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50 Years of HOSA Celebration!
2026 marks the 50th anniversary of HOSA-FHP! This is an important milestone for our organization that should be celebrated. We encourage everyone to celebrate throughout the year and showcase HOSA's impact on members, the healthcare field and much more.
Oklahoma HOSA History
Did you know that Oklahoma was one of the six states to in collaboration form the American Health Occupations Education Student Organization (AHOESO), which would later change to be known as HOSA?
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In 1974 the Oklahoma Health Occupations Student Organization was established alongside many other state associations. Oklahoma, alongside 5 additional states, formed what we now call HOSA-FHP!
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The first National HOSA Conference in the spring of 1978 took place in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma on April 27th-30th! They hosted 4 events during the First Annual Leadership Conference. While at the conference, the HOSA uniform and original motto were established.
"The Hands of Youth Mold the Health of Tomorrow." - The Original HOSA Motto
1986 Membership Count
9,999
1996 Membership Count
9,999
2006 Membership Count
9,999
2016 Membership Count
9,999
2026 Membership Count
9,999
HOSA History
In 1957 many of the educational programs in health occupations were growing and the first Health Occupations Program Specialist, Helen K. Powers, was appointed by the then United States Office of Education. To meet the early needs of high school students, the Future Nurses Clubs and Vocational Industrial Clubs of America (VICA) operated ad gained national strength. In 1971 the first meeting of the Health Occupations Education Division of the American Vocational Association (AVA-HOE) discussed the need for a leadership organization to serve students in vocational Health Occupations Education programs.
The beginning features of HOSA came from six chartering states in 1975 with nearly six thousand members. The official organization occurred through a Constitutional Convention in 1976 with over three hundred student leaders, advisors and teachers. After the convention, the first set of national officers was elected, the national colors were selected, a contest for the national motto and emblem was created and the first National HOSA Conference was scheduled in Oklahoma.
The first national HOSA Headquarters was located in Raleigh, North Carolina from 1976 through 1978, second in Trenton, New Jersey from 1978 to 1979 and ran by the education department. With the rapid growth, they realized that HOSA needed its own management team. The first national HOSA office was located in Wilmington, Delaware from 1979 through 1982. In 1982 they moved the office to Washington D.C. to increase their national presence. In 1986 they moved to Fort Worth, Texas, where they still currently reside.
In the beginning, HOSA had a narrow field of focus, but their focus expanded as the need for healthcare professionals grew. They also wanted HOSA to focus on leadership development, so they didn't host competitive events. In 1979 the national HOSA motto was instated and reads, "The Hands of HOSA Mold the Health of Tomorrow." To learn more about HOSA's history, visit History – HOSA.
1976 Membership Count
7,000
1986 Membership Count
32,043
1996 Membership Count
56,964
2006 Membership Count
80,622
2016 Membership Count
201,502
Current, 2026 Membership Count:
260,000+
Did You Know They Were in HOSA Too?
Healthcare Advancements in the Last 50 Years
Healthcare has evolved in many ways over the last 50 years. We're now seeing technology used in ways that never would have been imagined in years past. We're curious how you think healthcare will evolve in the next 25 years when we're celebrating the 75th Anniversary? Tell us in this form for a chance to be featured at SLC 2026!
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2026 Onward
To be determined by YOU!
2025
AI, machine learning and other technologies are expected to make big changes.
Initial sequencing of the human genome (complete set of DNA) was occurring, and scientists were studying how genomes interacted with one another and their environment.
2000
The first artificial heart was implanted into Barney Clark and helped him live for another 112 days.
1986
1994
Researchers found PR-39, a key molecule that binds growth factors and proteins necessary for the mending process.
1981
Researchers create the first artificial skin made from living cells.
2011
The US FDA approved the first transcatheter aortic valve replacement device created from a cow heart's pericardial tissue. Additionally, open-heart surgery is not required for insertion.
1995
The nation's first triple-organ transplant was successfully completed.
2001
The signal pathway in which the brain receives the body's circadian rhythm was discovered.
2008
Dana-Farber scientists utilized a targeted drug to drive a patient's metastatic melanoma into remission, first achievement of its kind.
1993
A surgical method to restore speech, swallowing and normal breathing was developed for patients with paralyzed vocal cords.
1983
Harvard Med School Genetics team finds a genetic marker for Huntington's disease. This technique is later used to detect other inherited diseases.
2009
Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act was passed. This allowed healthcare records to be kept digitally, enhancing the healthcare system.
1999
Fluorescent molecular probes were created that helps to detect minute clusters of tumor cells.
2004
The layout of one transmembrane protein-conducting channel is discovered, opening the pathway for protein transfer studies.
2015
The Lancet Commission on Global Surgery shows that 5 billion people are able to access safe, timely and affordable surgeries.
2020
Research is conducted showing that hat-fat diets allow cancer cells to duplicate faster than tumor-killing immune cells.
For more interesting facts in healthcare advancements, visit Harvard Medical School's Timeline of Discovery. We encourage you to learn more about these advancements and ones specific to your field of study. Knowledge is power!