As one of the longest running sources of in-depth information about the American health insurance industry and how it affects the U.S. healthcare system, healthinsurance.org understands keenly the critical need for individuals who are dedicated to better understanding the system’s challenges – and who are active in pushing for improvement in that system.
For this reason, healthinsurance.org is pleased to announce the 2016 Health Wonk Scholarship, an award that recognizes the work of students in many disciplines who are working to improve population health and improve the quality of health insurance coverage for all Americans.
By disseminating the contributions of scholarship entrants winners, healthinsurance.org also seeks to increase public awareness of the importance of expanding access to affordable, quality health insurance coverage.
Read the essays of our 2014 Gold winner, Simon Haeder and our 2015 Gold winner, Karan Chhabra.
How to apply
Applicants should apply by emailing the following to health.scholarship@healthinsurance.org.
- A resume or curriculum vitae (CV).
- A 500-word personal biographical statement describing career objectives related to health.
- A 1,000- to 2,000-word essay on any topic pertinent to clinical care, public health research, health policy, or advocacy that describes opportunities for the improvement of health coverage, health care, and population health in the United States. The list below offers examples of potential essay topics that would be appropriate:
- Barriers to primary care within state Medicaid programs.
- Lessons learned assisting homeless individuals obtain psychiatric care in Boston.
- The impact of the Affordable Care Act on depression and hypertension among the previously uninsured.
- Medicaid-supported housing for “frequent-flyer” patients utilizing emergency department care.
- Improving quality and cost-effectiveness of Medicare Advantage health insurance plans.
Entrants authorize healthinsurance.org to publish any portion or all of their submitted essay, regardless of whether the applicant is selected as a finalist or winner.
Who can apply?
Any current, full-time master’s and doctoral student working in medicine, public health, nursing, and related fields at an accredited U.S. university or college is welcome to apply. There is no age requirement. Limited to U.S. residents.
When is the deadline to apply?
Entries must be submitted by December 31, 2016 at 11:59 p.m. The winning applicant will be selected in January 2017. The scholarship will be applied to 2017 tuition.
Do I have to currently be enrolled in school to qualify?
Yes. The scholarship award will be sent directly to the financial aid office of the winning candidate’s institution.
Award amount
Two gifts totaling $4,000 will be awarded. A Gold Scholarship will be awarded to the winning student in the amount of $2,500, and a Silver Scholarship will be awarded in the amount of $1,500.
Selection process and notification
A panel of judges will determine the winner. Leading figures in medicine, public health, and health policy journalism will be chosen for the panel in consultation with healthinsurance.org. Winners will be notified by e-mail.
Other questions?
Applicants can submit questions to health.scholarship@healthinsurance.org
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