Growing the Future of Healthcare

At Bibb Medical Center, education and mentorship are at the heart of our mission to strengthen the future of healthcare. This HOSA Week, we’re proud to highlight two individuals who have made an incredible impact through their dedication to teaching, learning, and leading: Barbara Terry, HOSA Instructor at Bibb Medical Center, and Mandi Woodruff, former HOSA student and now retail pharmacist with Cahaba Medical Care.

Barbara Terry – Guiding the Next Generation of Healthcare Professionals

For Barbara Terry, teaching HOSA is more than an educational role; it’s an opportunity to help students discover their purpose. As a HOSA Instructor at Bibb Medical Center, she spends each day mentoring students who are exploring the many pathways within healthcare.

“I love watching them grow,” Barbara shared. “They come in unsure of themselves, and by the end, you can see their confidence, their spark, as they realize this is what they’re meant to do.”

Barbara believes that HOSA provides a powerful foundation for students to explore healthcare in a hands-on, meaningful way. She incorporates real-world experiences into her program, giving students opportunities to learn clinical skills, understand teamwork, and experience the importance of compassion in patient care.

Her favorite part of teaching is watching her students go on to succeed in their chosen fields, many right here at Bibb Medical Center. “It’s one of the most rewarding parts of teaching,” she said. “Knowing that something we started together has come full circle when I see them walk through the doors as nurses, techs, and other healthcare professionals.”

Barbara’s influence extends far beyond the classroom. She helps her students build confidence, communication skills, and professionalism, qualities that carry them through their education and into their careers. “It’s not just about teaching healthcare,” she said. “It’s about helping them find where they belong and showing them how every role, no matter how big or small, contributes to the care of our patients.”

Through her passion and guidance, Barbara continues to shape the next generation of healthcare professionals, ensuring they leave her classroom ready to make a difference in the lives of others.

Mandi Woodruff – From HOSA Student to Healthcare Professional

For Mandi Woodruff, HOSA was the first step toward a career she truly loves. Now a retail pharmacist working with Cahaba Medical Care, Mandi reflects on how her time in HOSA helped her discover her passion for the medical field and prepare for a lifelong career in healthcare.

“HOSA introduced me to many different career paths and helped me become familiar with them so I would not only be able to choose one that was right for me, but also be able to work with others in a different medical profession than mine,” she shared. “This has helped me tremendously as a retail pharmacist who works inside a clinic. I get to work with medical assistants, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, LPNs, and MDs, you name it.”

During her time in HOSA, Mandi gained both confidence and skill, lessons that still serve her today. “Taking blood pressure is such a simple skill, but an important one,” she said. “I was able to use this in the pharmacy through a specific partnership with our patients’ provider. We made sure their blood pressure was under control and that they stayed on track with the correct dose of medication, even between appointments.”

When asked what advice she would give to current HOSA members, Mandi shared a perspective shaped by empathy and experience.“The piece of advice that has always stuck with me is that the patients we care for are sick,” she said. “When you’re sick, you don’t feel your best, and when you don’t feel your best, you may not have the best attitude when speaking with your healthcare provider. Keeping that in mind has helped me care for patients better because I understand where they’re coming from. Our patients may not always treat us the way we’d want to be treated, but that’s okay. We were intentionally put in this place to help those who are sick.”

Her words reflect the heart of healthcare: compassion, understanding, and service. HOSA gave Mandi a glimpse into the variety of roles within the medical field, but her career has given her the chance to live out those lessons every day.

Celebrating the Impact of HOSA

From teaching future professionals to living out the lessons learned as students, Barbara Terry and Mandi Woodruff represent the lasting impact of HOSA, a program that connects education to purpose and turns curiosity into a calling.

Bibb Medical Center is proud to support programs like HOSA that help students explore their interests, gain confidence in their abilities, and prepare to make a meaningful difference in the world of healthcare.