Health Science
Introduction
Through an engaging and innovative curriculum, Wayzata High School’s Health Science Pathway provides any student who may have an interest in the field of health science with an incredible opportunity to gain the valuable insights, experiences, knowledge and skills they need to propel them to success in a health science career.
Graduation Requirements
Wayzata Public Schools requires students to take at least 8 credits in Science. Students are required to take two credits of Earth Science, two credits of Biology, and two credits in Chemistry or Physics. The remaining two required science credits can be acquired through a combination of science electives or STEM-classified courses.
Biomedical Biology: 2 Biology credits
Exploring Health Careers: 1 STEM or elective credit
Medical Terminology: 1 STEM or elective credit
CTE Department Chair: Paul Kimbler
414 - EXPLORING HEALTH CAREERS (STEM): 1 Term / 1 Credit, Grades 9-12
In this one-term course, students will gain insight into what it would be like to have a career in a healthcare profession. Through a variety of activities, including hands-on experiences, guest speakers, and site visits, students will develop a broad understanding of healthcare and explore exciting careers that they might not even be aware of. In addition, students will begin to develop skills crucial to success in a healthcare setting, including suturing, reading x-rays, taking vital signs, and interpersonal skills that will allow them to better serve the diverse needs of patients. Students will have an opportunity to earn Articulated College Credit for completing the course, as well as certification in First Aid, CPR, and AED. There is a fee associated with this course.
413 - MEDICAL TERMINOLOGY (STEM): 1 Term / 1 Credit, Grades 10-12 [Watch Course Video]
This course introduces students to the language of medicine, which provides a valuable foundation for any student interested in pursuing a healthcare career. Students will learn how to construct and interpret unfamiliar medical terms using prefixes, suffixes, word roots, and singular and plural forms, as well as the meaning of medical acronyms and directional terms of the body. A typical day includes application of medical terms to common diseases and medications, interpreting actual medical case reports, and a variety of games to help reinforce vocabulary acquisition.
Student Testimonial:
"This Medical Terminology course focuses on the memorization of various prefixes, combining forms, suffixes, and abbreviations that are commonly seen in healthcare. Daily assignments and fun games help students become familiar with the terms, and I personally feel that the more effort and participation put in, the more useful these activities are. Tests are periodically given, and the homework load is relatively small. Overall, this course is beneficial for students who have an interest in gaining exposure to some of the language used in the medical field."
415 - BIOMEDICAL BIOLOGY, (PLTW-ARTICULATED-STEM): 2 Terms / 2 Credits, Grade 10 [Watch Course Video]
Prerequisite: Earth Science or Physical Science or Enriched Physical Science
In this course, students explore concepts of biology and medicine as they take on the roles of different medical professionals to solve real-world problems. Over the course of the semester, students are challenged in various scenarios including investigating a crime scene, diagnosing and proposing treatment to patients in a family medical practice, tracking down and containing a medical outbreak at a local hospital, stabilizing a patient during an emergency, and collaborating with others to design solutions to local and global medical problems.
In order to meet the Biology requirement for graduation, students taking Biomedical Biology will be automatically registered for the 1 term class Ecology and Evolution in order to address the ecology and evolution standards. Students may arrange with their counselor to substitute Ecology and Evolution with any of these courses: Wildlife Science (2-terms); Environmental Science (2-terms); AP Environmental Science (2-terms); AP Biology (3-terms)
9981 - CTE INTERNSHIP/APPRENTICESHIP (STEM): 1 Term / 1 Credit, Grades 11-12
Prerequisite: Introductory level related course
This capstone course is for juniors and seniors in CTE programs that are looking to further their education and skills. Students will gain valuable PAID work experience with a local company after they complete an in-person employability training. Successful participants may be eligible for college credit or be invited to become a full-time employee. Students will need to provide their own transportation, apply to the program, and be willing to interview with participating companies. Internship/apprenticeship areas include: manufacturing, construction, information technology, health science, and engineering. Students who are accepted into this program will have release within their school day to participate in the internship.
Learn Through: Internship/Apprenticeship experiences with metro-area companies, on-the job training, hands-on experience, reflections.
Topics/Skills: Employability skills, communication, leadership. Topics and skills learned on the job will be dependent on student interests. Companies will tailor the experience to their needs and student interests and skill set.
Perfect For: self-sufficient students who want to experience a career area first-hand during the school day.