Published on November 4, 2025 by Alison Ingle  
Health Summit 2025

Last week, public health and healthcare administration students from Samford University’s School of Public Health attended the 2025 Alabama Health Policy Summit in Birmingham alongside faculty members Carol Ratcliffe, Kim Davey and Dennis McCay.

From state and federal legislative updates to health care research breakthroughs, and from the ripple effects of system mergers to the impact of Supreme Court rulings, the summit examined the most pressing challenges and opportunities shaping Alabama’s health care landscape.

“Our students look forward to attending the Health Policy Summit every year,” said Carol Ratcliffe, chair of the Department of Healthcare Administration and Informatics. It’s a good opportunity for them to hear from health care leaders, innovators and policy advocates across our state.”

Students also connected with alumni and other professionals, gaining valuable insight into the future of health care policy in Alabama. The experience provided a practical extension of classroom learning, reinforcing Samford’s commitment to preparing graduates for leadership roles in public health and health care administration. This commitment to real-world learning and professional readiness reflects why The Wall Street Journal ranked Samford #3 in the nation for career preparation for 2026.

 
Located in the Homewood suburb of Birmingham, Alabama, Samford is a leading Christian university offering undergraduate programs grounded in the liberal arts with an array of nationally recognized graduate and professional schools. Founded in 1841, Samford enrolls 6,324 students from 44 states, Puerto Rico and 16 countries in its 10 academic schools: arts, arts and sciences, business, divinity, education, health professions, law, nursing, pharmacy and public health. Samford is widely recognized as having one of the most beautiful campuses in America, featuring rolling hills, meticulously maintained grounds and Georgian-Colonial architecture. Samford fields 17 athletic teams that compete in the tradition-rich Southern Conference and ranks with the second-highest score in the nation for its 98% Graduation Success Rate among all NCAA Division I schools.