American Health Information Management Association Foundation Merit Scholarships
2010 Application Deadline — Friday, April 30, 2010 (11:59 PM CST)
Eligibility
AHIMA Foundation scholarship basic eligibilty requirements include:
* The program the student is enrolled in must be must be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management (CAHIIM). (Want to know if the program is accredited? Visit http://www.cahiim.org/accredpgms.asp). Graduate students must be AHIMA credentialed members pursuing degrees in areas related to HIM practice.
* The student must have completed at least 6 credit hours in program coursework before being eligible to apply for a scholarship. In addition, student must have at least one full semester (6 credit hours) of classes remaining in their course of study at the time the award is granted. This information will be verified through certified student transcript(s).
Background
One of the major initiatives of the AHIMA Foundation is to attract and support new talent in the HIM industry by improving the educational opportunities for future HIM professionals through scholarships. The Foundation offers scholarships to students currently enrolled in accredited health information management programs. There are three levels of scholarships offered: $1,000 for a HIT AA degree student; $1,200 for a HIA BA/BS degree student; and $2,500 for a credentialed professional pursuing a masters or doctoral degree in an area related to HIM practice.
In 2009, a total of 155 students submitted their applications for review; out of that pool, 64 qualified candidates received scholarships for a total of $86,500 awarded during two application cycles (in the Spring and Fall). These award recipients included 2 PhD candidates, 9 Graduate Degree students, 20 Bachelors’ Degree students and 33 Associate Degree students. The scholarship recipients represent 33 Component State Associations, and GPAs of those awarded scholarships ranged from 3.37 to 4.0. Some scholarships give preference to applicants in categories such as diversity, second-career students, and students residing in particular states. Only one application is needed to be completed, and the applicant will be considered for all awards offered. Applicants are eligible to receive only one scholarship in a calendar year.
Online Applications
In 2009 the scholarship application became an online process, making it easier for applicants to apply and for the scholarship committee to process the reviews. The 2010 application has been further customized to allow students to easily submit the required information, in a secure online format. Students will be able to track the progress of their application and ensure that all necessary components have been completed (including academic references and recommendations). before submitting the application by the April 30 deadline. Once the applications have been reviewed and scholarships determined, recipients should receive notification of their award status the middle of June, 2010; scholarship checks will be sent out approximately July 1.
The AHIMA Foundation
233 N. Michigan Avenue, 21st Floor
Chicago, IL 60601-5809
Email: info@ahimafoundation.org
