HOSA Inspiration

March 25th, 2013 - Holli Frodge

Being involved in HOSA has taught me a lot of things, some of which are skills that I never thought I could gain. I originally got involved with HOSA in the 2011-2012 school year. I had never heard of this organization before joining, but it seemed like it would be a lot of fun and a great way for me to learn new skills. Going into HOSA I had no idea how much I would learn from this experience and how much I would grow as a professional and as a person. Through HOSA I have learned what it means to work hard at something. All of these future healthcare professionals that I am privileged enough to work with and beside work harder than any other students that I have seen, and they all love working towards reaching their goals as a healthcare professional. Seeing all of these students working hard at their goals motivate me to work even harder, it is a positive pressure to keep myself going and working hard to accomplish my personal goals in healthcare. HOSA has also taught me how to look like the professional that I know I can be. At state and national competition for HOSA, members you are expected to look and act like a professional. Before joining HOSA I had a general idea of how professionals dress, but being in HOSA I learned how pants, shirts, and jackets should fit and look on you, and what the proper shoes are from my HOSA chapter advisor. I also learned what professional dress is by observing other HOSA members and the professionals who are there to judge and present. With all of these students and adults in professional dress surrounding me it motivates me to also look professional, it is another positive pressure that pushes me to be the best that I can be. Through HOSA I have learned, in workshops, what it means to be a leader and a follower. You are taught through some games that, while are very fun, have an underlining meaning that either teaches you how to work together with a group, what it is like and how to lead, and what it is like or how to follow. You are also taught through some lectures, and working with your HOSA chapter as a team. Through HOSA I have also learned how to network with other people. I am usually a shy person and will not walk up to someone and say \"hello\" and carry out a conversation, but with HOSA I am learning how to get out of my safety zone and network and talk to new people I have never met before and that may be from a completely different state than I am. I first experienced this at national competition at Disney World. You are given 10 pins that represent your state and are challenged to network with other students and to trade your pins. At first I was set on not trading at all, but seeing all of these students doing it, seemingly effortless, I was challenged even more to talk to these new people. I was so afraid that a woman from another state came up to me and was leading me around asking people for me. She was doing this to try to show me how to talk to people and eventually told me to try myself. Now, this year at Fall Leadership Conference, we were also challenged to network with others. I immediately got up and got my 3 high-fives and 1 hug that we were challenged to. Looking back at nationals to this conference I am amazed at how much I have grown in this area. As president of the HOSA chapter at my school I hope to get students to be as passionate about HOSA as I am, and to grow our chapter to involve as many students as possible. I hope to show the members how great of an organization it is and how much of an opportunity they have to better themselves as a person, student, and as a professional. I also hope to run and be elected to state office this year, and continue in HOSA throughout college and throughout my whole life.