The Academies Online interviewed the teachers in charge of HOSA in order to learn more about the exciting events happening!

HOSA stands for the Health Occupations Students of America, but the name has been shifted in recent years to refer to Future Health Professionals. It’s a CTE organization that focuses on students who are planning to pursue health or medicine as their career. (For those of us not in health sciences, think of HOSA like a medical version of Science Olympiad.) At the Academies, MATA has a couple pathways relating to health science, and many of their students participated in HOSA this year. 

HOSA is a competition with multiple categories that tests the knowledge of health science students in both conventional and creative ways, including research papers, tests, presentations, and practical exams. For example, mental health promotion and health career photography involves students showing something to a panel of judges, as opposed to taking a multiple choice answer test. Winners advance to states and, if they place high enough, can eventually reach internationals. At states, there are even more categories for testing. For example, skills scenarios at state competition can test the students’ knowledge on CPR. Written tests can be about procedures, to ensure that the competitor has a firm understanding of these life-saving operations. Some more examples of categories within HOSA competitions are biomedical debate, behavioral health, and parliamentary procedures.

HOSA is completely optional to compete, and not every discipline has to participate. Vet sciences has decided to opt out this year, instead competing at FFA, or the Future Farmers of America. Still, at the Academies, there are over 300 students participating this year! While it is encouraged that students take classes relating to what they’re choosing to test in, it’s not necessary for competing. 1st, 2nd and 3rd place winners at Internationals will get a medallion for their efforts. 

We are wishing our talented students good luck in this competition! Remember, it’s the effort that counts, but we would love to see the Academies get those medals 🙂

Credits to: Ms. Fay, Ms. Gardner, and Ms. Palewicz