Medicine X 2018 ePatient Scholarship Program

What is Medicine X?
Medicine X is a non-profit, academic conference held each September on the Stanford University campus. It is a catalyst for new ideas about the future of medicine and emerging technologies. In 2018, we will hold two conferences, Medicine X | ED March 24-25, 2018 (our conference on the future of patient-centered medical education), and our flagship conference on health care innovation, Medicine X conference September 14-16, 2018.

What is the Stanford Medicine X ePatient Scholarship program?
Full and partial scholarships are awarded based on applicants’ merit and are allocated to maximize program impact with consideration given to financial need. We also provide need-based travel and lodging awards to those accepted to our programs. We also provide need-based travel and lodging awards for patients who require caregiver support. Electric wheelchair rentals (for those with needs), 24/7 on-call physician services, and accommodations for expedited meal access and rests areas are also provided at no cost for participants during the conference program.

What is an ePatient? Am I an ePatient?
According to the website e-Patients.net: “Tom Ferguson coined the term e-patients to describe individuals who are equipped, enabled, empowered and engaged in their health and health care decisions. He envisioned health care as an equal partnership between e-patients and health professionals and systems that support them. Before Tom’s untimely death in 2006, he was writing the White Paper (PDF) in consultation with the group of advisors he dubbed the e-Patient Scholars Working Group.”

scholar (schol·ar, /’skälər/): 1. A specialist in a particular branch of study, esp. the humanities; a distinguished academic: “a Hebrew scholar”. 2. A person who is highly educated or has an aptitude for study.

ePatient scholar (e·pa·tient schol·ar, /e‘pāSHənt ’skälər/): 1. A specialist and expert who is highly educated in his or her own medical conditions and who uses information technologies (e.g., Internet tools, social networks, self-tracking tools) in managing their health, learning from and teaching others. 2. (Stanford Medicine X ePatient scholar) An educator and role model for other patients and health care stakeholders.

How can Stanford Medicine X ePatient Scholarship recipients participate in the conference?
Applicants may apply to one or more tracks, and will be placed into the track that best fits their talents and goals, with applicants’ preference taken into consideration. In 2018 we have simplified the initial application process to make it shorter by eliminating the need to choose a track. We will invite select applicants to continue the application process and complete a secondary application process and choose tracks at a later stage.

I have already received a Stanford Medicine X ePatient Scholarship in the past. Am I allowed to apply again?
Alumni of the Stanford Medicine X ePatient Program may apply for and receive scholarships in subsequent years. To encourage growth as an ePatient, they will be placed into a new track that they did not previously participate in.

What are the expectations and responsibilities of Stanford Medicine X ePatient Scholarship recipients?
Selection as a Stanford Medicine X ePatient scholarship recipient confers certain expectations and responsibilities upon recipients. Complete conference attendance is expected, with scholarship recipients arriving on time and staying throughout the duration of the conference until closing remarks on the last day of the conference. Scholarship recipients are tasked with using the knowledge and skills gained at Medicine X to advance their individual advocacy efforts. Scholarship recipients will receive a certificate of recognition for their attendance.

I’m a patient and I haven’t been to an academic conference before. Is Medicine X really an academic conference designed for everyone?
Absolutely. The atmosphere at Medicine X is unlike that of a traditional academic medical conference. Attendees from around the world and across the health care spectrum embrace patients as a nexus of innovation and inspiration to drive their work in patient care, technology development, education and research. Medicine X is founded on the belief that patients are some of the best and most underutilized experts in health care. Medicine X represents an opportunity to share the stories and lessons learned as patients, as people, and as partners in care.

Many of our past ePatient scholarship recipients shared their experience through the engagement track and published their experiences through social media on blogs and podcasts. Below is an assorted collection of these postings.

• Christopher Snider, Just Talking Podcast, with 2012 Scholarship recipients Cherise Shockley and Kim Vlasnik. Christopher also published a blog post of his experience.

• Please review these blog posts by ePatients about Stanford Medicine X 2015.

“Medicine X is what took me from being a patient involved in her own health to becoming an advocate for others. It was so inspiring and eye-opening—it was about possibilities and problem solving. Medicine X renews the sense of hope that we can restore the caring part of healthcare.” — Sarah E. Kucharski

“I had no idea what to expect upon walking into Medicine X. What I found was an environment that nurtured growth, sparked ingenuity and raucous debates, and propelled my advocacy efforts overnight. I was blown away by the connections and friends I made in a setting that felt less like a conference and more like summer camp.” — Britt J. Johnson

Medicine X is committed to meeting the full financial need of each ePatient applicant. We consider all the information submitted in the financial aid application when crafting each award for meeting the travel, lodging and tuition needs of each applicant. Please note scholarship awards are separate from honorariums given at the end of the program to recognize the expertise of patients and honor their contributions to the scholarly enterprise of our academic program.

How much is registration if I don’t receive an ePatient Scholarship?
General registration for Medicine X begins at $1750, with discounts for academic researchers ($1000) and students ($500).

Note that in the application process, applicants complete both an application to a needs-blind, merit-based selection system as well as a separate financial assistance application. Applicants are tasked with determining and demonstrating their own financial need as evidenced by employment status, income, and other personal hardships. Financial need statements will be considered for the awarding of full and partial scholarships. Financial need does not affect an applicant’s merit-based application.

How much is registration if I am selected to receive an ePatient Scholarship?
A partial scholarship reduces the registration rate for the three day conference to $199.00. Full scholarship recipients are not required to pay a registration fee.

Why would you charge patients to attend Stanford Medicine X?
Medicine X is an academic non-profit conference—not a medical industry event or trade show. Operating funds are derived exclusively from registration fees, donations and grant income. Partial scholarship recipients receive all the knowledge, opportunities, and interaction afforded to full scholarship recipients; however, the awarding of partial scholarships allows Medicine X to extend financial assistance to the greatest number of patients possible.

Will I get paid a salary or honorarium to attend Medicine X?
Yes. Medicine X recognizes the unique expertise ePatient scholars bring to our program through their diverse contributions to broadening the research agenda, improving the scientific output and enriching the diversity of the academic exchange. Our ePatient scholar honorarium upon successful completion of the 2018 program is $500 USD.

How much in out-of-pocket expenses should I budget to attend Medicine X?
Plan to cover transportation (airfare, rental car, gas, etc.) and at least three nights’ accommodations. Stanford Medicine X ePatient Scholarship recipients are expected to attend the conference in full, arriving on time and staying until the conference closes the afternoon of the last day. Reduced hotel rates are available, and rooming with another scholarship recipient is recommended to reduce costs. Breakfast and lunch are provided at the conference venue with reasonable accommodations made for dietary needs. Conference hotels are within walking distance of several restaurants and a grocery store. Additional consideration should be given to any lost wages from time taken off from work. Historically, Medicine X has been able to meet the lodging needs of every patient accepted into our program. Specifically, we have been able to provide awards for free hotel lodging at the conference hotel for every participant who has demonstrated financial need. While we cannot guarantee we can continue to meet demand for such requests, we anticipate we will be able to do so based on the number of requests we have received from our participants in the past.

Are travel funds provided?
Scholarship recipients with financial need may be eligible for limited travel scholarship funds to facilitate their attendance at Medicine X. In the application process, applicants complete both an application to a needs-blind, merit-based selection system as well as a separate financial assistance application. Applicants are tasked with determining and demonstrating their own financial need as evidenced by employment status, income, and other personal hardships. Financial need statements will be considered both for the awarding of full and partial scholarships and the awarding of travel scholarships. Financial need does not affect an applicant’s merit-based application. Historically, Medicine X has been able to meet the travel needs of every patient accepted into our program. Specifically, we have been able to provide awards for free travel to the conference for every participant who has demonstrated financial need. While we cannot guarantee we can continue to meet demand for such requests, we anticipate we will be able to do so based on the number of requests we have received from our participants in the past.

How can I apply for a Stanford Medicine X ePatient Scholarship? Please complete an application for our ePatient program by November 1, 2018. Please sign up for the Medicine X email list to be notified when scholarship applications become available online.

I’m a student/resident/researcher: Can I apply for the Stanford Medicine X ePatient Scholarship?
Unfortunately you may not apply for an ePatient scholarship. Only ePatients may apply for the ePatient Scholarship Program. Medicine X provides discounted registration rates for academic researchers and students.

How are Stanford Medicine X ePatient scholarship recipients selected?
Successful applicants demonstrate a history of patient engagement, community outreach and advocacy. Preference is given to individuals using emerging technologies and social media such as blogs, podcasts, Twitter, Facebook. In the application process, applicants complete both an application to a needs-blind, merit-based selection system as well as a separate financial assistance application. The 2018 Medicine X ePatient Advisory Council reviews all applications, narrows the field of applicants by merit, ranks applicants, and conducts short live video based interviews of finalists. Only after this initial ranking process are financial need statements considered. The most highly-ranked applicants receive priority consideration for financial assistance. All final decisions are made by the Medicine X executive director.

Selection Process and Waitlisting
Applicants will submit their completed applications no later than the deadlines stated below with no exceptions or extensions granted. Applications will then be reviewed by members of the ePatient Advisory Board, and ranked according to the above selection criteria. Applicants will then be placed in tracks according to both their preference and the track the Board feels most suits the applicant.

Applicants will be narrowed to a field of finalists, at which time they will be notified and asked to schedule a live 10-15 minute video interview via Google Hangout or Skype. Scholarship offers will then be made to qualified applicants. Applicants will have 5 days to review and accept their scholarship offer. If an applicant does not reply in the allotted time, their scholarship offer will be forfeited.

Those not accepted to the final Scholarship positions will be waitlisted for 2018. Waitlisted applicants may be offered a Program position at any time prior to the conference in the event that another Delegate is unable to attend, however, if a waitlisted Delegate is accepted into the Program late in the process, he or she may have limited access to travel and accommodations awards.

Is financial need considered during the Stanford Medicine X ePatient Scholarship selection process?
Yes and no. Applications are first evaluated on merit alone. Once the list is reduced to the top qualifying applicants, and rankings are finalized, we will then consider financial need. Our aim is to provide sufficient support for the most highly-ranked ePatients to attend the conference under partial or full scholarships, but financial need will not influence the qualifications of an ePatient Scholarship applicant.