Student leader thriving as future health professional

Robert Wasiluk

Linnea Pederson began her freshman year of Como Park High School in the fall of 2023 with a goal of establishing a group for herself and other students interested in becoming health professionals.
Fast forward two years and Linnea has accomplished that goal and much more. She formed the first HOSA-Future Health Professionals chapter in St. Paul Public Schools (HOSA stands for Health Occupations Students of America).
Once HOSA was founded at Como, Linnea served as the chapter president, coordinated a Red Cross blood drive, supported events at the Health Start Clinic, and hosted a school-wide World Kindness Day activity. Como’s HOSA program has been an impactful group attracting over 20 members in each of the last two school years.
They are part of an international student-led organization recognized by both the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the U.S. Department of Education. It allows middle, high school and college students to engage in health issues, compete and earn recognition for their achievements, and learn if a career in healthcare is right for them.
Beyond Como, Linnea expanded her involvement to the state-level organization. In the spring of 2025, she was elected to the Minnesota State Board of HOSA as the Vice President of Outreach. One of her state board responsibilities is growing HOSA chapters in other St. Paul high schools and colleges.
As part of her Minnesota board position, Linnea attended the HOSA International Leadership Conference in Nashville, Tenn. this past June. That experience allowed her to participate in trainings and workshops on a variety of medical topics.
Another benefit and opportunity of serving on the Minnesota State Board for Linnea was a chance to attend the Advanced Medical Neuroscience Internship at Georgetown University in Washington D.C. She was successful in applying for a scholarship and participated in the seven-day event during July.
Linnea attended lectures and worked on brain research with Georgetown Neuroscience professors. She spent the week living in the Georgetown dorms along with participants from all over the U.S. Social activities for the group included touring monuments and memorials in the nation’s capital.
The scientific highlights of the trip were learning about new research and advancements in neuroscience including how artificial intelligence (AI) is impacting the field. Linnea and her team were able to use new technology that allows one person to control the muscle movements of their teammate through brain stimulation.
Following the internship, Linnea was selected for the International Internship Program (IIP) with Leadership Initiatives, where she and her team will work on public health solutions for underserved communities in Sub-Saharan Africa. The program emphasizes leadership development, international collaboration, and project-based learning, giving students the opportunity to make a tangible impact on healthcare challenges worldwide.
Linnea will also return to D.C. in the fall to attend the HOSA Washington Leadership Academy. Her path to becoming a health professional is clearly emerging and pointing toward a future of helping others.