Rocky Vista University Hosts HOSA Statewide Conference
Rocky Vista University – Montana (RVU-MT) was buzzing with 460 high school students on April 1, with many prepared to participate in a day’s worth of healthcare-related competitions.
The Montana HOSA Future Health Professionals hosted its annual State Leadership Conference at RVU-MT, where high school students from across the state competed using their professional and technical skills.
In total, there were 20 competitions that focused on a variety of categories, including healthcare medicine, dental science, veterinary science, and others, said Katie Meier, state director of Montana HOSA Future Health Professionals. Students were judged on specific skills, like performing chest compressions, dressing wounds, medically evaluating patients, and more. The top three medal award winners in every event will move onto the International Leadership Conference in June in Indianapolis, Indiana.
Engaging Students in Medicine
Meier said that the event is a great way to get students interested in careers in medicine. It’s about exposing students to a variety of career paths, building students’ confidence, and teaching them to overcome adversity.
“It’s amazing to see the growth that [these high school students] have through this experience and coming out on the other side as individuals,” Meier said.
This is the third year that RVU-MT has hosted the event, said Becky Anglin, Youth Outreach Chair and Director of Simulation at RVU-MT. RVU students, faculty, and staff assist in tabling at the event, providing tours, and participating as judges.
Anglin said that hosting the conference is a great way to expose students to the physician career path and to the programs that RVU has to offer.
“These are our potential students. This is the future of RVU.” Anglin said.
Meier said that events like this are vital to combating Montana’s healthcare workforce shortage and that she’s grateful for the various partnerships that help bring students together.
“It’s going to take all of us to fix this healthcare shortage,” Meier said.
RVU is committed to advancing medicine through transformative education to elevate communities. Learn more about the Rocky Vista University Montana College of Osteopathic Medicine or explore other programs on the RVU website.