The Health Science program at HRCTEC is designed for students eager to enter the fast-paced medical field. Combining rigorous academic study with high-fidelity clinical simulations, students gain a competitive edge for post-secondary education and immediate healthcare employment.
Embedded Files
What You’ll Learn
What You’ll Learn
Our curriculum follows the North Dakota CTE Health Sciences Standards, focusing on:
Core Medical Foundations: Anatomy & Physiology, Medical Terminology, and Pathophysiology.
Hands-on Clinical Skills: Patient assessment, infection control, and vital sign monitoring.
Emergency Care: CPR and First Aid certification.
Professionalism: Healthcare ethics, legal responsibilities, and effective communication.
Career Exploration: Direct exposure to nursing, therapy services, radiology, and more.
Facilities & Opportunities
Facilities & Opportunities
State-of-the-Art Lab: Practice in a simulated hospital environment equipped with hospital beds, medical manikins, and industry-standard diagnostic tools.
CNA Pathway: Prepare for the Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) examination through dedicated lecture and clinical hours.
HOSA Membership: Students can join HOSA - Future Health Professionals, a premier student organization for leadership and competitive events in the medical field.
In a Health Science context, a pig heart dissection moves beyond basic biology and focuses on clinical application, pathology, and cardiovascular health. You aren't just looking at the anatomy; you're looking at how that anatomy supports human life and what happens when it fails.
Here is the breakdown of the lab with a professional, Health Science focus:
1. The Clinical Orientation
1. The Clinical Orientation
Before making your first cut, orient the heart as if it were inside a patient in the Anatomical Position.
Ventral (Anterior) Surface: Identify the Interventricular Sulcus. This is the "groove" that holds the major coronary arteries. In a clinical setting, this is where a blockage often leads to a myocardial infarction (heart attack).
The Great Vessels: Locate the Aorta and the Superior Vena Cava. Note the difference in tissue elasticity; the aorta is much "springier" to handle high-pressure blood flow.
2. Internal Exploration & "Pathology"
2. Internal Exploration & "Pathology"
As you open the chambers, look for these specific features through the lens of a healthcare provider:
The Left Ventricle (The Powerhouse)
Observe the thickness of the Myocardium. In Health Science, we discuss Left Ventricular Hypertrophy—where this muscle becomes too thick (often due to high blood pressure), making it harder for the heart to fill with blood.
The Valve Apparatus
Locate the Mitral (Bicuspid) Valve and the Tricuspid Valve.
Chordae Tendineae: Examine these "heartstrings." If these rupture, it leads to valve prolapse and regurgitation (blood flowing backward).
Papillary Muscles: These are the mounds of muscle the strings attach to. They contract to prevent the valves from inverting.
The Conduction Path (Theoretical)
While you can’t easily see the electrical "wiring" (like the SA node) with the naked eye, you can identify the Moderator Band in the right ventricle. It’s a thick band of muscle that helps coordinate the electrical signal for the heart to beat.
3. Critical Thinking: Health Science Connections
3. Critical Thinking: Health Science Connections
Feature
Coronary Arteries
Interatrial Septum
Endocardium
Aortic Semilunar Valve
Clinical Connection
Site of Atherosclerosis (plaque buildup).
Looking for a "PF
(Patent Foramen Ovale), a hole in the heart.
The smooth lining; infection here is called Endocarditis.
Site of Stenosis, where the valve narrows and restricts blood flow.
4. Lab Best Practices
4. Lab Best Practices
Systematic Tracing: Use a blunt probe to trace the path of a red blood cell. Start in the Vena Cava and work your way through to the Aorta. If the probe hits a "dead end," you’ve likely missed a valve or gone through the wrong vessel.
Texture Analysis: Feel the difference between the Atria (thin, like paper) and the Ventricles (dense, like a steak). This illustrates the difference between a "receiving" chamber and a "pumping" chamber.
Page updated
Google Sites
Report abuse