Ventura High School introduced a new club this year: HOSA, or Health Occupations Students of America. It is run by medical CTE pathway teacher Schatzi Sovich and President Alana Thogerson ‘24, the club meets on Wednesdays at lunch in room 206.
The club aims to be a resource to students interested in careers in the medical field. Thogerson said, “My main goal is just to promote the club and the opportunities it can provide to students. This is the first year that it is a club and we already have over 50 members so I just hope to continue the growth of the club in order to provide students with opportunities to succeed in health care careers.”
Across the nation, HOSA is an organization that promotes a wide variety of careers in medicine and encourages students to prepare for their futures. With over 260,000 members nation-wide, HOSA is renowned as a prestigious medical club.
Sovich said, “What we were hoping to do was [help] students that were interested in some kind of medical pathway, whether it is nursing, becoming a doctor, physical therapist, athletic trainer [or] physician’s assistant. We would like to bring is guest speakers, so they can learn more about their education. We really want that school to career connection, so that students can really decide ‘Is this for me? and if so which direction do I want to go?’”
HOSA hopes to expand next year, and bring in even more guest speakers, who share their experiences and allow students to look into the lives and careers of professionals.Thogerson said, “As president, I want this club to be a resource to students. I have already brought in guest speakers, provided volunteer opportunities and other classes where members can become certified such as CNA or EMT. Next year I’m hoping members will be able to medically assist in sports games on campus and potentially greater opportunities. This club paired with the Patient Care Pathway is the perfect combination to prepare for a career in health care.”
Many members of HOSA are in Med Tech and Medical Careers Anatomy and Physiology. However, it is not a requirement to join. Sovich claims the most important part of building a new club is strong leadership. She said, “It’s the leaders that run the club so if they are good about bringing students in and going out and finding doctors and nursed to come in and give the guest lectures. Stong leadership makes or breaks a club.”
Sovich said, “[The main goal of the club is to] get them different ways in which they can connect with the community. For example, some of our students are volunteering at [the Community Memorial Hospital] or St. John’s [Regional Medical Center]. Some of our students are going into the HOPE program, or in the CNA program. So our goal is to really educate, not only our students in the classroom, but the students through the club on how they can start their career now.”
