How to apply.

Who can apply.

You must be a current pre-medical or medical student. You can apply as an individual or as a team.

What we're looking for.

A digital health innovation that expands healthcare access or advances health equity. Strong submissions show traction: an MVP, prototype, pilot data, or validation.

Themes we're watching.

We're encouraging entries that speak to this year's priority themes, below. These aren't requirements (we welcome strong submissions on any digital health challenge), but they're the areas we're most excited to see tackled.

How the competition works.

Four rounds, from open call to live finals. Selected teams advance round by round.

1. 01

   Submit your application

   Open call · June 2026 to Aug. 15, 2026

   Submit during the open call. We accept individual and team applications from current pre-medical, medical, and IMG students.

2. 02

   Qualifying Round 1

   September 2026

   Applications are reviewed by the committee and selected judges. Teams that advance move on to the next round.

3. 03

   Qualifying Round 2

   Early November 2026

   Semifinalists pitch to the committee and judges. Finalists are confirmed and invited to the live event.

4. 04

   Live finals

   Dec. 11, 2026

   Finalists pitch on stage to leading judges in a Shark Tank style competition. Winners are recognized live and across AMSA's national network.

Key dates.

Plan your application against the milestones below. Final dates marked TBD will be confirmed before publication.

Location.

The 2026 live finals take place at the Bethesda North Marriott Hotel and Conference Center in the D.C. metro region.