Fayetteville-Manlius High School’s HOSA (Health Occupations Students of America) team placed in many events at the Spring Leadership Conference hosted at DoubleTree by Hilton, Syracuse on March 19-21, 2024.
HOSA is an international organization dedicated to empowering aspiring future health professionals through education and experience in the medical world. The theme of the conference, “Dare to Create,” highlights the fact that the medical world is ever-changing with new technologies and advancements breaking through the conventional practices in medicine. This theme encourages students to be innovative, diligent thinkers to help revolutionize and create efficient practices of healthcare and promote well-being in society.
The events range across multiple aspects of healthcare, from “Pharmacology” (the study of the effect of chemicals on living organisms) to a fun event called “HOSA Bowl,” which is a medical-based, Family-Feud-style trivia on mostly everything there is to know in the healthcare field. Some of the events have multiple rounds, advancing teams that qualified in the first round to compete again in a second one which includes presenting speeches to a panel of judges.
This was the second time F-M High School’s HOSA team has attended the NYS Spring Leadership Conference. This conference lasted for three days, with multiple events run per day (some lasting until 11 PM). Multiple guest speakers were invited to the venue, including Nick Tokman, also known as “Sunshine” on Discovery Channel’s Deadliest Catch, who gave a memorable speech on never giving up despite challenges in your path and following your dreams. There were also many vendors who gave information on new technologies and programs in the healthcare field, including a simulation where students had an opportunity to diagnose problems in virtual patients.
Overall, this was a memorable experience for many F-M students. Much of the conference was spent camping out in the lobby for hours upon hours and last-minute studying and prepping for speeches. When freshman Stella Affeldt was asked about the experience, she said, “When we first went to the hotel we could see everyone in uniform. I had never seen so many high schoolers acting and dressing so professionally.” Teams from around New York State gathered at this convention to compete in events, and it truly was interesting to see so many students from different high schools gather to show their interest in the healthcare field.
The conference ended with the awards ceremony, where many students medalled gold, silver, and bronze. These students became qualified to participate in the HOSA-Future Health Professionals International Leadership Conference, which will be hosted in Houston, Texas in June. Mrs Estock, the club’s advisor, helped the students tremendously in terms of coordinating and practicing for events, scheduling transportation, and so much more that made going to the conference possible. Through this club, the future of healthcare is brighter than ever, especially as high schoolers are exposed to the nuances of the medical field and what it has in store for coming generations.
