I don't ever want to become a doctor. Or a nurse. Or anything health career related. The stigmas attached to student debts and especially the arduous years of hard work definitely intimidates me (and it's not like I'll be going anywhere with these grades now anyways). But I have great respect for those who push through and sacrifice much for their hopeful futures along with current medical practitioners right now.
But hell yes, I'll join a medical club, take human anatomy and AP Psychology. Why? It's interesting. True interest provokes effort and dedication versus an obligation to fulfill because it's required.
Health Occupation Students of America (now known as HOSA-Future Health Professionals) is a club that is offered at thousands of schools across America and now even the world. With over 185,000 members as of 2009, it's still growing exponentially with members from Mexico to Italy. I joined this club during my freshman year. Never did I know that I would make it to HOSA Nationals 2015 at Disneyland and California Adventure with my group. It was truly the highlight of my summer with four days of fun.
I remember holding the navy blue park-hopper pass in my hands. This ticket was worth more than me, retailing at $300 plus. It wasn't long until we all lost our sense of time and responsibility to work on our PSA. The whole trip seemed too surreal; it was more of a vacation with friends than a national competition.
The planning and traveling were quite hectic from beginning to end—about three hundred members from Georgia alone waited at Hartsfield-Jackson Airport for hours, only to touch down at LAX Airport and congregate with about a thousand more members across America.
Our winning PSA Presentation from last year was based on the theme of concussions. We compiled our video from shots of a house and a subject who suffers from a concussion. Along with the thirty-second PSA video, a four-minute presentation had to be performed in front of four judges. Guessing from our introduction and conclusion, it didn't look like a fourth-in-state winner.
"Of the dozens of videos you watch every day, how many do you actually remember? The goal of this PSA video is to be one that you would remember. A good PSA is strong, genuine and powerful enough to leave an impression. To raise awareness and change people’s lives, there are three things that a PSA needs: creativity, a slogan and a compelling purpose."
It may sound strong on paper but our voices were weak and shaky. Fear was instilled as the judges watched us. We wanted to be confident and outgoing, but it's difficult to change who we are under pressure. Now onto the conclusion of these cringe-worthy good memories.
"This is simply underestimated as a medical issue. This public announcement will inform people about a common injury, whether from sports or accidents in daily life, correctly and maybe save a life one day. Hopefully, this PSA was crafted in an interesting and memorable way so that viewers will be able to recall the symptoms when it’s needed. It encourages them to take initiative in protecting themselves since as mentioned before, every concussion injures the brain to some extent. So the best way to go is to be safe and remember that a concussion might be there, but you just can’t see it."
We had hoped to finish off strong but it didn't really go as planned. It's hard to keep a judge's interest when they have probably seen 30 other videos that hour. But we left the room with shaky hands and nervous laughter. Presenting was never my forte and probably never will be without practice.
It's a shame that my team got disqualified (long story) for 2016, but we have two more chances now in junior and senior year. HOSA has a big impact on my life and I adore the teamwork and sense of dedication and belonging. The most motivating things in life are a little competitive—more the reason to try them.
