Fourth Annual Undergraduate Public Policy Competition — Health Policy in the United States

In September 2013, the Baker Institute Student Forum hosted its inaugural Undergraduate Public Policy Competition. This annual competition allows undergraduates to present their policy solutions for the nation’s pressing issues and interact with policy experts and representatives from the corporate, medical, academic, nonprofit and government spheres.

This spring, BISF is hosted its fourth annual competition on April 7–8, 2017, at Rice University. Undergraduate students were invited to submit a policy proposal on how to address existing problems or new opportunities in the health sector. Six finalists were selected to present their policy papers to a panel of experts at Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy. Three winners received cash prizes and publication of their papers in The Rice Cultivator, Rice’s undergraduate public policy journal published through the Baker Institute.

Health policy is a central element of our country’s domestic and foreign policy agenda, and BISF’s policy competition offered a way to engage future leaders in business, government and academia on this critical issue. The event also aimed to highlight the role of the Baker Institute and foster a greater awareness of its excellent opportunities and innovative health research.

Join the conversation online with #BakerBISF.

Finalists

Snigdha Banda, Eshaan Patel and David Yang
"Policy Initiatives Targeting Maternal Morbidity and Death"

Charis Wang
"Value as a Key Consideration in the Effort to Reduce Drug Prices in the United States"

Hannah Todd
"Better Care for Children With Medical Complexity"

Megan McCurry, David Cirillo and Aparna Narendrula
"Policy Proposal to Incentivize the Development and Adoption of Diagnostic Tools to Combat Antibiotic Resistance"

Malvika Govil and Rebecca Lopez
"Expanding Opportunities for Primary Care Access and Practice in Medically Underserved Areas of Texas"

Cyrus Ghaznavi and Anjali Bhatla
"A Policy Prescription for Treating High Pharmaceutical Costs"