“Sorrow and Truth, sit you on either side of me, whilst I am relieved of this deadly burden…Lend me art, without any counterfeit shadowing, to paint and delineate to the life the whole story of this mortal and pestiferous battle.” When London-based Renaissance author Thomas Dekker came to write his account of the 1603 plague outbreak, he renounced the “silver-tongued muses”, feeling that only plain words and plain truth could do justice to the moment. Four centuries on, the COVID-19 pandemic demands a similar response. It has been a year like no other; COVID-19 has left few parts of medicine, and life, unchanged. How have these pandemic times affected your clinical work, research, or studies? Perhaps the pandemic has shown you the importance of enduring clinical truths or the need to challenge injustices? We would like you to tell us what has been most important to you in this pandemic year by entering The Lancet's annual Wakley Prize Essay competition.This pandemic has highlighted the fault lines in our societies. COVID-19 has disproportionately affected low-income and marginalised communities. Entrenched health inequities have been exposed, including the health impacts of structural racism. There has been an increase in domestic violence towards women during lockdown, and the needs of some populations, including older people, individuals with disabilities, and people with mental health problems, have not been adequately addressed in the COVID-19 response. This pandemic has cast a disturbing light on injustices and inequities, both globally and locally.Meanwhile, on the front lines of the COVID-19 response, health-care personnel at all career stages have responded to unprecedented demands and cared for patients in difficult, exhausting, agonising, and sometimes unsafe conditions. Yet, despite the circumstances, each patient is always what matters most. As physician Rachel Clarke wrote: “here in the hospital, the pandemic is a matter of flesh and blood. It unfolds one human being at a time.”So what has mattered most to you in this pandemic year? Perhaps it has been the need to continue to provide routine medical care and services despite the demands of the pandemic. Perhaps the solidarity, support, grace, and humour of your colleagues are what has helped get you through. Perhaps it is an encounter with a particular patient that has been transformative. Has a moment of connection, understanding, compassion, or humour been important? Or do you feel now is the time to challenge long-standing injustices and inequities that have been laid bare by this pandemic? For each of you, what matters most in this pandemic year will be different. Tell us your truth by writing an essay of 1600–2000 words for the Wakley Prize Essay 2020.The discursive, intimate, and versatile form of the essay brings together emotions and ideas, illuminating truths and raising questions. Named for The Lancet's founding editor, Thomas Wakley, the Wakley Prize is awarded to the best essay on any clinical topic of importance to health. Essays should be original and provocative, challenging us to think about medicine in fresh, unexpected ways. The competition is open to anyone who works in a health-related field—you could be a student or in training, established in your specialty, or coming to the end of many years of service or research.Wakley Prize Essay submissions should not have been previously published elsewhere in print or online and must be original. Only one submission per author is allowed and essays should not contain any information that might identify individual patients. Submit your essay through The Lancet's online submission system with Wakley Prize selected as the article type. The deadline is Oct 12, 2020. Entries will be anonymised and judged by Lancet editors. The winner of the Wakley Prize Essay 2020 will receive £2000, and the essay will be published in the final issue of the year. Enlighten, inspire, and entertain us by entering the competition and sharing your plain truths about this pandemic year.