Frequently Asked Questions
How does the event work?
We do a preliminary round of 3 judging panels. The points are then summed to determine a winner. In the event of a tie, the judge panel will be notified and asked to make a collective decision to break the tie.
The first place teams from each of the judge panels will go on to the finalist round of judges which will be judged and scored the same way.
How are individuals selected/teams designed?
We reserve 1 spot on each of our twelve teams for a student from each of the six UTHealth schools representing the fields of: biomedical informatics, public health, basic sciences, nursing, dentistry, and medicine. The first twelve spots (one spot on each team) for each profession are allocated on a first come, first served basis. Any individual that signs up beyond the initial twelve are added to a time-stamped waitlist that is combined with students from other professions.
So ideally each team is composed of six people, one from each profession. However, in the event all 12 slots from a given profession are not filled, those spots will be filled off the waitlist. Our goal is to maximize the interprofessional composition of every team. Every team in the past has been composed of students from at least 3 health professions.
Can I compete in the HIC competition if I am not a UTHealth affiliated student?
Unfortunately, we are not accepting non-UTHealth students at this time. However, it is a possibility for the future so be sure to follow us on our social media accounts to stay updated.
Is there an age limit to participate in the HIC competition?
There is no upper limit, however you must be at least 18 years of age to participate.
Can I still participate if I cannot make it to the day of the event?
No, you must be present on the day of the event.
Do I need to have background knowledge or experience in healthcare business or management?
No incoming healthcare background or experience is necessary to participate, only an interest in learning about healthcare is necessary.
Can I request to be on a team with a friend?
No, you cannot. Teams will be decided based on the school which each student is from in order to create a diverse team.
If I am not eligible to participate in the HIC competition are there other ways I can still be involved?
Yes, you can potentially be a spectator, judge, or volunteer depending on your qualifications. To get involved in other ways, feel free to contact us at tx.hic.01@gmail.com
Who wins prizes? (Breakdown of teams that win & amounts)
The main prizes are valued at $200 for each member of the first place team (max $1200 for the first place team), $100 for each member of the second place team (max $600 for the second place team), and $50 for each member of the third place team (max $300 for the third place team).
The People’s Choice Award will be based on participant vote after viewing each team’s 60 second video pitch. Anyone present for the event may participate in the vote. Since the top 3 finalist teams will all be receiving prize money, their 60 second video pitch will be presented but they will not be considered for the People’s Choice Award. This award is valued at $25 for each team member of the winning team (max $150 per team).
Who are the judges?
The judges are faculty from each of the UTHealth schools who are interested in our work in interprofessional innovation. They are all volunteering their time to make the annual event as enjoyable and educational as possible! Similar to the participants, we do our best to protect the interprofessional composition of each judge panel so every team can expect their judge panel to have representation from at least 3 different health professions. Notably, many of our faculty volunteers are doing cross-disciplinary work and therefore are qualified to represent more than one health profession. Lastly, each year we also try to recruit several judges with a particular interest/expertise on the given case.
Each annual event participant can expect to receive a roster outlining who is on each judge panel assigned to each team.