The Exchange

The New Jersey Chapter of the Medical Group Management Association is pleased to initiate and sponsor the annual Edward Ludwig Student Essay Competition in Medical Practice Management. The purpose of the competition is to stimulate and demonstrate the ability of future medical practice executives to identify and describe important issues and developments in the field of medical practice management.

This competition honors the memory of Edward J. Ludwig, FACMPE. Mr. Ludwig was a long-time member of both NJMGMA and MGMA. Serving as President of NJMGMA and as a National board member of the American College of Medical Practice Executives. He also served as the ACMPE Forum Representative for New Jersey until his untimely passing in 2017.

In addition to his many years of dedicated service to NJMGMA, Ed spent more than 30 years as the Director of Practice and Clinical Operations at NJRetina. But Ed was much more than an administrator or board member; he was a friend, a confidant, and most importantly, a mentor to many practice managers and healthcare professionals throughout his life. With his welcoming smile and discerning ear, he was often the first point of contact for a colleague in need of guidance. It is these attributes that led NJMGMA to commemorate his legacy through this program.

NJGMA invites eligible students to submit high-quality essays with a focus on medical practice topics such as:

• Strategic planning and policy
• Financial management
• Human resource management
• Quality assessment and assurance
• Government relations and regulations
• Medical office operations
• Physician development
• Patient centered care
• Risk management
• Organizational governance

Eligibility

• The competition is open to students currently enrolled in an AUPHA graduate or undergraduate healthcare management program physically located in New Jersey, New York City or Philadelphia.
• Essays must be the product of one individual. Joint efforts are not acceptable.
• Essays must not have been previously published.

Process

• Program faculty must select and submit one essay to represent their program in the competition. Essays may be up to 15 pages, excluding executive summary, endnotes and bibliography. The executive summary should be 100 to 150 words and follow the title page.
• The student’s name should appear only on the title page; the title of the essay should appear on the executive summary and on the first page of the text.
• All essays must be typed, double-spaced (including references) and have margins of 1 ¼ inches all around.

Evaluation

• Essay selected to be submitted to NJMGMA will be subjected to a thorough review by panels composed of practitioners.
• The panels employ five equally weighted criteria:
  • Significance of the subject to medical practice management
  • Innovativeness in approach to the topic
  • Thoroughness and precision in developing the subject
  • Practical usefulness for guiding management action
  • Clarity and conciseness of expressions (including correct grammar and overall quality of writing).

Entries

• Only one entry per program will be accepted
• Program faculty must select and submit the student essay to be entered into the competition.
• Schools with both graduate and undergraduate programs may submit separate entries for each.
• All entries must be received no later than February 29. 2020

Awards

• Cash prizes will be awarded to the first-place essayists in both the graduate and undergraduate divisions.
• The graduate and undergraduate students whose essays are judged the winning entries will each receive $1,500; their programs will each receive $750.
• The finalists will be invited to attend the NJMGMA Practice Management Conference in June in Atlantic City to receive their award at a general session of the conference.

Submission:
All entries are to be submitted to: