How to write an essay on healthcare

A good topic is current, specific and arguable: whether nurse practitioners should have full practice authority, how telehealth affects rural access, or whether price transparency lowers costs. Avoid topics so broad that you can only summarize them, such as the whole US healthcare system.

Follow your rubric first. Without a requirement, a common expectation is about one credible source per page, mostly peer-reviewed articles or government sources from the last five years. Quality matters more than number: each source should directly support a point you make in the essay.

Most nursing and health science programs use APA 7th edition, while medicine and some health programs use AMA style. Use the style your instructor names, and apply it consistently to the title page, in-text citations and reference list, including the details of electronic sources.

Use an introduction with background and a clear thesis, body paragraphs that each make one point supported by evidence, a section addressing counterarguments if the essay argues a position, and a conclusion that answers the prompt and states implications. Headings help in longer essays, following APA 7 levels.

Make one specific, arguable claim and preview your reasons. For example: expanding community health worker programs would reduce emergency visits among uninsured adults by improving access to primary care and chronic disease management. Avoid statements of fact or broad topics, which leave the essay without a clear direction.

Use recent figures from the original source, such as the CDC or WHO, give the year, and explain what each number means for your argument rather than dropping it in. One or two well-chosen statistics per point are more persuasive than a long list, and every figure needs a citation.

Restate the thesis in new words, summarize how each main point supported it, and end with the implications: what should change in practice or policy, and why it matters for patients. Don't introduce new evidence in the conclusion; leave the reader with a clear, confident final point.

Use balanced sources, present the strongest opposing views fairly, and separate evidence from opinion. Check who funded a study or report, prefer peer-reviewed and government data over advocacy sites, and use person-first, respectful language about patients and communities. Acknowledge where the evidence is limited or mixed.