“Our students are incredibly highly motivated to doing well. When they succeed we should recognise it. The annual prize-giving is one of two annual occasions to honour them for their achievements, the other being at summer graduation. Congratulations to all of them.”

Holly Colvin was among those who shared first place for top marks in her Special Study Module of British Sign Language.

Holly said, “It is great to have had such an achievement into the second year of my course in an area that I can carry on outside of medicine. I have learnt a new skill and was pleased to have got 100% on the assessment.”

Alongside the prizes from WMS, there were national awards on show too. Tom Lewis picked up £250 and a medal for his Arthritis Research UK Prize for Musculoskeletal Medicine for his submission on patient education and mobile tablet technology.

On receiving the prize, Tom said, “I am grateful to have won the ARUK prize as I feel it will benefit my chances of securing a surgical training post in the future. I am now in my final year and have undertaken increasing amounts of research in the field of mobile apps and medicine throughout medical school and have successfully obtained an academic foundation programme placement in surgery in London starting in August.”

This year was the first to see the awarding of the Claire Freeman Memorial Prize by her parents Gary and Kate Freeman. Claire died in her first year of her MB ChB at Warwick Medical School and is particularly remembered for her inspirational behaviour and support to friends and fellow students.

Gary Freeman said, “When we decided to sponsor a prize, we chose one that recognises a non-academic trait: inspiration. It was wonderful to hear of the way the nominees had inspired others, and in particular of the way that the winner, Katherine Hewitt, had not only overcome her own adversity, but then used the experience to help fellow students. Indeed the evening was, quite simply, inspirational.”

Katherine Hewitt, who is currently on her elective in a hospital in Chicago, won the £250 prize, having been nominated by a fellow classmate for demonstrating inspirational leadership beyond the classroom. Katherine was able to join the ceremony via Skype to receive the award. Katherine said, “It is an absolute honour to receive the Freeman Award. I am thrilled to be deemed worthy of such a tremendous prize and I hope to champion the spirit of the award in years to come.”

The congratulations of everyone at Warwick Medical School go to each and every one of the prize winners from the evening.

• View full list of winners