Competitors played an important role in the Michigan HOSA Regional Leadership Conferences this year. With students competing in various events, their hard work and dedication earned them the qualification for the 2025 Michigan HOSA State Leadership Conference (SLC), held on April 17–18 at the Grand Traverse Resort & Spa in Acme, Michigan.
During this year’s conference Shrey Bhatt ’25 earned recognition not only as a final competitor, but he also was elected to a student leadership position within the organization. An example of his passion for healthcare and dedication to the field.
For Bhatt, HOSA wasn’t just about the title or tests involved, but his experience at the Grand Traverse Resort & Spa in April showed him how meaningful the experiences crafted by HOSA can be for both personal growth and connections built within the program. Hundreds of future healthcare professionals gathered from across the state. Shrey’s role wasn’t just as another competitor, but he was in a position to lead.
“I think I did very well, and I would genuinely recommend HOSA to anyone, even if they’re not sure about joining the healthcare field,” Bhatt said. “It’s not just about studying or competing. It’s a very fun experience because you get to meet a lot of new people, not only from our region but also from across the state.”
Shrey emphasized how HOSA goes beyond the material and competitions; it’s also about his personal journey. For him, the conversations between events or laughs that were shared after academic challenges had just as much of an impact on him as the skills he had learned in the program.
“You walk into these events a little nervous, but you walk out with connections, laughs, and sometimes even future roommates for college,.” Shrey said.
Shrey added that his favorite aspect of the program wasn’t about competing or awards, but it was the environment that really welcomed learning and passion for healthcare.
“My favorite thing about HOSA is 100 percent people,” Shrey said. “Everyone is so friendly, supportive, and ready to help. You never feel alone, and that’s what makes the whole experience special. It’s not just a competition but it really is a community.”
Mary Attisha ’26 said this year’s conference was a brand-new experience for her. As a first-time competitor, she didn’t know what to expect, but she left with new friendships and valuable experience.
“I think I did really good for the first time,” Attisha said. “My overall experience was really fun, and I learned a lot. It pushed me outside of my comfort zone, but in a good way. I met students from different cities who shared my interest in healthcare, and my favorite thing about HOSA is the people. I’ve made many new friends during my time in the program.”
Attisha explained how the shared mission of her peers gave her a sense of purpose and pushed her to do her best. Although she may have been new, encouragement from her peers gave her hope and a refreshing perspective to benefit her performance.
“Everyone was so welcoming, even if we were technically competitors,” Attisha said. “We were all there to grow and learn, and that energy made it easy to connect with others.”
When Leah Itani ’25 arrived at the conference, she wasn’t just competing; she was reconnecting with a very close group of friends and future healthcare professionals. Itani was confident and entered the event with a support system she considers more like family than teammates.
For Itani the strengthened relationships and personal growth she witnessed within herself and her peers throughout the entire process of events.
“I’m very confident in myself and feel like I’m going to get back great results from the HOSA competition,” Itani said. “A lot of my friends competed with me and they’re also part of HOSA. It really feels like a closely connected family. We all share the same interests, so there’s this understanding of one another and encouragement that’s always there.”
The bond between the HOSA competitors reached beyond the SLC. After months of preparation and a weekend full of events, Itani and her group celebrated the experience with a beach trip. It was a tradition that marked the end of a long journey and the beginning of lasting memories.
“We all went to the beach afterwards to celebrate,” Itani said. “It was such a good time. That’s the part I’ll always remember. It wasn’t just what we accomplished, but it was the people that we shared it with.”
While students like Itani experienced growth and a sense of purpose within the HOSA community, much of that was made possible with support from behind the scenes. This guidance was only possible with the help from adviser Amanda Blitz, as she took the reins this year.
“I’m one of the medical science teachers here at Stevenson. It’s my second year, and the teacher who took over, who was running HOSA for the past 17 years,” Blitz said. “II joined her last year and learned all about HOSA, and loved the organization and the leadership opportunities and the growth that it offered students who were interested in the healthcare field and really wanted to continue on with the program this year.”
Seeing her students succeed serves as a core memory for Blitz. Not only by winning medals but by realizing their potential. One of her favorite memories involved a CPR team that started with little experience and ended up advancing through state-level competition.
“We had a CPR team, both this year and last year, who were new to the event. They had never done it before but were really interested in emergency medicine skills,” Blitz said. “They practiced a lot, they had a lot of fun with it, and they both made it to the state conference. They beat out probably 30 different teams and studied really hard and did really well with their skills. It was fun to see their hard work pay off.”
As the chapter continues to grow, Blitz said she remains focused on helping each new member feel like they fit in. With students joining from a wide range of academic backgrounds and interests, she’s developed a simple but impactful strategy to make sure no one feels lost in the process.
“Students who are interested in and new to HOSA, we try to pair them up with a mentor. A student who has been in HOSA for at least a year or two,” Blitz said. “And preferably competing in the same event or interested in the same topics that they are, so they can kind of help mentor them through the process.”
