The Bibb County School System’s HOSA (Health Occupations Students of America) program had an engaging first semester in the 2024-2025 school year, offering students hands-on learning and healthcare career exploration on Bibb Medical Center's campus.
Semester Highlights:
Campus Tour: Beginning this foundational semester with a tour of the Bibb Medical Center (BMC) campus, the students visited all the departments and heard medical professionals talk about what their jobs entailed. Of special interest to students was the Emergency Room, where students learned about emergency equipment and life-saving procedures. The Radiology Department was also of great interest, as several students are planning to pursue careers as Ultrasound Technicians. The students also enjoyed their experience hearing from nurses throughout the facility & visiting and chatting with residents of the BMC Nursing Home, and were particularly happy to hear residents’ stories of their adventures fishing at the BMC catfish pond.
Guest Speakers: Experts from the Alabama Department of Public Health covered topics such as vaping dangers, suicide prevention, mental health strategies, and HIV/AIDS prevention.
Certifications: All students became CPR-certified, and most earned First Aid and OSHA-10 certifications.
Breast Cancer Awareness: In October, students wore pink and shared knowledge about breast cancer with their families.
Field Trip: A visit to the Donald E. Williamson, M.D, State Health Laboratory introduced students to microbiology and various healthcare careers.
Student Experiences:
Jocelin Rodriguez shared, “We learned about the importance of studying microbiology and about other careers that we didn’t even know existed.”
Harper McRee noted, “I think the tour was interesting because I want to work in a hospital or doctor’s office and I want to understand how everything works.”
Tira Hood added, “One of my favorite machines was the one that tests room air for pathogens. It was a valuable field trip because we got to experience real-world problems in a lab setting.”
JaKobe Stacy expressed enthusiasm for the program: “HOSA has turned out to be my favorite class. My favorite part is hands-on learning. I’ve earned First Aid, CPR, and OSHA-10 certifications this semester.”
Community Engagement:
HOSA students helped with health screenings at local schools alongside Capstone Nursing students and healthcare professionals. “The health fairs offer a great opportunity for our students to apply knowledge and skills learned in the classroom,” said Barbara Terry, RN, one of the program instructors.
Looking Ahead:
Next semester, students will train for Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) and Patient Care Tech (PCT) roles. They’ll also have opportunities to apply for jobs at BMC while still in high school.
The program continues to receive generous support from BMC, which covers costs for certifications, field trips, and other activities. Students from Bibb County High School and West Blocton High School are gaining invaluable exposure to the healthcare field, helping them decide if it’s the right career path for them.
Special Thanks: The transition of HOSA to BMC's campus would not have been nearly as successful without the incredible guidance and leadership of our amazing HOSA instructors, Kandy Shoults and Barbara Terry. Their dedication and support have been nothing short of extraordinary!
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