IMA spotlights HOSA students’ healthcare learning in Kenya

International Medical Aid Foundation will host a live webinar Oct. 29 with two HOSA members who studied clinical care and community outreach in Kenya. The session will highlight what Sarah Benish and Sid Girada learned and how eligible students may qualify for scholarships worth up to $12,000.

Why it matters: - International Medical Aid Foundation is using the webinar to show how hands-on exposure in Kenya can shape students’ interest in healthcare careers. - The event also connects HOSA members and advisers to IMA’s high school healthcare internship pathway and scholarship opportunities. - Eligible HOSA members may be considered for fully funded IMA scholarships valued at up to $12,000.

What happened: - International Medical Aid Foundation, a U.S.-based nonprofit and HOSA Premier Partner, is highlighting the experiences of two HOSA members whose time in Kenya helped them examine their healthcare interests. - Sarah Benish and Sid Girada will speak during a live IMA and HOSA webinar on Thursday, Oct. 29, 2026, at 8:00 PM ET. - The webinar is titled “From HOSA to a Future in Healthcare: Clinical Learning, Service, and Your Next Steps.” - Students, families and HOSA advisers are invited to attend. - Registration is available through the October 29 webinar registration page.

The details: - The webinar will include a conversation about clinical observation, mentorship, community outreach and preparation for a healthcare learning experience. - A brief introduction to IMA will be followed by the alumni discussion and an audience question-and-answer session. - To be considered for the scholarship, students 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. - Meeting those requirements does not guarantee a scholarship award. - Benish, who is interested in pediatrics, observed oncology care and work in a newborn unit in Mombasa. - Benish said the experience pushed her to think more about prevention, early detection and the factors that affect health before a patient reaches a hospital. - After observing oncology care, Benish researched cervical cancer to better understand the questions the experience raised. - Benish wrote in her final assignment: “Before I traveled to Kenya, I often thought about medicine as treating a problem. Now I look back and realize how important preventative care can be.” - HOSA published an article based on an interview with Benish, titled “What My Healthcare Experience in Kenya Taught Me About Asking Better Questions.” - Girada focused much of his time on mental health. - Girada said a therapist’s patience and communication were important examples for him. - Girada also reflected on how information in a case file had shaped his judgment before he understood the person in front of him. - In his final assignment, Girada wrote: “never let a diagnosis become a person's identity.” - Both students had participated in HOSA competitions before traveling. - Benish advanced to the International Leadership Conference with her HOSA Bowl team after a first-place finish at the state level. - Girada also advanced to the conference with a teammate and visited IMA’s booth to ask questions about his upcoming program. - The students described educational skills sessions that included suturing instruction. - Girada also discussed a laparoscopy simulation. - Through his Mind Matters Club, Girada worked with IMA staff and fellow interns on a visit to a local children’s home. - During that visit, the group discussed mental well-being, distributed first-aid kits and explained the supplies. - International Medical Aid says its educational programs combine clinical shadowing, mentorship, global health education, community outreach and cultural learning. - The nonprofit says participants learn within roles appropriate to their training.

Between the lines: - The students’ accounts suggest the program is designed to push participants beyond clinical observation and into reflection on communication, prevention and patient-centered care. - The webinar appears to serve both as a recruiting tool and as a practical guide for students evaluating healthcare programs. - Benish and Girada’s examples show how HOSA competition experience can feed into broader healthcare exploration. - The emphasis on family communication, student roles and reflection signals that IMA wants applicants to understand both the educational and personal demands of the experience.

What's next: - The Oct. 29 webinar will give attendees a chance to hear directly from Benish and Girada, learn what helped them prepare and ask questions about their experiences. - Families and educators can also review IMA’s high school healthcare internship program for participation information. - More information is available at medicalaid.org.