HOSA Premier Partner
International Medical Aid and HOSA–Future Health Professionals
Workshops at the HOSA International Leadership Conference, alumni webinars and resources for HOSA members, advisers and parents.
What Our HOSA Partnership Includes
HOSA–Future Health Professionals lists International Medical Aid (IMA) as a HOSA Premier Partner on its Health Related Experiences page. HOSA gives students a way to explore health careers through competitive events, leadership conferences and chapter projects. IMA adds a view of healthcare in another country and a clear picture of what a clinical internship abroad involves before a student commits to one.
Our work with HOSA has included workshops and an exhibit at the International Leadership Conference (ILC), alumni-led webinars, articles for members and their families, and an earlier application age for HOSA members. HOSA members can apply to IMA’s high school internships from age 15, a year earlier than other high school applicants.
HOSA Webinar With IMA Alumni
Thursday, October 29, 2026 · 8:00 p.m. ET / 5:00 p.m. PT · Online, 60 minutes
From HOSA to a Future in Healthcare: Clinical Learning, Service, and Your Next Steps
HOSA members and IMA alumni Sarah Benish and Sid Girada talk about what they learned with IMA in Mombasa, Kenya. Sarah reflects on her time in oncology and a newborn unit. Sid discusses mental health mentorship and community outreach. The webinar opens with a short introduction to IMA, continues with a conversation with Sarah and Sid, and ends with a live audience Q&A. Students, families and HOSA advisers are welcome.
Scholarship consideration for this webinar: eligible HOSA members may be considered for a fully funded IMA scholarship valued at up to $12,000. To be considered, you must attend the webinar live, ask at least one question during the live Q&A, and apply to and be admitted to an IMA program. Watching a recording alone does not qualify, and meeting these requirements does not guarantee an award.
This webinar took place on October 29, 2026. Registration and the webinar’s scholarship consideration applied only to the live event and are now closed. You can still read about Sarah and Sid’s experiences in Kenya.
IMA at the HOSA International Leadership Conference
The ILC brings HOSA members, advisers and families together each June. Both years below are documented in HOSA’s official conference programs. Some members use the conference to ask questions in person. HOSA member Sid Girada stopped at our ILC booth to ask about his upcoming internship, as he describes in his and Sarah’s story.
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2026
49th International Leadership Conference, Indianapolis
June 17–20, 2026
HOSA’s official 2026 conference program lists two educational workshops presented by IMA founder Homayon Ghassemi on Thursday, June 18:
- Ask IMA Alumni: What Future Doctors Should Be Doing Now in High School (11:00 a.m.), on starting early, with an alumni panel sharing what helped them prepare for medicine.
- Starting Early in Medicine: What Parents Need to Know About High School Pre-Health Opportunities (1:00 p.m.), a 45-minute session for parents and guardians on program safety, cost and value, and how to evaluate a provider.
The same program lists IMA among the conference exhibitors.
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2025
48th International Leadership Conference, Nashville
June 18–21, 2025
IMA is listed among the conference exhibitors in HOSA’s official 2025 conference program.
Articles for HOSA Members and Advisers
October 2026
What HOSA Students Sarah and Sid Learned With International Medical Aid in Kenya
Two HOSA members describe the departments they joined in Mombasa, the mentors who shaped their thinking and how they prepared.
Read the StoryOctober 2026
What My Healthcare Experience in Kenya Taught Me About Asking Better Questions
Sarah Benish’s feature on the HOSA website, based on an interview about her time with IMA.
Read on HOSA.orgOctober 2026
HOSA Health Literacy Ambassador 2026-27: Planning Your First Community Project
A planning guide for members taking on HOSA’s Health Literacy Ambassador program this year.
Read the GuideSeptember 2025
HOSA Partners with International Medical Aid
Our announcement of the partnership and the earlier application age for HOSA members. Program dates in that post refer to past sessions; see current dates below.
Read the AnnouncementWhat a High School Internship With IMA Involves
High school interns shadow doctors and medical teams in hospitals and clinics, take part in health education and community outreach, and assist with basic noninvasive tasks under the supervision of licensed providers. They do not diagnose patients, prescribe medication or perform medical procedures. What a student does each day depends on the hospital department, local guidance and the program’s supervision policies, and no two students rotate through exactly the same departments.
Before applying, families should review age requirements, program dates and fees, housing, on-site support, communication with home and the activities a student can expect. Advisers are welcome to share these resources with members preparing for an experience abroad.
Questions About IMA and HOSA
Is IMA an official HOSA partner?
Yes. HOSA lists International Medical Aid as a HOSA Premier Partner on its Health Related Experiences page. The partnership covers career education, conference participation, webinars and internship information. It does not replace your own review of eligibility and program details.
Can HOSA members apply at a younger age?
Yes. HOSA members can apply to IMA’s high school internships from age 15. Other high school applicants can apply from age 16.
Does HOSA membership guarantee an internship or a scholarship?
No. Admission requirements apply to every applicant, and scholarship consideration has its own terms. An offer tied to a specific webinar has its own conditions and is never a guaranteed award.
What do high school interns do at the hospital?
They shadow physicians and care teams, join health education and outreach activities and assist with basic noninvasive tasks under the supervision of licensed providers. They do not diagnose, prescribe or perform procedures.
Where can I find HOSA webinar recordings?
When a recording is approved for sharing, it will be added to this page with its date. Until then, the alumni articles above cover the same experiences.
Can families talk with IMA before a student applies?
Yes. Families can contact IMA with questions about eligibility, supervision, travel, fees and on-site support.
See All Partnerships
IMA at the UC Davis Pre-Health Conference
Exhibits and workshops at the UC Davis Pre-Health Conference since 2023.
AMSA AllianceInternational Medical Aid and AMSA
Our AMSA Alliance organization-member listing and the articles we have published there.
OverviewAll IMA Partnerships
How each relationship differs, with links to the original sources.
Sources: HOSA Health Related Experiences, 2026 ILC program, 2025 ILC program.
