A diverse group of teenagers from across the commonwealth convened at UMass Medical School on Saturday, April 2, for the second annual MassAHEC HOSA State Leadership Conference, which promotes career opportunities in health care for young people. One of them was Brockton High School junior Rose Saint-Aine, who agreed to let UMassMedNow shadow her activities throughout the daylong event.
Saint-Aine, who plans to become a pediatrician, appreciated the conference’s real-world information, expert advice and hands-on learning for her and her fellow future health care professionals. The day began with competitions in which she tested her health care knowledge. “I loved doing this because it reminded me of how much I have learned, and how useful it is,” said Saint-Aine, who joined the Brockton HOSA chapter this year after attending the first conference as a guest last year.
Following the competitions, Saint-Aine participated in a variety of interactive, hands-on activities. Highlights included “speed dating with health professionals” in which students were able to quickly learn about a number of health care careers and getting to practice clinical skills that will be essential in many of them.
“MassAHEC HOSA is putting me on the path and opening doors, said Saint-Aine. “I’m enjoying every minute!”
About MassAHEC HOSA
For more than 30 years, the Massachusetts Area Health Education Centers (MassAHEC) Network has raised health career awareness by inspiring and training a diverse range of health professionals to practice in communities where the need is greatest. Having a similar mission, Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA) is the largest organization operating in America’s high schools for students enrolled in health occupations and health sciences programs and those interested in pursuing a career in the health professions. In a partnership that brought HOSA to Massachusetts in 2009, MassAHEC HOSA was launched to promote academic-community partnerships that increase student access to health career education, field experiences and community service learning.
