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Health Sciences Students of America

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Document Location: http:// www.opi.mt.gov /CTE/hosa1.html
Last Modified: 9/3/08

Health Sciences Students of America Information and Contacts

What is HOSA?

HOSA is a national student organization endorsed by the US Department of Education and the Health Science Technology Education (HSTE) Division of ACTE.  HOSA’s two-fold mission is to promote career opportunities in the health care industry and to enhance the delivery of quality health care to all people.  HOSA’s goal is to encourage all health sciences instructors and students to join and be actively involved in the HSTE-HOSA partnership.

HOSA provides a unique program of leadership development, motivation, and recognition exclusively for high school, post-secondary, adult and collegiate students enrolled in HSTE programs.  HOSA is 100% health care.

Since its inception in 1976, HOSA has grown steadily reaching nearly 100,000 members through 47 charted HOSA State Associations.

HOSA’s mission is especially critical when considering the acute shortage of qualified workers for the health care industry.  It is essential that the HSTE-HOSA Partnership maintain its momentum and encourage all HSTE instructors to integrate HOSA into their curriculum and classrooms.

The Mission

The mission of HOSA is to promote career opportunities in the health sciences and enhance the delivery of compassionate, quality health care to help students meet the needs of the health care community.

HOSA logo

 

Contacts
Renee Harris
Health Sciences Education Specialist/State HOSA Advisor
MT Office of Public Instruction
(406) 444-2059
RHarris3@mt.gov

Purpose of HOSA

  1. To encourage the development of occupational skills, knowledge, and abilities to a high level of proficiency.
  2. To develop leadership ability through participation in educational, career and technical education, civic, recreational and social activities.
  3. To develop character and to prepare members for useful citizenship and foster patriotism.
  4. To motivate students and vitalize the instructional program.
  5. To develop and strengthen the confidence of young people in themselves and their work.
  6. To unite in a common bond without regard to race, creed, or national origin, students with similar career objectives.
  7. To assist students in refining their career objectives through realistic training.
  8. To develop a sense of social acceptability and individual responsibility toward the home and community.
  9. To encourage scholastic improvement and school loyalty.
  10. To foster a deep respect for the dignity of all work.
HOSA student

Sponsorship

Benefits to Students, Teachers and School/Community

Benefits to students:
Provides incentives to improve personal and occupational skills.
Provides career awareness and exploration activities.
Provides leadership development opportunities.
Provides activities to develop civic understanding and responsibility.
Provides an opportunity to meet with health and business leaders and students with similar backgrounds and career interests.

Benefits to Teachers:
Motivates students.
Publicizes the career and technical education program.
Provides opportunities to meet and work with career and technical education teachers in the same occupational area.
Provides an established recognition program with rewards for student achievement.
Provides opportunities to meet and work with leaders in health, business and education.

Benefits to School/Community:
Publicizes the school and community.
Creates school spirit.
Develops pride in the school and community.
Provides students with leadership skills for future leadership positions.
Involves students in community service activities.
Students are better trained to enter the workforce.

 HOSA students

Operational Structure/Membership Dues and Expenses

Operational Structure for HOSA

The local chapter is the foundation for the organization.  Chapters are organized in the local high school or school district.  The Allied Health teacher serves as the advisor for the local chapter.  Local chapters elect student officers:  President, Historian, Secretary, Treasurer, and Parliamentarian to lead the local chapter.

At the state level, Montana HOSA is affiliated with the National HOSA organization.  National HOSA provides materials for the various state organizations and plans and conducts a national conference for HOSA members winning competitive events at the state level and their advisors.

MT HOSA has a state advisory board that provides direction for the state organization.  This board is comprised of representatives from health associations, business and volunteer organizations, post-secondary facilities and a health science teacher.

Membership Dues/Other Expenses
In order for students and advisors to be considered members of HOSA they must pay annual membership dues.  Generally, there are dues at the local, state and national levels.  The amount of the local dues is set at the local level while the state dues are set by the advisory board. 
State dues-                 $  5.00
National dues-            $10.00

Costs to attend fall leadership, State and National conferences and activities are the responsibility of the local chapter.  These costs are generally paid from revenue earned through fundraising activities.  There are many fundraising activities that can relate to the career and technical program and, therefore, serve as an educational activity as well.

Technical Assistance
The Montana Office of Public Instruction has approved funding for a HOSA State Advisor to provide the leadership for the operation of the MT HOSA organization.
The State Advisor is responsible for preparing and distributing materials, planning conferences, planning and conducting competitive events, communicating with chapters, providing advisor in-service, and other duties as needed.

HOSA Calendar of Events

 
HOSA Calendar of Events
 HOSA student holding newborn
2008:  
September 3 Advisory Board Conference Call
September 22-24 HOSA State Advisors Management Meeting in D.C.
September 25 Montana Hospital Association Annual Meeting @ Billings: HOSA presentation to HR Group and Joint Exhibit with AHEC
October 13 Fall Leadership Meeting @ Helena
November 2-8 National HOSA Week
December 18 Advisory Board Conference Call (close out the year)
   
2009:  
February 3 Alliance for Health- Day on the Hill @ MT Capitol
March 21-23 State Leadership Conference @ Billings  Joint Big Sky Pathways/Advisory Board Retreat
May13-15 Montana Hospital Association Mid-Year Conference @ Big Fork
June 11 Advisory Board Conference Call
June 24-27 National HOSA Meeting in Nashville


HOSA Calendar of Events 2008-2009 PDF icon

Student Resources

Conferences

Chapter Advisors

Montana HOSA Advisory Board

 

HOSA/Health Sciences Advisory Board

Since HOSA is an integral part of good Health Sciences programs, our HOSA Advisory Board expanded to include members representing the Big Sky Health Sciences Pathway.  Our advisory group is diverse and represents K-12 education, Post-secondary, Area Health Education Centers, and industry in all regions of the state. 

Our Tech Prep partners were asked to join the Health Sciences Advisory Group in January and February of 2008, in an effort to offer articulation agreements to students for college credit.

Terms: chair and chair-elect-2 yrs; all others-3 yrs.

06-2008 Lynn Brooks, Chair  -  Retired HR director of St. Patrick’s Hospital                        
06-2008 Lisa Helle-Benzel, Chair-elect  -  Director South-Central AHEC; previously w/MHA       
06-2009 Josh Turner, Treasurer   -  Independent business owner/educational researcher                 
06-2009 Kristin Juliar  - Director, MORH-AHEC                                   
06-2009 Kay Schwartz   -  Health Sciences teacher; Billings Career Center                               
06-2009 Mary McCue  -   Director; MT Dental Association                                  
06-2009 Cindy Habel  - Parent liaison; Kalispell School District 5                                    
08-2011 Cindy Rossmith  -  Director of Nursing @ Billings COT                               
08-2011 Judy Marshall  -  HR Director, Barrett Hospital and Healthcare                                   
08-2011 Bernie Phelps  - Western Region Tech Prep Coord.; Butte COT                                 
08-2011 Cheryl Kolberg  -  Eastern Region Tech Prep Coord.; Billings COT                                
08-2011 Irene Strauss  - Counselor; Whitehall High School                                  


HOSA State Advisor: Renee Harris, Health Sciences Education Specialist
OCHE Staff: Alyssa Townsend-Hudders, Post-secondary liaison for health sciences


HOSA Students