“We must be willing to let go of the life we have planned, so as to have the life that is waiting for us.” —E. M. Forster

Upon walking into her first HOSA meeting in 2019, Deepa has learned, through every facet of this organization, that the experiences you never expected to have are usually the ones that leave the most influential mark on who you are as a person and a leader in society. Over these past four years, HOSA was the magical portal that transformed a little girl’s vision of one day being a doctor to a working reality of serving others on a daily basis, which she aspires to continue doing as she attends Temple University’s Honors Program, where she is pursuing a double major in Neuroscience and Philosophy and a minor in Health Policy & Management. Through every experience within her HOSA community, Deepa has valued the process of learning from those around her and finding her own authentic voice as an active HOSA member. By delving into competitive events, service opportunities, and leadership experience, she has come to understand what healthcare really comes down to: caring for the people. The subtle interactions between each other, the smiles, the random elevator conversations, and the memories created through the lively encounters and family spirit are all central to what HOSA stands for, and essential to building the future generation of healthcare workers. Serving as the Secondary Board Representative, Deepa hopes to give back to HOSA in every way it has helped to shape her as a person: by serving and caring for each individual member and working to raise awareness and foster resources for members all over the world, so that the youth of today has everything it needs to build the healthcare of tomorrow. When not in her HOSA suit, you can find Deepa going for long drives and jamming out to her favorite music, embarking on spontaneous adventures with her best friends, or practicing yoga. Whether it be going for 5 mile runs or waking up at the crack of dawn to watch the sunrise, you can always find her chugging a black coffee or Celsius and doing what she feels she is called to do in the moment. And you’ll always catch her with a camera in hand — whether it be her digicam, Canon, or good old iPhone. As we venture on into the year ahead, Deepa dares to create memories with all the impeccable members and talented leaders of HOSA-Future Health Professionals, whilst forging the future and building upon this organization’s shared passion to do the greatest good for the greatest number of people.