Ella Bishop, a biomedical science student at the Center for Advanced Technical Studies (The Center) and also a student at Chapin High School, won first place at the HOSA-Future Health Professionals national competition in the area of Health Career Photography.
She received the award during the HOSA International Leadership Conference (ILC) held in Orlando, Florida June 19 – 22. Nearly 9,800 students competed in 71 health related competition events during the conference.
HOSA is an international student organization recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and the Health Science Education (HSE) Division of The Association for Career & Technical Education (ACTE). HOSA’s mission is to promote career opportunities in the health care industry and to enhance the delivery of quality health care to all people.
Each year, HOSA members are encouraged to take full advantage of the HOSA Competitive Events Program, a constantly expanding and improving series of health care related competitive events. Competitive events are designed to provide a system for recognizing the competencies developed by members through Health and Biomedical Science class instruction, related job training and activities. Individual members and teams are evaluated according to set standards of performance by professionals from the health care community appropriate to each event.
“To prepare for the event, I had to spend a day at Prisma Health Parkridge Hospital taking pictures,” said Bishop. “I took over 1,000 pictures total, so the next step was narrowing it down to just three. I then edited them and had to compress the files so that I could submit them. Then I had to write a narrative description of each of the careers I photographed and I had to get all the release forms signed.”
Bishop shadowed Stephan Wessinger, a surgical video systems engineer at Prisma Health during the project. She chose pictures of an obstetrician/gynecologist surgeon, a diagnostic medical sonographer, and a medical laboratory technologist.
“I chose them because they are all very different but very important parts of the medical field,” Bishop said. “The professionals I photographed all play a major role in diagnosing and treating patients.”
“We couldn’t be more proud of Ella,” said Julie Krusen, The Center’s HOSA co-advisor. “It is quite an accomplishment to qualify to go to Internationals, and even more amazing accomplishment to place at ILC, because the competition is fierce. Ella’s hard work and dedication, along with her award winning personality combined to obtain The Center’s first student to place at HOSA Internationals.”
The Center Director Dr. Al Gates said, “Placing first in an international competition is evidence of the tremendous commitment Ella has made to developing her knowledge and skills in Health Career Photography. We are very proud of Ella and of the partnership The Center has with all our high schools in the district in helping students find their passion and purpose. Congratulations to Ella and her sponsors, Ms. Becky Howell and Ms. Julie Krusen.”
