Boise State College of Health Sciences proudly hosted the 25th annual Idaho HOSA — Future Health Professionals State Leadership Conference on March 11-13th.
“Idaho HOSA has spent 25 years empowering Idaho future health professionals to become leaders in the global community through education, collaboration and experience,” said Gina Lyman, student leadership manager for Idaho Division of Career Technical Education and state advisor for Idaho HOSA. “HOSA is a premier Career Technical Student Organization, which has served future health care professionals around the world for 50 years.”
More than 1,200 students, predominantly high schoolers with some college and middle school students, from all over Idaho and parts of Eastern Oregon converged on Boise State’s campus for prestigious competitions, leadership workshops and career exploration during the three-day event. The students who attended are interested in pursuing a career in the health care field. The annual conference and competition helps them refine their skills, learn and network with like-minded students, health educators and professionals in the community.
The conference events span five major categories: health science, health professions, emergency preparedness, leadership and teamwork. The competitions range from fields in pharmacology, clinical nursing, CPR and first aid, job-seeking skills, health education and more. Top performers at the Idaho conference will represent the state at the International Leadership Conference in Indianapolis this summer.
“The HOSA conference is an incredible way to support and foster Idaho student interest in healthcare careers,” said Joelle Powers, dean of the College of Health Sciences. “By bringing these high school students to campus we can not only orient them to campus life but feature various disciplines and career track options available to them. We are so excited to have the opportunity to showcase the education and training they can receive that will help them launch into successful careers that make an impact on the health and well-being of our state.”
“Being part of HOSA in high school helped me develop leadership skills, gain hands-on exposure to healthcare-related skills, and connect with peers and professionals who shared similar career interests. That experience helped prepare me for both college and a future career in healthcare,” said Leana Jack, Boise State kinesiology major and current president of Boise State’s HOSA chapter. “HOSA has given me a strong sense of community by connecting me with students who share similar goals in healthcare and it has provided opportunities to grow as a leader outside of the classroom. Being part of HOSA has helped me feel more supported and confident as I navigate a challenging academic path.”