Frequently Asked Questions
General questions
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Q: Can I compete in the HIC competition if I am not a UTHealth affiliated student?
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A: No, for the HIC 2020 we are not accepting non-UTHealth students.
Q: Can I compete in the HIC competition if I am a UTHealth affiliated postdoctoral student or resident?
A: No, for the HIC 2020 we are not accepting postdoctoral students or residents.
Q: Do I need to have background knowledge or experience in healthcare business or management?
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A: No incoming healthcare background or experience is necessary to participate, only an interest in learning about healthcare is necessary.
Q: Is there an age limit to participate in the HIC competition?
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A: There is no upper limit, however you must be at least 18 years of age to participate.
Q: Can I still participate if I cannot make it to the day of the event?
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A: No, you cannot.
Q: Can I request to be on a team with a friend?
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A: No, you cannot. Teams will be decided based on the school which each student is from in order to create a diverse team.
Q: If I am not eligible to participate in the HIC competition are there other ways I can still be involved?
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A: 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 HIC.tmc.edu@gmail.com.
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Questions about workload and team dynamics
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Q: What will the workload be like? Will the case take the whole three weeks?
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A:The case should not take the full amount of time to complete. We understand (on a very personal level) how incredibly busy everyone is, and our goal in every detail of this event is to elicit as much value in as little time as possible. The work window is designed to give teams enough flexibility to work around everyone’s busy schedules. With that said, an exact estimate of workload is highly dependent on each team’s dynamics, necessary research, and how they are approaching the case.
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Q: If I want to participate on a team to develop a solution but cannot attend the main event, can I still sign up?
A: We believe a lot of the value in participating in this event is going to occur at our main event. Therefore, if you have a conflict on February 22nd, we ask that you will allow another student to take your spot and we encourage you to apply again next year!
Q: What if I get a spot and then a conflict arises making me unable to attend the main event?
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A: Let your team and the exec team know immediately. Depending on the timing and the team’s preferences, we may be able to fill your spot with another student or you may just be excused from the event. Eligibility for the award (should your team win) will be agreed upon with your team and the organizers before you are excused/replaced.
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Q: What if I can attend the main event but will be out of town for part of the time we have the case and are supposed to be working on a solution? I want to participate but will this impair my ability to contribute?
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A: The work window of 3 weeks (including 3 weekends) is designed to offer flexibility and it is completely reasonable to be able to do much of the pre-work remotely using a video call service with your team. It is probably advisable to meet in person with your team at least once before showing up to the main event but that is ultimately up to each team to decide. The judgement of how much you are able to contribute and whether it is worth signing up is up to you.
Q: What if a team member isn’t responsive or not putting in work?
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A: Since participation is voluntary, we expect everyone is willing to contribute individual work and is also capable of working effectively on a team of very different people. We hope and encourage teams to share their repertoire of skill sets early so teams can find a way for each member to uniquely contribute to their solution. If a team member cannot be reached, notify the organizers to confirm contact info. Further issues will be handled on a case by case basis.
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For any other questions or concerns feel free to email us at hic.uth.tmc@gmail.com.
