West Boca Raton High School is known for its phenomenal medical academy which is not offered by every school here in Florida. Students who seek an interest in medicine and plan to engage in the medical atmosphere during high-school, are chosen to represent the West Boca Medical Academy. However, it is not so easy to get in students! In order to represent the West Boca Medical Academy and take part in Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA), students must be chosen by lottery to get into the program due to their superior academic performance.

    The West Boca Medical Program offers an incredible amount of information that is similar to the information taught in college in order to achieve a better understanding of medicine and the philosophy of the human body. Thus, an abundance of students who graduated from West Boca is now in medical programs in college and continuing their path to success. I took the time to interview fellow West Boca graduates, who are now working in the medical community, and ask if West Boca’s Medical Program truly helps and the only common answer was…ABSOLUTELY!

     As asserted by Carly Mulroy who is a Clinical Lead RN on a cardiac step-down floor at Duke Regional Hospital and a West Boca Raton High School graduate, “The academy opened up so many possibilities for me and exposed me to different areas within the healthcare fields.” The West Boca Medical Academy truly aided in helping young students, like Carly Mulroy, decide what they want to study in college. As a matter of fact, Shannon Cea, who is another West Boca Raton High School graduate and is now a COVID ICU RN, BSN (bachelor’s prepared registered nurse) mentioned, “West Boca’s medical academy has made me a strong nurse by teaching me important medical interventions…” Additionally, West Boca offers a rigorous academic schedule, with hardcore clinical and laboratory experiences and students who are interested in medicine and want to take part in HOSA which is, Health Occupations Students of America” organization for students planning to pursue health professions, would truly enjoy their experience here at West Boca.

     I believe that if you have a passion for the medical field like myself, engaging in a medical academy, especially during high school could help offer an abundance of opportunities for the future challenge in medicine since there are examples of hands-on experience and even hospital rotations!