HOSA COMPETITIVE EVENTS 101- UPDATED FOR 2026-27

HOSA competitive events are a great way to challenge students and encourage them to learn and grow outside the classroom. HOSA provides a lot of information about its events, so I created this resource to consolidate that information and make the competition process easier to understand.

Because HOSA competitions are updated regularly, this resource will also be revised as needed. Check back for updates, and please reach out if you notice anything that needs to be brought up to date.

UPDATED 9-5-2026 FOR THE 2026–2027 COMPETITION YEAR!

THIS DOWNLOAD INCLUDES:

HEALTHY COMPETITION - OPENING GAME
(PPT OR GOOGLE SLIDES)

Introduce HOSA competitions with a little fun! This short, eight-question trivia game allows students to make educated guesses while learning more about HOSA Competitive Events. Divide students into teams and have them call out answers, write them on whiteboards, or hold up the included ABCD signs. The goal is simply to have fun while introducing the topic!

COMPETITIONS LIST
(PDF)

HOSA offers a LOT of competitions, which is great for serving a wide range of interests but can also feel overwhelming. This quick-reference guide includes competition names, brief descriptions, and icons identifying important characteristics such as individual or team participation, written tests, skill demonstrations, presentations, videos, and other required components.

The guide also includes health careers that may be associated with each competition, making it easier to help students select events based on their interests, strengths, and future career goals. It has been updated to include the new competitions and significant changes for the 2026–2027 year.

COMPETITIONS LIST
(EXCEL)

This simple spreadsheet lists the competitions and color-codes them by category. Use it to record student event selections, organize competition sign-ups, or add your own columns and information. The file can also be uploaded to Google Drive and opened as a Google Sheets spreadsheet.

INTRO TO HOSA COMPETITIONS
(PPT OR GOOGLE SLIDES)

This short presentation introduces students to the basics of HOSA competitions. It includes a brief history of the Competitive Events Program, an overview of the different competitions, questions students can consider when choosing an event, and a general explanation of the competition process.

Because each state may run competitions a little differently, the presentation keeps the information fairly general. It should take approximately 5–10 minutes and provide students with enough information to begin understanding how HOSA competitions work.

MATCH ME
(GOOGLE SLIDES)

This interactive “choose your own adventure” activity helps students match HOSA competitions with their interests and strengths.

Students select the statement that BEST describes them. Their choice may lead directly to a competition, another question, or several possible events. When students reach a competition, they can read a brief summary and decide whether it sounds like a good fit.

Competition names appear in yellow or gold boxes decorated with stars. Students can click the competition name to open its guidelines on the HOSA website. Each page also includes an arrow that returns students to the Statements Page, allowing them to start over and continue exploring until they find the event that best suits them.

The included Google Slides link will prompt you to make your own copy so the original remains unchanged.

COMPETITION RESEARCH GRAPHIC ORGANIZERS
(PDF)

Once students have chosen an event, they can use these graphic organizers to research the current HOSA guidelines. Completing an organizer encourages students to review the requirements closely and become familiar with how their competition works.

Two options are included:

• A generic organizer that can be used with any event
• A PDF containing 64 event-specific organizers

The event-specific organizers follow the order of the Secondary and Postsecondary/Collegiate events on the HOSA website. Recognition Events are not included because their requirements differ from traditional competitive events; however, students participating in Recognition Events can use the generic organizer.

Please remember that HOSA may revise guidelines throughout the competition year, and state-level requirements may vary. Students and advisors should always review the current official guidelines for their event.