Carter BloodCare proud to participate in HOSA’s International Leadership Conference
Carter BloodCare participated in the 46th annual Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA) International Leadership Conference held at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center in Dallas this past week (June 21-24).
Over the course of the four-day event, representatives from Carter BloodCare, as well as America’s Blood Centers (ABC), interacted with high school aged students from around the world with an exhibit, multiple education sessions and a very successful blood drive.
By the end of the conference, 226 donors signed up to help save lives through whole blood and apheresis donations. High school aged students, along with instructors and supervisors, made up the donor population at this event, taking time out of their busy conference schedule to make life-saving donations.
Conference members had the opportunity to enjoy a unique experience. Participants ventured inside a Carter BloodCare coach to play an interactive trivia game, quizzing them on their knowledge of blood banking. Upon completion, successful participants earned their choice of Carter BloodCare merchandise, including tote bags, coolers and mason jars.
Outside of the exhibit display, Carter BloodCare and ABC provided two educational workshops. “The Blood Journey Challenge”, led by ABC’s Jeff Gohringer, focused on the lifesaving journey of blood. Attendees competed in a trivia game covering the various stages of the blood journey. The session also included a detailed description of the different careers at blood centers and how they are beneficial to the communities they serve.
The next day, Carter BloodCare’s Director of Mobile Donor Recruitment and Regional Operations, Clinton McCoy, led the workshop “Survivor: Bloodlines”, an educational experience in which students faced real life scenarios for transfusion dependent patients. Participants had to come up with the proper treatment plan to help save the patient’s life, learning the consequences, both positive and negative of each care plan.
The 2023 HOSA International Leadership Conference was a success. The host city rotates every year with a stop in Houston scheduled for 2024. The conference is scheduled to return to Dallas in June of 2026.