Will Mitchell was a gifted health management professor, scholar, and HMPI editor-in-chief from 2017 to December 2021. A leader in the field of strategic management, he held chair roles at the University of Toronto, the University of Michigan, and Duke University. He was passionate about innovative concepts that could advance health management globally. His thoughtful ideas, questions, and suggestions helped students and scholars sharpen their focus and impact. And he understood the importance of making business insights from research accessible to a broader audience – inspiring the vision for this journal. We are proud to honor Will’s legacy with this essay contest.
Contest Focus
The Will Mitchell Student Essay Contest offers health management students at BAHM-member schools the opportunity to research, publish, and promote innovative business-based solutions that address the challenges facing domestic and global healthcare markets, systems, and organizations.
Eligibility
- Students enrolled in BAHM-member health management MBA, or equivalent, programs
- One original essay per program submitted by the BAHM program representative to EssayContest@hmpi.org
- Student is the lead author. Faculty and additional students can participate as co-authors.
- Exclusions:
- Individuals who have already completed their health management graduate program and are completing a postgraduate experience (e.g., a fellowship) are not eligible.
- Essays previously published in another journal may not be submitted.
2026 Topic
- AI in Healthcare
Prizes
- $1,000 for winning essay
- Publication in HMPI (Editors may consider all submissions for publication, with priority given to 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners)
Timeline
- February 27: Submission deadline
- March 19: HMPI Editors receive essays and complete evaluation
- April 9: HMPI Editors select winning essays (1st, 2nd, 3rd) and any other essays deemed publishable
- April 16: Winners announced; HMPI Editors subsequently review winning essays and provide comments
- June: Publication in HMPI
Content and Format
- Guidelines are the same as for all other journal authors; see HMPI author instructions
Evaluation Criteria
- Strategic Relevance to Health Management and/or Policy Innovation (30%)
- Intellectual Originality and Conceptual Depth (20%)
- Practical Application and Managerial Insight (20%)
- Clarity, Structure, and Writing Quality (15%)
- Interdisciplinary Integration and / or Global Perspective (15%)
Submission Process
Entries should be submitted by the BAHM faculty representative or program director to EssayContest@hmpi.org by February 12, 2026.
The email submissions should include the following information:
- Full title of the essay
- Confirmation that the essay has been chosen to represent the program / school in the 2026 contest
- Name of the student author (first name, middle initial or name, last name) and full name(s) of any student or faculty co-authors
- Two attached copies of the essay, in Word, plus any additional graphics (please see HMPI author instructions for further details, including guidelines regarding references, format, and style)
- One copy with the author’s name(s), university, and program on the title page
- One copy with no identifying information on the title page