Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA) is a national vocational student organization endorsed by the U.S. Department of Education and the Health Occupations Education Division of the ACTE. HOSA's two-fold mission is to promote career opportunities in the health care industry and to enhance the delivery of quality health care to all people. HOSA's goal is to encourage all health occupations instructors and students to join and be actively involved in the HOE-HOSA Partnership. 

   HOSA provides a unique program of leadership development, motivation, and recognition exclusively for secondary, postsecondary, adult, and collegiate students enrolled in health occupations education programs. HOSA is 100% health care! Membership in HOSA is restricted to health occupations students. 

   Since its inception in 1976, HOSA has grown steadily reaching 60,000 students through thirty-three (34) affiliated state associations with involvement in four (4) unaffiliated states and 2,200 chapters in the 1999-00 membership year. 

   HOSA is not a club to which a few students in school join. Rather, HOSA is a powerful instructional tool that works best when it is integrated into the HOE curriculum and classroom. HOE instructors are committed to the development of the total person. Those who join the HOE-HOSA Partnership recognize the importance of providing students with training far beyond the basic technical skills needed for entry into the health care field. The rapidly changing health care system needs dedicated workers who, in addition to their technical skills, are people-oriented and capable of playing a leadership or follower-ship role as a member of a health care team. 

   HOSA's mission is especially critical when considering the acute shortage of qualified workers for the health care industry. It is essential that the HOE-HOSA Partnership maintain its momentum and encourage all HOE instructors to integrate HOSA into their curriculum and classrooms.