Einstein Planned For Medical Science And Healthcare Programs

By Campbell Goldston

Along with redrawing boundary lines and dividing MCPS high schools into new regions, Montgomery County is also working on a new program analysis. This model will allocate programs within the new proposed regions, with each region containing the same set of programs. Einstein is planned for Region One along with Northwood, Blair, Whitman, and BCC. Einstein is planned to have music, visual art, and design programs, continuing the school’s already strong arts classes. Additionally, Einstein will focus on expanding their science department with new medical science and healthcare programs. 

According to MCPS, “the vision of the Medical Science and Healthcare Program is to develop future professionals in biology, medicine, and healthcare through an equity-driven, rigorous, and experiential curriculum that fosters academic excellence, cultural competency, and a commitment to improving community well-being.”

The medical science program will have a focus on biotechnology and will be criteria-based. A criteria-based program will have 30-60 regional seats and 15-25 seats reserved for students at the school. Students must also apply to these programs by submitting a portfolio or a written statement. The working draft for this program includes students taking a biology class focused on genetics and AP Computer Science Principles in their freshman year and biotechnology from their sophomore year onwards. As upperclassmen, students will be encouraged to take either IB Biology or IB Physics, as well as IB Personal and Professional Skills. The program would also allow students to earn a Biotechnician Assistant Credentialing (BACE) certification if they so choose. Northwest High School already has a biotechnology program, which provides an example of what Einstein’s program might be like.

In contrast to the biotechnology program, the new healthcare program will be interest-based, meaning that there will be 15-30 regional seats, and the seats reserved for Einstein students would vary from a set number to an unlimited amount. The draft of this pathway includes students taking a biology class focused on medicine in their freshman year, and a Certified Clinical Medical Assistant class throughout the rest of high school. The program will allow its students to earn a certification as a medical assistant. 

Although both of these programs are still working drafts and subject to change, they still show how both programs will work to expand the science department at Einstein. Jayson Palmer, an honors and IB biology teacher at Einstein, shared, “I think that’s going to be a great opportunity for, especially our science department, that doesn’t have many science electives, especially those students who are interested in going into medicine.” 

Along with Einstein, one school in each of the new regions will contain healthcare and biomedical programs (Paint Branch, Kennedy, Rockville, Crown, Clarksburg, and Northwest will keep their preexisting programs). These changes are set to occur during the 2027-2028 school year. The programs are still being worked on, so the final decisions will be made at a later date.