Health And Medical Science

In this specialization course for PLTW, students are taught concepts of human physiology, medical innovation, water contamination, public health issues, molecular biology, and forensic autopsy. Students complete an independent project as a culminating activity.

This course is included in the following career pathway(s):

• Health Science - Biomedical Science

Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) is a two-credit course designed for students interested in becoming an EMT. Students explore and apply the fundamentals of emergency medical services (EMS), anatomy, physiology, and medical terminology while demonstrating skills in assessing and managing patient care, including the understanding of medical emergencies, trauma, shock, and resuscitation. Students must complete a minimum of 85 percent of the didactic and lab aspects of the course. Successful completion of all course requirements may lead to eligibility to take the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians (NREMT) cognitive exam. Students must meet the requirements of the Functional Position Description for the Basic Life Support Provider.

Students will learn how to treat and manage patients with various traumatic injuries and medical conditions. They will then participate in rotations with real paramedics outside of school hours where they will utilize their newly acquired knowledge and skills. These rotations are required to be eligible for the optional certification testing after course completion.

It is important to note that final eligibility for national registry certification testing is determined by the course education coordinator and the EMS physician.

In this specialization course for Project Lead the Way (PLTW), students explore the human body systems of communication, power, and movement. To do this, students are taught the body's components, tissues, molecules, and cells, as well as concepts of homeostasis and body system defenses. Contextual instruction and student participation in co-curricular career and technical student organization (CTSO) activities will develop leadership, interpersonal, and career skills. 

This course connects to the following career pathways:
Health Science - Biomedical Science

This course introduces the student to a variety of healthcare careers and develops basic skills required in all health and medical sciences. It is designed to help students understand the key elements of the U.S. healthcare system and to learn basic healthcare terminology, anatomy and physiology for each body system, pathologies, diagnostic and clinical procedures, therapeutic interventions, and the fundamentals of traumatic and medical emergency care. Throughout the course, instruction emphasizes safety, cleanliness, asepsis, professionalism, accountability, and efficiency within the healthcare environment. Students also begin gaining job-seeking skills for entry into the health and medical sciences field. Contextual instruction and student participation in co-curricular career and technical student organization (CTSO) activities will develop leadership, interpersonal, and career skills.

This course connects to the following career pathways:
Health Science - Therapeutic Services
Health Science - Medical Coding and Billing
Health Science - Practical Nursing

Students will be introduced to healthcare systems, management of an office, and the electronic medical record (EMR) as it pertains to the field of medical coding and billing. Students will be introduced to the field of health informatics as well as medical terminology used to describe human anatomy and physiology. Contextual instruction and student participation in co-curricular career and technical student organization (CTSO) activities will develop leadership, interpersonal, and career skills. 

This course connects to the following career pathways:
Health Science - Medical Coding and Billing

Students will learn the health insurance industry and legal and regulatory issues, the principles of medical coding and billing related to reimbursement, claim submission, and payment. Students will examine the International Classification of Diseases (ICD), Current Procedural Terminology (CPT), and Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System (HCPCS) coding systems. Students will consider the effect of fraud on health care and importance of ethics in medical coding and billing. Contextual instruction and student participation in co-curricular career and technical student organization (CTSO) activities will develop leadership, interpersonal, and career skills.

This course connects to the following career pathways:

• Health Science - Medical Coding and Billing

In this specialization course for Project Lead the Way (PLTW), students are taught concepts in fighting infections, understanding genetics, and preventing, detecting, and treating cancer and organ failure. Contextual instruction and student participation in co-curricular career and technical student organization (CTSO) activities will develop leadership, interpersonal, and career skills. 

This course connects to the following career pathways:
Health Science - Biomedical Science

Medical Terminology is designed to help students learn common medical terms essential for patient care. Topics are presented in logical order, beginning with each body system's anatomy and physiology and progressing through pathology, laboratory tests and clinical procedures, therapeutic interventions, and pharmacology. Students learn concepts, terms, and abbreviations for each topic. Contextual instruction and student participation in co-curricular career and technical student organization (CTSO) activities will develop leadership, interpersonal, and career skills. 

This course connects to the following career pathways:
Health Science - Therapeutic Services
Health Science - Medical Coding and Billing
Health Science - Practical Nursing

Medical Terminology is designed to help students learn common medical terms essential for patient care. Topics are presented in logical order, beginning with each body system's anatomy and physiology and progressing through pathology, laboratory tests and clinical procedures, therapeutic interventions, and pharmacology. Students learn concepts, terms, and abbreviations for each topic. Contextual instruction and student participation in co-curricular career and technical student organization (CTSO) activities will develop leadership, interpersonal, and career skills. 

Check with your school counselor to see if this course is offered as dual enrollment.

This course connects to the following career pathways:
Health Science - Therapeutic Services
Health Science - Medical Coding and Billing
Health Science - Practical Nursing

Pharmacy Technician 1 is designed for students to explore and apply the fundamentals of pharmacy practice, pharmacy law, regulations and ethics, prescription interpretation and pharmacy calculations. Successful completion of this course qualifies students to enroll in Pharmacy Technician 2 to complete the program sequence and fulfill the requirements of the Virginia Board of Pharmacy and prepare students to take a national examination.

This certificate program is designed for students to apply advanced pharmacy practice, sterile compounding, non-sterile compounding, and inventory management. Successful completion of Pharmacy Technician 1 qualifies student to apply to Virginia Board of Pharmacy for clinical pharmacy technician trainee license. For students to receive credit for completion of an accredited pharmacy technician training program, the program requirements must be met, to include both classroom and clinical portions of the program. Furthermore, clinical experiences must include a minimum of 130 hours in a dispensing pharmacy setting where the students will utilize skills learned during the course.

In the first semester of Practical Nursing, students will learn the fundamentals of nursing that include communication, human anatomy, body function, and nutrition, as related to patients/clients across the life cycle. Contextual instruction and student participation in co-curricular career and technical student organization (CTSO) activities will develop leadership, interpersonal, and career skills. 

This specialty program is available by application to high school students in grade 12 and includes both Practical Nursing 1 (Semester) and Practical Nursing 2 (Semester). Visit www.pwcs.edu/practicalnursing to learn more and to submit an application.

This course connects to the following career pathways:
Health Science - Practical Nursing

In the second semester of Practical Nursing, instruction will focus on basic nursing skills, medical asepsis, human development across the life cycle, and an introduction to pharmacology. Students will also apply basic nursing skills in interactive settings. Contextual instruction and student participation in co-curricular career and technical student organization (CTSO) activities will develop leadership, interpersonal, and career skills.

This specialty program is available by application to high school students in grade 12 and includes both Practical Nursing 1 (Semester) and Practical Nursing 2 (Semester). Visit www.pwcs.edu/practicalnursing to learn more and to submit an application.

This course connects to the following career pathways:
Health Science - Practical Nursing

This high school extended course provides classroom instruction and clinical training (a minimum of 400 direct client-care hours) in approved hospitals, clinics, licensed nursing homes, home-care settings, group homes, assisted living facilities, and/or schools under the direction of a nurse educator. Instruction emphasizes administration of medicines and advanced and complex client care across the life cycle. Students learn advanced anatomy, physiology, and human behavior as related to health and disease, including mental illness. Upon successful completion of the total program, students are eligible to take the National Council Licensure Examination for Practical Nursing (NCLEX-PN). 

This course connects to the following career pathways:
Health Science - Practical Nursing

In this specialization course for Project Lead the Way (PLTW), students are taught concepts of forensic inquiry, DNA and inheritance, and the function of human body systems, exploring the body through diseases, such as those leading to diabetes and heart, sickle cell, and infectious diseases. Students also explore medical interventions, postmortem examination, bioprocessing, bioinformatics, and concepts of microbiology and genetic engineering. Contextual instruction and student participation in co-curricular career and technical student organization (CTSO) activities will develop leadership, interpersonal, and career skills. 

This course connects to the following career pathways:
Health Science - Biomedical Science

In this course, students earn a certification in First Aid, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), and automatic external defibrillator (AED). The course introduces students to topics such as human anatomy and physiology, nutrition, medical terminology, injuries and illnesses, and legal and ethical issues in sports medicine. Students will learn and demonstrate emergency care, taping and wrapping of injuries, and apply other hands-on skills for treating injury. Students also examine prospective careers in the sports medicine field. Contextual instruction and student participation in co-curricular career and technical student organization (CTSO) activities will develop leadership, interpersonal, and career skills.

This course connects to the following career pathways:
Health Science - Therapeutic Services

This course builds upon basic knowledge acquired in Sports Medicine 1 on topics such as exercise physiology, biomechanics, exercise program design, and injury prevention, assessment, treatment, and management. Students will assess fitness, measure body composition, and design exercise programs. Students prepare for a career in sports medicine, including completing an internship, practicing interview skills, and building a resume. Contextual instruction and student participation in co-curricular career and technical student organization (CTSO) activities will develop leadership, interpersonal, and career skills. 

This course connects to the following career pathways:
Health Science - Therapeutic Services