Frequently Asked Questions
Eligibility | Required Material | Submitting Your Application | Awarding Scholarships and Notification | Essay Questions
Eligibility
The application says my HIM program must be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM). How can I verify that my program is CAHIIM accredited?
Visit the CAHIIM Program Directory to determine whether your program is accredited.
If I am enrolled in an accredited HIM program, but not a member of AHIMA, can I still apply for an award?
No. All applicants must be Active or Student members of AHIMA. You may apply for AHIMA membership online at https://www.ahimastore.org/ProductDetailMembership.aspx. After submitting your membership application and fee, you are then immediately eligible to apply for an award. You will need your membership ID number for the application.
If I am currently enrolled in my last semester/term, can I still apply for a scholarship?
No. Applicants must have at least six credit hours remaining after the date of the award,
June 15, 2010.
As a student in the AHIMA Coding Basics Program, what may I apply for?
Coding Basics students are not eligible to apply for AHIMA Foundation Merit scholarships.
Do any scholarships require special qualifications?
Most scholarships are available to all eligible applicants. A few scholarships specify a preference for applicants with certain criteria (diversity, second career, state of residence, etc.) You will be considered for all those for which you qualify, simply by fully completing the one scholarship application. A few scholarships have additional essay questions to help score the applicants. For the listing of special awards see the section on AHIMA Foundation Scholarships with Specialty Criteria.
Are there other scholarships or loans available to me?
Ask your local HIM association, program director, or financial aid office about other available scholarships.
Required Material
If my program director is not available to sign my Verification of enrollment, may I have an instructor sign it?
No. Verification of enrollment forms must be signed by the program director. Please get your form signed as early as possible to avoid problems locating directors near the end of the semester.
Do I need to include a resume with my application?
No. However, as an undergraduate, it is your option to include a resume to highlight your accomplishments; there is an area to attach resumes in the “Professional and Volunteer” section of the application; graduate students are encouraged to attach resumes.
Are recommendations required?
Yes. We ask that you provide contact information for three persons who will provide recommendations with one being from an educator. If an educator’s reference is not available, you must include a statement explaining the circumstances. Failure to provide three recommendations will unfavorably affect the application scoring and your likelihood of receiving a scholarship.
Submitting Your Application
What are official transcripts?
An official transcript is one that has been received directly from the institution and only at the authorization or written request of the student concerned. It must bear the institution’s seal or be printed on copy protect paper, and include a date, and appropriate registrar’s signature.
Transcripts may be mailed directly to the foundation or to the student in a sealed envelope. If the official transcripts are sent to you, do not open the sealed envelope you receive from your registrar. Place the transcripts in another envelope and send it to the address: AHIMA Foundation Merit Scholarships, 233 N. Michigan Avenue, 21st Floor, Chicago, IL 60601-5809. Usually transcripts are available from the Registrar or the Records Office and information for ordering a transcript and anticipated delivery times should be on your school’s website. There may be expediting charges if the transcripts are not ordered early enough to arrive by regular mail before the April 30 deadline.
Do I have my
recommendations sent directly to the AHIMA Foundation or will the Foundation contact the references?
The online application system has a notification feature whereby you enter the name and email address of the person who will provide an evaluation of your background, performance, and suitability for the profession.
The notification is sent to the recommender by email. No formal letter of reference is needed. Responses are due by April 30, 2010.
Before adding a recommender to the application, the applicant is encouraged to contact the recommenders (references) in advance. Applicant should notify each recommender that they will receive an e-mail from AUTOMATEDEMAIL@SCHOLARSELECT.COM; the subject line will indicate "AHIMA INFORMATION REQUEST FOR (applicant)." The e-mail will contain a link to the recommendation section of the online application form.
Can I call to verify if my application has been received?
Once the application has been completed and submitted, you will receive an automated e-mail verification. There will be no need to call the Foundation office to verify receipt of applications.
Awarding Scholarships and Notification
When are recipients notified about scholarship awards? Is the check sent to the school?
Scholarship recipients will be notified by June 15, 2010 for the April 2010 deadline. Notification letters are mailed to all applicants. Recipients of awards will be asked to write a short biographical statement to use to notify sponsors. Award checks are sent directly to scholarship recipients approximately a month following notification.
How many scholarships are awarded?
The number of scholarships awarded each year varies. In 2009, 64 scholarships were awarded.
Is my financial situation taken into consideration when awarding scholarships?
No. AHIMA Foundation scholarships are merit-based, and are awarded based on the following criteria: grade point average and academic achievement, volunteer and work experience, commitment to the HIM profession, suitability to the HIM profession, quality and suitability of references provided, and clarity of application. The section of the application “Selection Criteria” provides an explanation of the point system that is used to score GPAs.
Essay Questions
The following is a list of essay questions which appear on the application for AHIMA Foundation scholarships. They are provided here only as examples; essay questions need to be answered as part of the online application process. Note that some of the essays are required, while others are optional (should the applicant wish to be considered for scholarships with specific criteria). The required essays are marked “*”
For Undergraduate and Graduate Students
What do you see as current and upcoming challenges in the field of health information management (HIM)?*
What changes do you see happening in the field in order to meet these challenges and/or what changes do you realize must take place in order to meet these challenges? *
What are your long-term professional objectives?*
Describe your involvement in AHIMA, in your Component State Association or local HIM Association. Include all volunteer activities associated with the HIM field. Explain your role in each example such as committee service, organizing an event, preparing a publication or brochure or other similar activities.*
Describe all other volunteer roles you currently hold (and have held) that may relate to your current occupation, community activities or personal life. Include a listing of your other non-HIM volunteer experiences in which you participate(d). Relate your volunteer activities to your overall career and explain how your volunteer service enhances your professional development.*
To apply for any of the diversity scholarships please write an essay that addresses the diversity guidelines.*
Have you volunteered at the local HIM level, for your Component State Association, or in an AHIMA effort to create an excellent Association?*
If you have not served on one of the HIM Association levels, indicate if you have served voluntarily in other capacities through your employment or in your life circles that you feel have in turn benefitted you personally. Outline how your contributions led to your professional growth, and how that volunteerism will enhance your effectiveness in your HIM career.*
Can you describe how your HIM career interactions exhibit integrity, trust, respect, exceptional service, and stewardship? Do you make time in your life for community and fun? Outline your thoughts about these core values in an essay below.
For Undergraduate Students Only
If you consider yourself a second-career student attending school for a HIM degree, please provide a brief explanation of why you chose this field, along with an overview of the other fields in which you have worked.
What skills have you gained in your past or present employment that prepare you for a position in the HIM field?*
For Graduate Students ONly
Please write an essay describing how this degree will help you to advance the HIM field.*
If you are a credentialed AHIMA member pursuing a JD you are eligible to apply for the Dot Wagg Memorial Scholarship. In a short essay, please describe how you will apply your legal training to the advancement of the HIM field. If you are a credentialed AHIMA member pursuing another doctoral degree related to HIM practice you may also be eligible (discretion of the Scholarship Review Committee.) Describe how you plan to utilize your PhD to further the HIM profession.
Contact
For more detailed questions, please contact Janice Mackovitch at 312-233-1968 or janice.mackovitch@ahimafoundation.org.
