Judging Information
Become a Sharp Index Scholarship Judge
Help identify and support the next generation working to create healthier healthcare.
Sharp Index invites healthcare professionals, researchers, educators, advocates, community leaders, and other qualified subject-matter experts to participate in the 2026–2027 Sharp Index Scholarship Program as volunteer scholarship judges.
Our scholarship program invests in students whose education, research, perspectives, and future careers can contribute to improved mental health and well-being across the healthcare workforce.
Judges help us conduct a thoughtful, consistent, and equitable review of applications for the Sharp Index Scholarship and Sharp Index Health Equity Scholarship.
What Scholarship Judges Do
Judges independently review a group of eligible scholarship applications using standardized selection criteria and a scoring rubric provided by Sharp Index.
Depending on the scholarship, reviewers may consider:
Alignment with the Sharp Index mission
Commitment to healthcare workforce mental health and well-being
Health equity perspective and potential contribution
Research, writing, education, or knowledge-sharing potential
Educational and career goals
Future potential to contribute to healthier healthcare
Potential impact of scholarship support
Thoughtfulness and substance of the application
Judges provide numerical scores and brief comments to help inform the selection process.
For Board Choice awards, judge evaluations inform—but do not independently determine—the final selection. Final recipients are selected by the Sharp Index Board.
Who Can Serve as a Judge?
We welcome potential reviewers with experience or expertise in areas such as:
Medicine and clinical care
Healthcare workforce well-being
Mental health and suicide prevention
Health equity
Public health
Medical and health professions education
Healthcare research
Academic research
Healthcare leadership
Community health
Workforce development
Student mentorship and education
We also value reviewers with perspectives and experiences that reflect the students and communities our scholarship program seeks to support.
Previous experience judging a scholarship is not required. Sharp Index provides confirmed reviewers with the rubric, review guidance, and program expectations before applications are assigned.
2026–2027 Judge Calendar
October–November 2026 — Judge Recruitment
Sharp Index recruits and confirms scholarship judges while student applications are open.
Student applications open October 1 and close November 30, 2026.
December 1–11, 2026 — Judge Confirmation & Preparation
Sharp Index completes applicant eligibility review, confirms judge assignments, and screens for potential conflicts of interest.
By December 11, confirmed judges receive:
Assigned applications
Scholarship criteria
Standardized scoring rubric
Reviewer guidance
Confidentiality expectations
Conflict-of-interest and recusal guidance
December 14, 2026–January 8, 2027 — Independent Application Review
Judges independently review and score their assigned applications.
The review period intentionally provides additional time to accommodate the December holidays.
January 11–15, 2027 — Review Completion & Finalist Preparation
Sharp Index compiles reviewer scores and comments and prepares finalist materials for Board consideration.
Judges may be contacted if clarification is needed regarding a submitted score or comment.
January 18–22, 2027 — Board Review & Selection
The Sharp Index Board reviews finalist applications, reviewer scores, and feedback and selects scholarship recipients.
January 25, 2027 — Scholars Notified
Selected scholars are notified by Sharp Index.
Time Commitment
We want volunteering as a judge to be meaningful without becoming burdensome.
Judges should expect approximately [3-6 hours] of total volunteer time, depending on the number and length of applications assigned.
Assignments will be distributed as equitably as possible across the reviewer pool.
Judges are expected to complete all assigned reviews by January 8, 2027.
A Fair and Thoughtful Review Process
Sharp Index is committed to a scholarship selection process that recognizes both achievement and potential.
Judges are asked to:
Evaluate applicants using the established scholarship criteria
Consider applicants in the context of the opportunities and resources available to them
Focus on substance and potential rather than writing polish alone
Avoid placing undue weight on institutional prestige, publication count, professional connections, or access to high-profile opportunities
Avoid expecting applicants to disclose trauma or sensitive personal information
Protect applicant confidentiality
Disclose potential conflicts of interest
Recuse themselves when a relationship or other conflict could compromise impartial review
Judges should evaluate the information provided in the scholarship application rather than independently researching applicants.
Health Equity Scholarship Review
Applications for the Sharp Index Health Equity Scholarship are evaluated using a standardized 100-point framework:
Mission Alignment — 25 points
Health Equity Perspective & Contribution — 20 points
Research, Writing & Knowledge Contribution — 20 points
Future Potential & Career Commitment — 15 points
Opportunity & Potential Impact of the Grant — 15 points
Application Quality & Authenticity — 5 points
Confirmed judges receive the complete scoring rubric and scoring guidance before the review period begins.
Conflicts of Interest
Judges must disclose relationships or circumstances that could reasonably compromise—or appear to compromise—their impartiality.
Examples may include a family or household relationship, current supervisory relationship, significant professional or financial relationship, close personal relationship, or direct involvement in preparing an applicant's submission.
When a conflict exists, the judge will be recused from reviewing that application and Sharp Index will reassign it to another reviewer.
Judges, Donors & Partners
Scholarship selection is independent of financial support.
Donating to Sharp Index, funding a scholarship, sponsoring the scholarship program, or participating as an organizational partner does not provide additional influence over scholarship selection.
Judges evaluate applications according to the same established criteria regardless of donor or partner relationships.
What Happens After Judging?
Judge scores and comments are compiled by Sharp Index and used to prepare applications for final consideration.
For Board Choice awards, the highest numerical score does not automatically determine the recipient. The scoring framework supports consistent review and informs the Board's final selection within the published scholarship criteria.
Judges are not responsible for notifying applicants or communicating selection decisions.
Ready to Help Select the 2026–2027 Scholarship Class?
Serving as a Sharp Index Scholarship Judge is an opportunity to help recognize promising students, emerging researchers, advocates, and future healthcare leaders who can contribute to healthier healthcare.
Judge Recruitment: October–November 2026
Reviewer Materials: By December 11, 2026
Application Review: December 14, 2026–January 8, 2027
Reviews Due: January 8, 2027
Board Selection: January 18–22, 2027
Scholar Notification: January 25, 2027
[APPLY TO BECOME A SCHOLARSHIP JUDGE]
Questions about serving as a judge?