From March 24th to March 26th, 2026, the energy in Syracuse NY was electric as hundreds of aspiring healthcare professionals gathered for the HOSA State Leadership Conference. While the event spanned a single weekend, the journey began months prior. Students dedicated countless hours to rigorous preparation, with deadlines for various competitive events and the HOSA Achievement Test, which took place on March 13th.

This exciting weekend began with a 40 minute commute to the Croton-Harmon train station, followed by a 5 hour train ride up to Syracuse. Immediately upon arrival at the hotel, students got ready for the opening session. Afterwards, it was a night of professional networking and the initial rounds of competitive events.

The second day offered a deep dive into the medical field through various workshops and competitions. “My experience at the HOSA SLC was more than amazing,” noted attendee Olivia Rubano. “Not only did I learn so much more through workshops like CPR, Red Cross Blood Donations, and speech pathology, I also had the chance to get closer with so many of my peers. This event gave our HOSA chapter a chance to get to know each other better and experiment with new ideas in the medical field.”

Dane Polack highlighted the value of professional exposure. “The workshops were fun; we got to learn CPR with high tech mannequins and met health professionals, with jobs I hadn’t even heard of,” Polack said. “Getting to talk to them provided real insight into what being a doctor is actually like.”

The conference wasn’t strictly academic. Motivational speaker Patrick T. Grady led an evening of high-energy activities like Just Dance and a spirited “Battle of the Ages” musical trivia game, where advisors went against students in a fierce “Guess That Song” competition.

The conference culminated in a final awards ceremony. Several students secured the win for their events: Aarush Bansal won first place in Health Career Photography, Neya Joseph and Leya Joseph won first place in Health Career Display, Mohammad Shafquat, Dhev Nair, and Joshua John won third place in the Biomedical Debate, and Dane Polack won third place in Biotechnology. In addition to the competitive wins, Mohammad Shafquat campaigned for a position on the state board and was officially elected as the New York State HOSA Parliamentarian, ensuring that the CHSN’s chapter influence will continue to grow at the state level throughout the coming year.