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 may 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.
2027 Topic
- Private Equity in Healthcare
- HMPI’s June 2024 Special Issue on the topic will provide some valuable background.
Prizes
- $1,000 for winning essay; $500 for second place, $250 for third place
- Publication in HMPI (Editors may consider all submissions for publications)
Timeline
- February 26: Submission deadline
- March 19: Judges (BAHM faculty) receive essays for evaluation
- April 9: Judges select winning essays (1st, 2nd, 3rd) and comment on other essays deemed publishable
- April 12: Contest winners announced
- May 3: After incorporating judges’ comments, all essays may be submitted for consideration for publication in HMPI and reviewed by HMPI Editors.
- June: Accepted papers published 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 26, 2027.
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
Previous Essay Contest Winners
The paper entitled “AI as Administrative Infrastructure: Reducing Waste and Enabling Value-Based Care,” won first place in the inaugural Will Mitchell Student Essay Contest. Authored by Bryn Rediger, the essay will be submitted for publication in the June issue of HMPI; Bryn, who holds a Health Sector MBA and MPH from Boston University, will also receive a $1,000 prize. Read more here.