While the coronavirus pandemic has put many competitions on hold, others decided to go virtual. This was the case for Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA), a healthcare-focused competition that, per its website, aims “to promote career opportunities in the healthcare industry and to enhance the delivery of quality health care to all people.”
“HOSA is a medical competitive club that focuses on every aspect of medical careers. It allows the students that are part of the club to be tested in certain specialties,” sophomore HOSA co-Vice President Alejandra Abramson said. “It gives [students] a chance to compete and demonstrate [their] skills.” Abramson placed first in Veterinary Science.
The Broward County HOSA competition was held online with a testing window from Jan 11 to Jan 14. With 48 categories including Sports Medicine, Medical Math and Forensic Science, healthcare-hopefuls can find something they enjoy. Depending on the category, students can compete individually or with a partner.
“I competed in EMT with my partner Trace, and we each completed a 50 question multiple choice test,” sophomore Annabelle Shen said. Along with fellow sophomore Trace Binder, Shen got first place in the EMT category. “I joined [HOSA] because I wanted to compete in something science related, and this was the perfect opportunity.”
Despite the virtual format, HOSA competitors had a strong showing, with most students placing in their categories. The full results can be found here. Looking to the future, the winners of this competition have started preparing for Florida HOSA, where they hope to move on to the International Conference.
