Brown Hack Health: A Newbie's Perspective

I have a confession to make, and it's a confession that may give heart attacks to every one of my fellow social sciences students. Here it is: I've always wanted to attend a hackathon. Somehow, the notion of chugging cans of Red Bull while locked in a room full of unwashed college students has always seemed kind of romantic, even sexy. What if I became the next Mark Zuckerberg? Unfortunately, as someone who studies political science and economics, I thought I would never get to attend one. So when the inaugural Brown Hack Health (a hackathon dedicated to solving medical problems) was announced, I signed up immediately.And as soon as I was invited, I backed out immediately. Because I had doubts. Doubts like: would I contribute anything of value? Would I hold my team back? What does "synergy" even mean?!?Thanks to a reassuring email from a co-president of the group telling me that computer science was not a prerequisite to attend, and with the added incentive of being served free meals, I ended up at the Warren Alpert Medical School on Saturday morning (the day after Sculley's keynote, which we've also covered). There I was, wearing a hot-pink lanyard and holding a hackathon mug (this is what is known as "swag," something that was once only fantasy to me).  I was a certified cool and tech-savvy person; the sticker I received told me I was "Major League Hacking."Before I engaged in any hacking, however, I attended a much-needed "Hacking 101" info session. Then, people started "pitching problems" — in my mind, this meant that the "real hard stuff" had begun. There were so many diverse pitches, from ones dealing with hospital efficiency to those wanting to improve medical products. I chose a translation project, a topic in which I happen to have a personal stake.Next my team had a workshop with the legendary Professor Barbara  Tannenbaum, who taught us some tips and tricks about effective presentation. Once that ended, we tore out of our seats and headed to a conference room. There we spent several hours at the whiteboard (exactly how I imagined a hackathon would be!), laboring over the problem we wanted to solve. I'm not going to lie — at points it was intense, fraught with debates over the best solutions and plagued with seemingly hopeless questions. But that was also part of the fun, as we got to "reiterate" (a "buzzword" I learned) and build upon already-suggested ideas. I may or may not have created a napkin sketch (un-ironically, mind you).After a highly necessary pizza break, we were back at it again. Mentors — adults from various backgrounds, including medicine and design — were discussing big ideas with us, with me. Eventually we had a breakthrough with our business model, and I swear I have never felt such delicious relief. Everything seemed to fall into place. The next morning was a blur, as we hurried to put together a presentation and worried we'd run out of time. But at last we were ready to present, in front of not only everyone attending the event, but also a panel of judges.So what happened?We didn't win, and that was okay! I was so proud of what my team had managed to produce in such a short span. If you've ever been interested in attending a hackathon, I urge you to go for it! You meet so many people of diverse backgrounds. You'll be amazed by what everyone comes up with. But more importantly, you'll impress yourself with your own ability to contribute. And if the hackathon happens to disappoint, at least you'll have a new mug! Images via, via.