A Chance for Gold at the AzHOSA State Leadership Conference

The Arizona Health Occupations Student Association (AzHOSA) State Leadership Conference (SLC) is the most anticipated event that GCU AzHOSA members can attend, second only to the National Leadership Conference (NLC). The 2016 AzHOSA SLC will be held from March 30 – April 1 in Tucson, Arizona.

Going to SLC is like going to Disneyland – except with a lot less singing.

SLC is a fantastic opportunity to learn about a new area of medicine, interact with other pre-health students from all around the state and learn more than you bargained for about your peers on the two-hour trip to Tucson.

Those who place first, second or third in their competition receive a medal and a chance to compete at the NLC over the summer.

At the 2014 conference, I took a knowledge test in epidemiology and won silver. I received a gold medal at nationals. There are few moments that could have made me more proud than when the announcer called my name. In that moment, I felt a deep sense of unity with the people I went to the conference with. Friendships are made and strengthened at SLC and NLC.

Although you might have to study for your event while there, SLC is still a refreshing vacation from the normal stress of classes and other commitments.

For some, money is a major barrier to such a trip as SLC; luckily, GCU AzHOSA has you covered with several fundraising methods in place that have been tried and proven effective. Ultimately, we believe finances should not be the reason you do not go to SLC.

GCU AzHOSA is a community of future health care professionals and, as such, we seek to give as much opportunity for interactions with each other as possible. We want to see you at SLC, and we are willing to work with you to get you there. Whether you are a freshman and still have a campus map in your backpack or a tired senior with only a few more months of school ahead of you, SLC is something anyone should be able to participate in and enjoy.

Interested in learning more about your opportunities to get involved at GCU? Contact us today to learn about degree programs, clubs and organizations on campus, and our exciting campus community!

More about Daniel:

Daniel Harned was born and raised in Arizona, except for two years that his family took to go on an RV trip all over the U.S. During high school, he acquired a taste for aviation and took to the skies for two years with an instructor in a Piper Cherokee Warrior single-engine plane. At age 17, he received his pilot’s license. This was his original career idea, but his passion for biology was stronger, and he started the pre-med program at GCU as a result. His science teacher, Mrs. Ihms, really had a big hand in encouraging Daniel to study biology. He is now on his way toward medical school; his internship at Maricopa Integrated Health System and his involvement with GCU AzHOSA were tremendous influences in this decision. Daniel wants to eventually be a radiologist or a family practice physician.