Montana HOSA Future Health Professionals are hosting their 12th annual state leadership conference this month in Missoula. Director Martha Robertson said over 300 high school students from around the state will be in town on March 21 to compete.

“It is a culmination of students work in the health sciences during the school year,” said Robertson. “They come to the facility to compete in everything from bio medical debate, to nurse assisting, to forensics, CPR, first aid, EMT, and health career displays.”

Students that win here will go on to nationals. Despite having a low population, Montana does exceptionally well at the national competition.

“We only brought ten delegates to nationals in California last year and three of those ten got on stages,” said Robertson. “They were Top 10 finalists among 8,000 competitors. They made a proud showing last year and we hope to do the same this year.”

This year’s state battle is expected to be fierce. The Health Science Academy at Big Sky and the team at Sentinel High School will both be sending large teams, but the largest chapter in Montana is a 60 member team from Bozeman.

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