SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO AM) -- South Dakota HOSA will host its second annual South Dakota HOSA State Leadership Conference, April 3-4, in Sioux Falls. An anticipated 250 students plus their local chapter advisors will attend the conference at the Sanford Pentagon and the Avera McKennan Prairie Center. Students will compete in one or more of 42 competitive events in six health-related categories, attend educational sessions, select state officers, visit with exhibitors from area colleges and healthcare providers, tour local healthcare facilities, and compete for scholarships.
The cornerstone of the State Leadership Conference is the competitive events program. HOSA participants can choose to compete in quiz-bowl like contests, debates on issues, CPR and first aid procedures, and present problem-solving displays or other educational efforts. Health science, health professions, leadership, teamwork, emergency preparedness and recognition also are parts of HOSA’s Competitive Events Program.
Clinical nursing, veterinary and nursing assistant work, as well as other medical procedures focused on health care settings, also are part of the competition work in HOSA. “Learning the basics in HOSA can put students steps ahead when they get to college, and the little things like manner, eye contact and demeanor, those keys go across the gamut of health care professions,” said Brock Rops, South Dakota State HOSA Advisor. “One of the most important aspects of patient care is beside manner. Within the ‘health professions’ category, students get opportunities to practice this facet of patient care. While health care professionals judge, students are able to develop this skill, as well as others, in front of mock patients. It truly gives them a feel for what health care professionals do.”
An initiative of the South Dakota Area Health Education Center, South Dakota HOSA is a student organization whose curriculum is aligned with Career Technical Education standards. The structure of HOSA provides a comprehensive, rigorous, and relevant program to engage students interested in health careers, as well as an evaluation system that has been continuously tested, refined, and validated over three decades of use. South Dakota HOSA has attracted more than 420 dues-paying members from 12 chapters in its second year.
Nationally, HOSA has more than 151,000 members in 49 states. HOSA exposes students to hands-on experiences in health careers, giving them a higher level of preparedness for health science programs and increasing their likelihood of pursuing a career in healthcare. Students also have the opportunity to compete in state and national competitions, win scholarships, and qualify for unique opportunities such as an internship with the Surgeon General’s Office. HOSA is endorsed by the U.S. Department of Education and is complementary to the current career and technical education efforts of the South Dakota Department of Education.
South Dakota HOSA Chapters 2013-2014 Membership
Lennox HOSA 30
Rapid City Stevens HOSA 23
Rapid City Central HOSA 24
Dakota Valley HOSA 48
Harrisburg HOSA 65
Sioux Falls CTE HOSA 59
Alcester-Hudson HOSA 9
O’Gorman/Greater SF Homeschool Assoc. HOSA 40
Mitchell HOSA 36
Kadoka HOSA 10
Wolsey-Wessington HOSA 37
Sanford Health HOSA 43
TOTAL: 424
About the South Dakota Area Health Education Center
The South Dakota Area Health Education Center (SD AHEC) is a non-profit organization that collaborates with a network of community, state, healthcare and academic partners committed to meeting the healthcare workforce needs of South Dakota. One of SD AHEC’s focus areas is the promotion of health career information and educational experiences to K-12 and postsecondary students in the state, all in an effort to meet the organizational vision of “connecting students to careers, professionals to communities, and communities to better health.”
About the Sanford School of Medicine
For more than a century, the Sanford School of Medicine of The University of South Dakota has set the standard for medical education of students, residents and professionals in the state. The school’s mission includes education, research and service. It emphasizes family practice to help create the next generation of doctor’s for all parts of the state. The school’s economic impact includes attracting $17 million annually in research funding as well as hosting two of the four 2010 Research Centers designated by the governor.
About The University of South Dakota
Founded in 1862, The University of South Dakota is designated as the only public liberal arts university in the state and is home to a comprehensive College of Arts and Sciences, School of Education, School of Health Sciences, the state's only School of Law, School of Medicine, the accredited Beacom School of Business and the College of Fine Arts. It has an enrollment of more than 10,200 students taught by 400 faculty members. More information is available atwww.usd.edu/press/news.