page_title: HOSA (organization)
section_title: History
hierarchical_section_title: HOSA (organization) / History
caption_attribution_description: English: I was very impressed by Hawaii students representing @NationalHOSA. Good luck on all your future plans!
context_page_description: HOSA – Future Health Professionals, formerly known as Health Occupations Students of America, is an international career and technical student organization endorsed by the U.S. Department of Education and the Health Science Technology Education Division of ACTE. HOSA is composed of middle school, secondary, and post secondary/collegiate students, along with professional, alumni, and honorary members. It is headquartered in Southlake, Texas, and is the largest student organization which prepares students to enter the healthcare field. Currently known as HOSA Future Health Professionals, it is an international organization including the United States, U.S. Territories, Canada, China, and Mexico.
context_section_description: HOSA was founded in 1976 out of a task force from the American Vocational Association in order to determine whether a new student organization accommodating healthcare students was necessary.
  From November 4–7, 1975, the State Department of Education and Division of Vocational Education in New Jersey with 18 representatives from Alabama, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oklahoma and Texas voted to form the American Health Occupations Education Student Organization.
  On November 10–13, 1976, in a constitutional convention in Arlington, Texas AHOESO adopted bylaws, which also changed the organization's name to Health Occupations Students of America; elected national leaders; selected colors and a motto; made plans to design an emblem; and set the first National Leadership Conference for the spring of 1978 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
  In 2004, the organization dropped the acronym from its name, and began publishing all documents under the brand "HOSA – Future Health Professionals."
caption: HOSA youth meeting with Senator Mazie Hirono in 2013.
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