Deva Santillan, who just graduated from the Santa Fe High School Institute of Biotechnology, is headed to the International HOSA- Future Health Professionals competition in Indianapolis in mid-June. Santillan qualified for a spot in the competition with a 2nd place statewide finish in the Pathophysiology category. Pathophysiology concerns the impact of disease or injury on the body.

This is the second straight year that a SFHS Biotech student has qualified for the international competition, which draws top-placing students from regional and state health-related competitions across the country and from other nations. Last year, Grace Boswell-Sczepanski qualified for internationals in the Biotechnology category.

Santillan is currently working as an intern in a microbiology lab at UF Health-Shands, one of the first students to participate in the Institute's new internship program with UF Health. "It definitely provides some hands-on prep for the international competition," said Institute director Tyler Wells.