April 12, 2023
Story by Joe Vinduska
Courtesy photos submitted
At the end of March, students from Barton’s chapter of HOSA (Future Health Professionals) traveled to Pittsburg, Kan. for the Spring 2023 State Leadership Conference and Competition (SLC) and came home with some hardware.
HOSA is a global, student-led organization recognized by the United States Department of Education and the Department of Health and Human Services. The group’s mission is to empower members to become leaders in the global health community through education, collaboration, and experience. HOSA actively promotes career opportunities in the health industry and aims to enhance the delivery of quality health care to all people. HOSA is new to the Barton Campus this year, and this was the first year for a competitive event team.
Barton had six students representing the College and all of them qualified for the International Leadership Conference and Competition (ILC) in Dallas in June 2023. Qualifying criteria for ILC include a first or second-place finish at SLC and the top 30 percent nationwide in their event scores.
The results were as follows:
Brianna Auker, Clinical Lab Science, first place; Creative Problem Solving (team), first place.
Kaden Baird, Medical Assisting, first place; Creative Problem Solving (team), first place.
Valeria Gallardo, Clinical Lab Science, second place; Creative Problem Solving (team), first place
Drake Stephens, Clinical Nursing, first place; CPR/First Aide (team), first place; Pharmacology Knowledge exam, first place.
Anna Suiter, Clinical Nursing, second place; CPR/first aide (team), first place; Pathophysiology Knowledge exam, first place.
Callie Zink – Cultural Diversity and Disparities Knowledge exam, first place; Creative Problem Solving (team), first place.
Director of Medical Laboratory Technician Program Karen Gunther is the advisor for the group and said the students learned a lot from the conference and competition.
“We are so proud of all of our students for taking what they’ve learned in and outside of the classroom and applying it at this competition,” she said. “This is another way for them to put what they’ve learned into a competitive environment and demonstrate their knowledge of skills that will help prepare them for long and rewarding careers in the healthcare field.”
Gunther said the International Leadership Conference and Competition will be held June 21-23 in Dallas. Approximately 11,000 students from across the United States and five other countries will be in attendance. Barton’s HOSA members will be raising funds to help with hotel costs through May 1.
To learn more or to donate, please contact Gunther at guntherka@bartonccc.edu or (620) 786-1133.