The MS in Healthcare Management program recently awarded its second annual HIMSS Scholarship for Healthcare Management to student Vishakha Bhedasgaonkar.
The $1,000 award is one of six healthcare technology focused scholarships contributed to Dallas-Fort Worth universities by the Dallas/Fort Worth Chapter of the Healthcare Information Management Systems Society — better known as HIMSS to industry insiders. The scholarships are a way for the organization to invest in future IT professionals, which its board considers to be an “important goal.”
Eligibility requirements for the award include being an HIMSS member, pursuing a degree in a healthcare technology program, having completed a minimum of 12 semester hours with a grade-point average of at least 3.5, having leadership experience and submitting a 500-word essay.
Bhedasgaonkar topped the field of applicants with a winning essay that cast her view to the future of the healthcare technology industry.
“I have a vision where any improvement or innovation in healthcare pertains to patient needs,” she said. “For healthcare systems, I see an easy exchange of information from one place to another.”
She had heard about the HIMSS scholarship from a friend and fellow graduate student Andrew Lim, who received the award last year.
Jakeb Spears, president of the Healthcare Management Association at UT Dallas, and Nayan Patel, a member of the Dallas-Fort Worth HIMSS Board of Directors, a past president of the local chapter and the director of information technology at The Heart Hospital Baylor Plano, presented the award to Bhedasgaonkar in Patel’s office on Nov. 30.
“During my time at UT Dallas, I have always been inspired by Dr. Forney Fleming, who is a constant source of encouragement and motivation to students to be part of professional memberships, competitions and scholarships,” Bhedasgaonkar said. Fleming is the director of the MS in Healthcare Management program.
Bhedasgaonkar said that her career goal is to become a quality director in an integrated healthcare facility.
