Go Viral to Improve Health

The 2013 IOM-NAE Health Data Collegiate Challenge

  Register your team here

Using social networking, mobile apps, and other new technologies, how can the power of health data be unleashed to increase awareness of health problems and inspire positive action at the community level? For the past two years, the IOM and NAE have challenged college and university students to use health data to develop effective, innovative apps that take on the nation’s pressing health issues. To learn more about the 2011 and 2012 Challenges, go to our Past Challenges page.

The 2013 Challenge

With an abundance of health data available as part of the Health Data Initiative (HDI), students have an unprecedented opportunity to create interactive apps and other tools that engage and empower people in ways that lead to better health. Working in teams that meld technological skills with health knowledge, the IOM and NAE believe that college students can generate exciting and powerful new products – the next “viral” apps - to improve health for communities and individuals.

To “Go Viral To Improve Health”:

• Identify a health problem.
• Assemble a team of between two and five students.
• Develop an app using publicly available, de-identified health data.
• Demonstrate how your solution will engage people in your community to promote action that will improve their health.

Promote the challenge. Download and print the flyer. 

Web version