§09 · Rules & guidelines
The competition's ground rules.
The full rule set is in the participation agreement. Below is the working copy — what to expect day-to-day.
9.1
Team conduct
- Each team operates independently. Cross-team collaboration or sharing of designs is prohibited.
- Each team assigns a Team Lead as the primary point of contact with organizers.
- All members sign a participation agreement prior to Week 1.
- Respectful conduct toward all participants, judges, and pharmacy staff at all times.
9.2
Deliverables
- Week 2 — Design Brief.
- Week 4 — Interim Report.
- Week 7 — Final Technical Documentation.
- Week 8 — Live Demo at MedRock Pharmacies.
9.3
Pharmacy visit conduct
- All five Friday visits are mandatory. Unexcused absences may affect a team's final score.
- Follow all MedRock Pharmacies' protocols, hygiene standards, and staff instructions.
- Hands-on participation requires valid TSBP Pharmacy Technician Trainee registration.
- Activities during visits are conducted under direct supervision of a licensed pharmacist.
9.4
Budget & resources
- Each team is allocated a materials budget (confirmed by organizers prior to kickoff).
- Teams procure and manage their own components within the budget.
- Additional resource or equipment requests are submitted in writing to organizers.
9.5
Participant hours
- Up to 15 hours per week at $18/hour, paid.
- Log hours weekly using the participant dashboard.
- Volunteer hours beyond the cap are welcome but unpaid.
- Falsification of time logs is grounds for disqualification of the individual and potentially the team.
9.6
NDA & intellectual property
Because this competition involves developing proprietary technology for a commercial pharmacy, every participant on every team signs an NDA and IP Assignment Agreement before Week 1. The NDA covers MedRock Pharmacies' internal workflows, processes, patient data protocols, and any confidential operational details observed during pharmacy visits — and remains in effect after the competition ends.
MedDots holds a particular interest in IP protection given its role as a commercial entity and support provider.
Competing team IP
- Designs, prototypes, code, schematics, and documentation are jointly owned by team members and their affiliated institutions.
- MedRock Pharmacies retains the right to negotiate licensing or further development with winning teams.
- Independent commercialization or publication requires written consent from affiliated institutions, MedRock Pharmacies, and MedDots.
MedDots role
- MedDots does not compete and does not create competing IP.
- Technical guidance and resources from MedDots remain MedDots IP.
- Teams may not commercialize MedDots methodologies, tools, or processes shared during the competition.