Lesson Topic:

Exploring Health Careers through a HOSA Teamwork Event

Lesson Description:

Students will use assessments on the Nebraska Career Connections website to determine career interests, values, and career confidence. Then they reflect on their results. Students are divided into teams of two based on their interests and given time to research health career information as outlined in the HOSA Health Career Display event guidelines. Students complete the HOSA Health Career Display board and give a formal presentation to their class.

Learning Goals/Outcomes:

• Students will identify careers that fall into the Health Science Career Cluster pathways and determine how their own interests align.
• Students will research a career of interest and communicate that information through a display board and presentation to their peers and teacher.

Teacher Planning:

Materials Needed:

• Free school account for Nebraska Career Connections, a teacher login, and student logins for your class
  
• One-to-one computer and internet access for each student
• Student worksheets - can be completed online or on paper
• Most current HOSA Health Career Display Event Guidelines (updated yearly)
• Display board materials (36" x 48" trifold for each team, according to official HOSA guidelines)
• Rubrics for grading Display boards & presentations

Time Required for Lesson:

One week OR the lesson components can be spread over several weeks as students complete a larger healthcare careers unit.

Diagram/Setup:

Classroom set-up for Nebraska Career Connections portion of the lesson, followed by space for teams of 2 to work together and assemble a display board. 

Instructional Plan:

Anticipatory Set/Pre-Activity:

Introduce the lesson by dividing students into groups of 2-4 and asking them to list as many health science careers as they are able to within five minutes. At the end of the five minutes, read a list of health professions that includes both commonly known and less commonly known professions (i.e. MR technologist, Epidemiologist, Genetic Counselor, Laboratory Assistant, Phlebotomist, Respiratory Therapist, Occupational Therapist, Data Manager, Healthcare Administrator, Dietary Manager, Paramedic, Surgical Technologist, Physician Assistant, Pharmacy Technician, Home Health Aide). NCHSE's Health Science Career Specialty Chart is a helpful resource. Award a point for each of the professions that are found on the group lists. The winning group will have the most points. The purpose of this opening activity is to bring awareness to the huge number of careers available within health sciences, including many that students may not have heard of.

Real-World Connection:

This lesson is meant to introduce students to a wide variety of health science careers, align student interests and skills with health science careers, and provide a deep dive into one career of interest.

Activities (i.e. instructions, warm-up, lesson, cool-down):

1. Students complete APPENDIX B, taking several assessments on Nebraska Career Connections to determine career interests, values, and career confidence. Then they reflect on their results.
2. Teacher introduces the health career pathway and the five major categories, giving a brief overview of each through a tour of the Nebraska Career Connections website. These five pathways include Biotechnology Research & Development, Diagnostic Services, Health Informatics, Support Services, and Therapeutic Services. 
3. Students are divided into teams of two based on their interests and given time to research the career information as outlined in the HOSA Career Health Display event guidelines.
4. Students and teacher read through guidelines. The rubric can be used for both grading in the classroom and to prepare to compete at HOSA State Leadership Conference (SLC).
5. Subsequent class periods are dedicated to assembling the display board and then practicing the presentation. The teacher can decide how many classes to devote to the assembly of the boards.
6. Students give a formal presentation during class for a class grade and as a final practice to prepare for HOSA SLC.

Summative Assessment :

Team Presentation of the Health Career Display board

Resources: