$2,500 HOSA Scholarship Challenge

Joining HOSA has allowed me to learn more about different specialties in the medical field. I was able to learn more about the different types of workers in a hospital and how they play vital role in helping our community. Not only has this organization helped me decide to pursue medicine, it has helped me develop skills that will help me as a doctor in the future. As the president of HOSA, it has provided opportunities for me to expand my knowledge, skill and leadership development which plays a huge role in the medical field.

@HOSA #hosascholarshipchallenge

Hello, my name is Hyrum I want to be a pediatric surgeon or a pediatrician. HOSA has helped me realize that my love for helping people can be put to good use. Joining HOSA has also encouraged me to continue down this path as well as expand my knowledge of what I should do to better set myself up for opportunities in the future. @HOSA #HOSAscholarshipchallenge

@HOSA  HOSAHealthcare Month HOSA Scholarship Challenge

The conscious mind: a phenomenal feat of biological evolution. It's the source of all our subjective thinking, our opinions, our values, and our perception about this world. I've always been fascinated about how a few chemicals come together to form the mosaic of our minds, and the impact it makes on our outlook of life itself. Exploring HOSA's numerous competitive events, I sought one that enabled me to channel my passion on neuroscience and psychology. The researched persuasive writing and speaking for 2021 offered me the privilege of voicing of my opinions regarding how our minds' interaction with technology influences how it affects our daily lives. Ultimately my passion led me to win first in States: Ohio. This is my first year as a co-leader for my school's chapter, and second with the HOSA community. Throughout my journey of participating at HOSA, I've had the opportunity to reflect on the importance of the healthcare industry's role in our lives, and had motivated me to pursue a career in this field where I can direct my passions towards helping my community. I'm very grateful to conintue to play my part in this diverse, engaging, and inspiring community.HOSA showed to me the value in teamwork, articulation of opinions, and ultimately selflessness. HOSA is what motivated me to expand my passion of neuroscience into a meaningful occupation. 

This is Pranav: a future doctor, mentor, and responsible citizen of society

Hi, my name is Anna and this is my application for the HOSA scholarship. I just joined HOSA this year as my own health issues have kept me from being able to attend regular high school let alone a club until this year. I've always enjoyed science and math. I've taken advanced math and science courses since sixth grade, and every year I love it more and more. Recently I have finally became set in the decision that I want to become a nurse, either an RN or NP. I'll have to wait and see, but I thought why not take the opportunity and apply for this scholarship as I know for sure it will help me in my goals. So why do I want to be a nurse? That is a long story. I'd say for the majority of my life I've wanted to go into a job that makes a big difference in people's lives in some way. I thought about teaching, social work, firefighting, anything that I felt is heroic, and eventually, I landed on healthcare. I have a brother with a rare genetic condition called a variant of Spinocerebellar Ataxia type 6. It is a degenerative condition typically not affecting people until they are in late adulthood and it is inherited from their parents. However, my brother was born with his condition, it occurred randomly (he did not inherit it), and his specific gene change is slightly different from the common one. When he was diagnosed by Mayo Clinic about 9 years ago, I first became interested in a health career. At that point, I was interested in becoming a geneticist working at the Mayo Clinic, and at any chance I got I did research and asked questions about my brother's disorder. I went to every appointment he had to hear about and just hang out with him because he's my best friend. I even did my fifth grade science fair project on his genetic variation and how it affected his daily life and his different body systems (my project definitely stood out compared to the paper machete volcanos and brownie recipes). Then, later in my life, I became even more interested in the health field when I was diagnosed with a lot of chronic health conditions that placed me in the hospital for over a year in middle school. There is where I became interested in becoming a nurse. Spending a year straight in the hospital was probably the most difficult thing I ever went through, but I had many great days despite being in lots of pain not only physically but mentally. That was mainly because of the people I met there, especially the nurses. Dealing with chronic illness is still a big part of my life and I spend a lot of time outside of school at doctors' appointments, blood labs, x-rays, infusions, etc, and now I also see specialists at Mayo Clinic. I live with lots of questions and anxiety about whether or not my conditions are getting worse and why. It is hard to live with a body fighting against you, especially when you're not even an adult. Nurses have made all the difference in my life. Living around healthcare professionals has given me great insight into their daily tasks and what a huge difference they can make in patients' lives. For me, nurses just simply listening to me or remembering what type of needle, or numbing spray, or distraction I like during my procedures and visits really has changed my life. In fact, I actually enjoy going to medical appointments sometimes just because I get to joke around with my favorite nurses. That is why I now am set on becoming a nurse. Nurses have given me the hope to find my way through my struggles. I know I will face chronic health issues through the rest of my life, and that will make college and my career even harder than it is for most, but I know I can do it. I am determined to pay forward this hope to my own future patients.

@HOSA #hosascholarshipchallenge

Tips for Surviving the Pre-Med Journey:

1. Don't let self-doubt drown you. Have faith in yourself and the process.
2. Study hard but smart. Don't spend hours writing detailed notes that will not help you in the long run. Use active recall whether that is Anki, tons and tons of practice tests and exams, or even speaking out loud and explaining concepts to yourself.
3. Collaborative studying is a game-changer. Don't try to do it all by yourself. Study with your friends. Learn from each other.
4. I understand how difficult it is to attend university as someone who has dealt with financial challenges and as someone who has had to balance 2 part-time jobs to pay for tuition, I truly understand the struggle. That is why I highly recommend reaching out to scholarships. They will change your life.
5. Get involved in extracurriculars that inspire you. As someone who has been a part of HOSA since high school with this year being my 5th year, HOSA is an excellent opportunity. It will open doors for you and lead you to places that you could have never imagined.
6. #HOSAScholarshipChallenge