This is the third year the STAR Campus hosted the HOSA state conference. Brooke Cycyk, program manager for the Delaware Department of Education, which manages Delaware HOSA, said that as the program has grown, so has its connection with UD.

“We want HOSA to be a household name,” Cycyk said.

Alyssa Benjamin, pipeline coordinator for the UD College of Health Sciences, said HOSA’s goals of preparing the next generation of healthcare professionals mirrors those of the college.

“The hard work and talent shown by these students is really impressive. They have spent a tremendous amount of time studying, preparing displays and creating portfolios to be part of this conference,” Benjamin said. “They are great examples of the potential that can be found in this next wave of healthcare professionals and leaders in Delaware. Their conference is one of the highlights of the year for the faculty and staff in the College of Health Sciences.”

Benefits beyond high school

When UD first-year student Arielle Thorpe started her nursing classes last fall, she had a head start on some of the medical jargon in her textbooks, thanks to competing in HOSA’s medical spelling bee during her senior year at Appoquinimink High School.

Her nursing classes haven’t yet covered the word she spelled correctly to win the state competition — fauces, the term for the arched opening at the back of the mouth leading to the pharynx — but Thorpe said the overall experience helped her confirm her interest in becoming a nurse.    

“At first, I didn’t want to do the conference because I was nervous about competing,” Thorpe said. “It ended up being a great opportunity for me to make connections with people who are playing an important role in healthcare here in Delaware.”

Ramsey said she is still reaping the benefits of HOSA. “I know a little bit more about how communities are different and also how to present yourself,” she said. “HOSA helped me straighten my path.”  

Experience that matters

Thomas Pinto is a UD senior exercise science major currently deciding between dental school and physical therapy school. The interest in physical therapy is directly related to his major and working in the UD Physical Therapy Clinic, but HOSA is the reason for his continued enthusiasm in dental science.

I started off my sophomore year competing in dental science. At first, I was doing it because my teacher told me I had to. Then I went on and competed in the state and national competitions,” said Pinto, who finished in the top 10 on his first trip to nationals and in the top three the following two years. He also went on to serve in a statewide leadership role his senior year as vice president of Delaware HOSA.

“Being around like-minded people and applying a lot of skills we learned in the classroom was awesome,” he said. “I loved HOSA so much. It was a huge piece of my high school experience. That’s one of the first things I always bring up.”

Chelsea Lee, a senior majoring in applied molecular biology and biotechnology, said HOSA helped her develop the critical communication, leadership and teamwork skills that she puts to use almost daily.

HOSA has become something of a family tradition. This year, Lee’s brother, Jonathan, who serves as vice president for the organization, also competed for Sussex Technical High School. Lee was there, too, as a volunteer doing tabulations for some of the events.

“I owe HOSA for giving me an introduction to what healthcare could be,” said Chelsea Lee, who serves as president of the Pre-Student Osteopathic Medical Association, a resident student organization. “It really opened my eyes to thinking bigger, broader things.”