HOSA – Future Health Professionals is a competition where students who are interested in the healthcare field can compete both nationally and internationally. While each school has its own HOSA council, students can run to become a part of the state’s executive council. In April, junior Gowthamm Mandala both ran and was voted into the position of vice president of Indiana HOSA’s Executive Board.

After Mandala saw that being a part of a local HOSA chapter helped him become a better leader, Mandala wanted to challenge himself and run for a position on the executive chapter. 

“Being a part of local HOSA completely changed my life,” Mandala said. “It improved in many ways and molded me into the person and leader I am today. I realized that if local HOSA could do this much, state HOSA would push to unimaginable heights and help me achieve my goals.”

Instead of students choosing what position they want to run for, they run for the position they are deemed qualified to run for. Mandala was qualified to run for his first-choice position.

Being voted into executive office can be a long process for those running.

“It was a long and tedious process. The hardest part was finding out about the opportunity and initiating that application,” Mandala said.

Before a student can run for office, they have to first qualify as a state officer candidate.

“You have to fill out an application that includes many forms and signatures from the local advisors, the principal and parents. Then you have to answer some sample interview questions, make an introduction video and submit all your letter of recommendations and transcripts,” Mandala said. “If you qualify, you are officially a state officer candidate.”

Once a student was a state officer candidate, they then had to present their candidacy speech in front of many HOSA members at the 45th State Leadership Conference. 

“All the candidates have to campaign at the SLC to convince a majority of the 200+ voting delegates to vote for them,” Mandala said. “At the end of the first day, all candidates give their official campaign speech in front of all 1000+ HOSA members.”

Being the vice president of the HOSA State Executive Board is an award that comes with a lot of responsibilities. 

“Our main responsibilities are to represent Indiana at the International Leadership Conference, develop Indiana HOSA and improve participation and engagement from past years,” Mandala said. “My individual responsibilities preside over the social media and social presence of Indiana HOSA. I have to reach out to the public and make sure that Indiana HOSA stands up to its values and responsibilities on the myriad of digital platforms.”

Even though there are many responsibilities for Team 45, named after the number of years Indiana HOSA has been active, they still have many opportunities to have fun while getting work done.

“Team 45 is greatly invested in outreach and our team is excited to travel around the state visiting schools and aiding students through HOSA. I am also excited about the lifelong friendships I will make through this journey,” Mandala said. “The multiple conferences that we, as a team, will attend and set up will be amazing opportunities that I am dying to experience.”

Being a member of the executive board gives students the opportunity to become leaders for other HOSA members and help students around the state become more interested in the healthcare field.

“I want to inspire and aid HOSA members to become future leaders,” Mandala said. “I want to immerse myself into the organization and work hand in hand with the members to help them achieve their goals of becoming a future health professional.”