to medical costs, here’s an opportunity to share it: Costs of Care, a nonprofit founded by Harvard alums, is sponsoring an essay contest and will award $1000 prizes to top submissions.

The organization, directed by Harvard Medical School fellow Neel T. Shah M.D., M.P.P., aims to publicize the impact of health care costs on individuals through anecdotes from doctors, nurses, and patients. The essay contest includes a clinician category and a patient category, judged separately by an impressive panel including Dean of Harvard Medical School Jeffrey S. Flier, Harvard professor and author Atul Gawande, and Gov. Michael Dukakis, former Democratic nominee for President.

All submissions are due on Nov. 1, with finalists announced on Nov. 15 and winners on Dec. 15. Essays should be no longer than 750 words, typed and double-spaced. E-mail your questions to info@costsofcare.org and submissions to contest@costsofcare.org.