Health Sciences

Healthcare is the largest and fastest growing industry in the United States. In Health Science courses, students are prepared for a career that promotes health, wellness and diagnosis, and treats injuries and diseases. Some careers involve working directly with people, while others involve research into diseases or collecting and formatting data and information. You could work in hospitals, medical or dental offices, laboratories, communities, medevac units, or sports arenas.


High School Articulated Credit Option “ACC”: If a student meets the High School Articulated Credit requirements in the designated course, he/she can receive credits at a Technical College. Instructor will explain individual requirements.

Health Sciences Pathways- LIVE

THERAPEUTIC SERVICES


Emergency Medical Responder (EMR) "ACC"


Students will be enabled to apply the fundamental skills and knowledge required to function as an entry level First Respond-er. Emphasis will be placed on skills needed for the recognition of, and emergency care of sick or injured people, utilizing basic medical equipment and assisting Emergency Medical Technicians once they have arrived. This course is designed for non-ambulance personnel such as law enforcement, fire, rescue, DNR, industry, and private citizens who are involved in pre-hospital emergency care and are first on the scene in an emergency.


DIAGNOSTIC SERVICES


Project Lead the Way: Principles of Biomedical Sciences (PBS) "ACC"


Articulated credit at SCSU is granted for Biology 103, when the student meets the requirements.

In the PLTW Biomedical Science introductory course, students explore concepts of biology and medicine to determine factors that led to the death of a fictional person. While investigating the case, students examine autopsy reports, investigate medical history, and explore medical treatments that might have prolonged the person’s life. The activities and projects introduce students to human physiology, basic biology, medicine, and research processes while allowing them to design their own experiments to solve problems. Students will be playing the role of 40 biomedical specialists. The course includes independent study, where students are responsible for their own note taking with the assistance of an outline and teacher-led labs. Students must be independently motivated.



Project Lead the Way: Human Body Systems (HBS)


Students examine the interactions of human body systems as they explore identity, power, movement, protection, and homeostasis. Exploring science in action, students build organs and tissues on a skeletal manikin, use data acquisition software to monitor body functions such as muscle movement, reflex and voluntary action, and respiration; and take on the roles of biomedical professionals to solve real world medical cases.



Project Lead the Way: Medical Interventions (MI)


Students follow the life of a fictitious family as they investigate how to prevent, diagnose, and treat disease. Students explore how to detect and fight infection; screen and evaluate the code in human DNA; evaluate cancer treatment options; and prevail when the organs of the body begin to fail. Through real world cases, students are exposed to a range of interventions related to immunology, surgery, genetics, pharmacology, medical devices, and diagnostics.



Project Lead the Way: Biomedical Innovation (BI)


In the final course of the PLTW Biomedical Science sequence, students build on the knowledge and skills gained from previous courses to design innovative solutions for the most pressing health challenges of the 21st century. Students address topics ranging from public health and biomedical engineering to clinical medicine and physiology. They have the opportunity to work on an independent design project with a mentor or advisor from a university, medical facility, or research institution.



FOUNDATIONAL KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS


Medical Terminology "ACC"


Medical terminology is the study of the principles of medical word building to help the student develop the extensive medical vocabulary used in health care occupations. Medical terminology is the language universal to all health care careers. Students receive a thorough grounding in basic medical terminology through a study of root words, prefixes and suffixes.



Health Care Core Curriculum "ACC"


This course includes a series of entry-level modules that are essential and valued from all health career professionals found in any healthcare setting. This course is a standardized competency-based Healthcare Curriculum that prepares students for the rapidly changing healthcare careers. Students will learn basic healthcare fundamentals that are common to all healthcare careers, knowledge to make career choices, and pathways to multiple health careers. This course answers the following question: “What does a worker need to know and be able to contribute to the delivery of safe and effective healthcare?”



Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) "ACC”


CNA is an entry-level position that prepares the student to assist patients with various activities in hospitals, nursing homes, and clinical settings.  Most often the CNA helps people with daily care such as physical activities, bathing, toileting, and dressing under the direction of LPN's and RN's.  CNA courses include a combination of lectures and laboratory practice. Topics are focused on caring for the elderly and include: Activities of Daily Living (ADLs), Vital Signs, Incident Report-ing, Patient Rights, etc.. Students will be eligible to participate in the approved Minnesota Department of Health’s Certified Nursing Assistant competency exam through an outside testing facility.  Upon passing both the active and written state exam, the student  would receive the title of CNA.  Exam fees are the responsibility of the student.



 


Health Careers Exploration “ACC”



This course will help students to explore and prepare for the diverse and demanding field of healthcare. Learn about the hundreds of health career options available to pursue and how to prepare to get there. Topics include: resume writing, job applications, interviewing and employability skills, medical terminology, First Aid/CPR/AED, and healthcare ethics. Throughout the course, over 35 health career professionals serve as guest speakers and mock interviewers. This unique career exploration program provides invaluable opportunities for students to participate in two job shadow experiences with mentors in St. Cloud area healthcare facilities. 




 Health Internship “ACC”

 

This course is the partner course to Health Careers Exploration, and it provides students with opportunities for out-of-school experiential learning. (This course does not meet in person.) Experiences include: shadowing experiences with mentors in healthcare facilities, tours of medical facilities, service learning at long-term care facilities, and exposure to post-secondary education and training.