Winners Announced in Inaugural National Health Law Writing Competition


American University Washington College of Law (AUWCL) has concluded its inaugural National Health Law Writing Competition. The competition, designed to encourage law students to write scholarly papers on current topics of interest relevant to health law, received numerous entries from student scholars across the nation. Professor Asha Scielzo founded the competition in her role as Health Law & Policy Fellow for the law school’s Program on Law & Government. In this capacity, Professor Scielzo brings her substantial leadership and health law practice experience to AUWCL as she creates numerous opportunities for students to excel in the fields of health law and policy.

Health law is an incredibly complex and dynamic field that has expanded significantly in recent years and will continue to grow in importance. AUWCL is proud of its commitment to health law and policy.  Through its experiential learning, practice-oriented curriculum, and outstanding expert faculty, AUWCL aims to provide its JD and LL.M. students with every opportunity to enter the field of health law immediately upon graduation. 

The competition was sponsored by alumna and founder of the Health Law and Policy Project, Corrine Parver ’82, who commented, “The writing competition provides yet another platform for the national Health Law Bar and community to learn about the many opportunities available for students at AUWCL to explore in depth the complex issues presented today to the health care industry through publishable-quality articles. As an alumna and former AUWCL faculty member, it is my pleasure and honor to provide this platform for recognition to deserving law students as they undertake a career in health law and policy."

The Inaugural National Health Law Writing Competition winners are: 

  • First Place: Rebecca Gittelson, University of North Carolina
    “Evaluating Physician Compare: Benefits and Challenges of Scorecards for Individual Physicians"
     
  • Second Place: Monica Houston, University of Wyoming College of Law
    “Hepatitis C: There's a Cure, But Who Will Bail Out the Department of Corrections?”


Competition judges included:

  • Stuart Silverman, Attorney, Medicaid Fraud Control Unit in the District of Columbia Office of the Inspector General
  • Daniela Kraiem,  Associate Director of Women and the Law Program and Practitioner-in-Residence at American University Washington College of Law
  • Chris Smith LL.M.’ 11, Director of Federal Public Policy, National Association of Chain Drug Stores (NACDS)


Information about the Second Annual National Health Law Writing Competition will be available in Summer 2016 at wcl.american.edu/health/writing.