UAB’s Sparkman Center for Global Health will host its eighth annual UAB Student Global Health Case Competition on Feb. 11 and follow with its first statewide competition Feb. 25.
Both case competitions challenge multidisciplinary teams to provide strategic and innovative recommendations to a real-world global health problem.
“We are happy to sponsor this event once more,” said Craig Wilson, M.D., who directs the UAB Sparkman Center for Global Health. “Students are given a practical problem challenge that supplements and expands their global education and exposure.
“This year we decided to expand the competition to other universities in Alabama,” Wilson said. “We have had prior interactions with many of these institutions around global issues and programs. We’re pleased to enhance these interactions and expose more students and faculty to global challenges and the complexity of their solutions through this expanded competition.”
This year’s intramural competition will comprise 12 multidisciplinary teams representing eight UAB schools and 66 individuals — 39 undergraduate and 27 graduate students. A faculty mentor will work with teams and provide feedback on their ideas.
The case will be released to the team captains 5 p.m. Feb. 6 to begin work. On competition day Feb. 11, teams will have 15 minutes to present their proposals to a panel of judges, and a five-minute question-and answer-session will follow. Winning teams will be awarded cash prizes for first place $1,500, second place $1,000 and third place $500.
Teams also will be selected to represent UAB in the Statewide Global Health Case Competition and the International Emory Global Health Case Competition.
Fostering statewide competition
Undergraduate students from Alabama universities will compete in the first Statewide Global Health Case Competition Feb. 25, which follows the same format as the intramural competition. Entrants are expected from from UAB, University of Alabama, Auburn University, Birmingham-Southern College, Samford University, University of Montevallo and other state universities.
Teams will receive the case via email Feb. 20 and present their case and answer questions Feb. 25. Cash prizes will be awarded during a luncheon and awards ceremony.
