Paging … future doctors

A group of Wilmot HOSA students and other supporters come together at the Light Walk in support of the Leukemia and Lymphona Society. Participation in the walk one of the student organization's community service projects (Submitted/The Report)
A group of Wilmot HOSA students and other supporters come together at the Light Walk in support of the Leukemia and Lymphona Society. Participation in the walk is one of the student organization’s community service projects (Submitted/The Report).

HOSA is a student pathway to health careers

By Jason Arndt
Staff Writer

When it comes to receiving quality medical care – patients are also seeking caring and compassionate physicians and other health professionals – and one national organization is creating a vision for the future.

HOSA, or Health Occupations Students of America-Future Health Professionals, is a student-led organization for those who have an interest in a career in a health or medical field.

Wilmot Union High School’s HOSA Chapter, fresh off a handful of state-level awards last weekend, has exemplified not only learning inside the classroom, but also out in the community.

Seniors Tehya White, the chapter president, and Rebecca Alter joined the organization with a future in medical care in mind.

Wilmot Union High School seniors, Rebecca Alter and Tehya White, are two of 29 HOSA members that want to pursue careers in the medical field (Submitted/The Report).
Wilmot Union High School seniors, Rebecca Alter and Tehya White, are two of 29 HOSA members that want to pursue careers in the medical field (Submitted/The Report).

“I joined HOSA because I have known I wanted to be a doctor since the fifth grade, so Health Occupations Students of America just seemed like a good fit for me,” White said.

Alter, who wants to pursue a career in pediatrics thought it would be a sound decision.

“I want to be in the medical field and I thought it would be a good idea to be involved in HOSA,” Alter said. “You really get a jumpstart and can learn about a bunch of careers that are involved.”

HOSA complements the school’s Project Lead the Way program, which offers students hands-on opportunities in the classroom.

The school’s HOSA Advisor, Lena Joch, and Gina Greil teach Project Lead Way courses at Wilmot.

During this academic year, the 29 HOSA students have taken part in community service projects, including contributions to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and the Special Olympics.

“We raised money for LLS during HOSA week by selling plastic eggs with candy and donating the profit to LLS,” Joch said. “A few students volunteered when Wilmot hosted the Special Olympics Basketball Tournament.”

Additionally, 15 of the 29 students who attended the State Leadership Conference also donated money as part of the LLS Light Walk, Joch added.

The State Leadership Conference gives students an opportunity to learn from industry professionals, network with students from other schools and compete in dozens of events.

“If you end up placing in the top three of your event, you get the chance to go to the International Leadership Conference with thousands of other students from around the United States and around the world,” White said.

Alter garnered her second straight first-place finish in the Healthy Lifestyle category.

Alter had to finish with 50 percent or better in the 50-question online exam to move to the second round.

“Studying is really hard. (I) had to navigate websites, had to find facts and had to study from a book,” Alter said.

In the second round, Alter created a personalized goal of exercising a minimum 60 minutes daily, weight training two to three times weekly and drinking two liters of water daily.

While Alter’s goal is geared the physical benefits of exercise, she plans on studying in the pediatric infectious disease field.

“It is a lot of schooling, but I am ready for it. I really like kids and want to work with kids,” Alter said.

Joch was not surprised about Alter’s interest in curbing infectious disease and microbiology and recalls a moment when Alter took a PLTW course, Medical Interventions.

“There is a unit where we look at infectious diseases and follow an outbreak on a college campus,” Joch said. “The students have to determine what bacteria caused the outbreak and which student was the original source of the infection.”

“I know she really enjoyed those activities,” Joch added.

White finished second in Biomedical Laboratory Sciences at the State Leadership Conference.

Like Alter, she needed to finish with a 50 percent or better in the knowledge test that included several subcategories – biotechnology, lab safety and infection control, DNA structure, proteins and enzymes, genetics and engineering, clinical chemistry and hematology and serology.

“If you make it on, you have to learn seven different skills…then at state complete two or three of those seven different skills,” White said.

Skills include, but are not limited to, laboratory equipment like knowing how to use pharma fridges for effective storage of certain chemicals/tests, infection control, blood typing, and laboratory solution preparation.

Also knowing how to properly clean or store equipment so that it is safe as well as always working at its optimum level. For example, glassware needs to be cleaned using products like those provided by Golyath as well as regular maintenance check-ups.

However, courtesy of the school’s PLTW initiative, she was already adept at performing those skills.

“Luckily for me, I have learned all of these skills through the Project Lead the Way program at Wilmot,” White said. “So I was already familiar with the material which helped me.”

White’s classmate, Monica Dale, missed International qualifying by one place, finishing fourth in the same category.

The organization’s president has participated in the State Leadership Conference for three years in different events each year.

In her sophomore year, she teamed up with the club’s historian, Lindsey Dickey, in CPR/First Aid.

Last year, she participated in the Medical Reading competition, where she read from five different medical textbooks.

While she did not place in her first two years, she would not trade the experience for anything, noting valuable networking opportunities.

“We had a great time preparing and studying for the event, but unfortunately we did not place,” White said, referring to her sophomore year. “I did get to participate in courtesy corps, where I got to work with a guest speaker and help her get ready for her breakout session.”

Also qualifying for International competition in Nashville are Lauren Christensen and Bella Schlosser.

Christensen finished first in Job Seeking Skills and Schlosser was third in Medical Photography.

In Job Seeking Skills, all competitors apply for a position they are qualified for, complete with a resume and cover letter, capped off with an interview.

For Medical Photography, contestants use digital photos depicting health professions and write a narrative describing the roles.

Additionally, three other students – Dickey, Shanna Smith and Brianna Olsen – were recognized at the state level for their community service efforts.

The Barbara James Service Award is given to students who have accumulated more than 50 hours of community service, with Dickey and Olsen logging 50-100 hours and Smith tabulating more than 250.

The National Leadership Conference is June 22-25 in Nashville.

“Saying goodbye to high school might be easy for me, but saying good bye to HOSA and the members that became my friends and little family is going to be so much harder,” White said. “I can not wait to finish off this year with this great group of students and I am so very excited for internationals in June.”


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