Student Writing Competition

Dear HLS Students,

The Petrie-Flom Center for Health Law Policy, Biotechnology, and Bioethics, aka Harvard Law School’s health law research center, announces our first ever Bill of Health student writing competition.

We want your excellent analysis or commentary on a topic connecting law, policy, or bioethics to health and health care.

This is an exclusive opportunity for currently enrolled students at HLS. Top submissions will be selected for publication in Bill of Health, a widely read online forum with approximately a million views a year where we publish incisive commentary, legal analysis, and bioethics perspectives. Posts are often cited in major journalistic venues like the New York Times and USA Today. 

Submissions are due 11:59 p.m. on Oct. 15, 2026, to billofhealth@law.harvard.edu

Your mission is to choose a topic that inspires you and send us your best possible work in accordance with the rules below. For recent examples of great student writing on our blog:

Bill of Health Student Writing Competition Guidelines

  • Length: 700-1,000 words.
  • Topics in health or health care that incorporate law, policy, or bioethics analysis. 
  • Make one main point — and make that point clear in the first paragraph or two. 
  • We prefer short paragraphs, usually no more than three sentences.
  • Back up your assertions with citations in hyperlinks (not footnotes). We generally expect at least one link per paragraph. Hyperlinks should generally be no longer than three words. Hyperlinks should confirm the information you provide, not require the reader to leave your article to understand what you are saying. 
  • If you have a connection to the topic, great. The post can be in your own personal voice.
  • Please avoid jargon in order to appeal to a general audience interested in the field. 
  • You are welcome to suggest a compelling headline — we reserve the right to make changes. 

Examples of posts we accept:

  • Analysis or commentary on a topic of note
  • A substantive discussion of other scholarly work 
  • An op-ed on some current event, case, legislation, rulemaking, etc. or reaction to a recent publication
  • A “hat tip” pointing readers to some news item or article that they should be aware of
  • A book review in a relevant area
  • An interview with a thought leader

Selected submissions will be published in the fall semester.

Policy on AI Use

This is an opportunity for humans. Submissions to Bill of Health that make use of AI tools are permitted, but contributors must disclose any significant AI assistance (including but not limited to, drafting, rewriting, or generating images). Authors remain fully responsible for fact-checking, originality, and the accuracy of their work. 

Bill of Health Contacts

GENERAL
billofhealth@law.harvard.edu

ERIN LYNCH SCOTT
Editor-in-Chief
erscott@law.harvard.edu

SUSANNAH BARUCH
Executive Editor
sbaruch@law.harvard.edu