Health Science

Health care is the largest and fastest growing industry in the United States. In this rapidly changing industry, technological advances have made many new procedures and methods of diagnosis and treatment possible. Clinical developments, such as infection control, less invasive surgical techniques, advances in reproductive technology, and gene therapy for cancer treatment, continue to increase the longevity and improve the quality of life of many Americans. In addition, advances in information technology have improved patient care and worker efficiency. Devices, such as handheld computers, are sued to record a patient's medical history. Information on vital signs and orders for tests are transferred electronically to a main database; this process eliminates the need for paper and reduces record-keeping errors. In this cluster, you will be prepared for careers promoting health and wellness and diagnosing and treating injuries and diseases. Some careers involve working directly with people, and others involve researching diseases or collecting and formatting data and information. Settings include hospitals, medical and dental offices, laboratories, medical evacuation units, sports arenas, and cruise ships.

Webster County Career and Technology Center Course offerings in this pathway include:

Health Sciences (Core) is a pathway of courses for students in the Health Sciences career cluster. The Health Sciences (Core) pathway includes classroom and hands-on experiences that will provide students with an overview of the health-care field, as outlined according to the Health Science Cluster in the National Career Clusters Framework and the National Consortium on Health Science Education (NCHSE), as well as begin to prepare students for careers in occupations predicted to have a high number of available jobs in the next 10 years, including careers in nursing services (registered nurse, nurse aide, practical nurse, home health aide), therapeutic services (sports medicine, athletic trainer, dietitian, respiratory therapy), diagnostic services (radiologist, phlebotomist, radiologic tech, sonographer, CT technology, medical lab technician), health informatics (health information technician, medical coder), veterinary services, medical services (optometrists, medical assistants), emergency services, rehabilitative services (physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy) counselors, pharmacists, mental health services (psychologists).

Healthcare and Clinical Services is a pathway offered to those students who have successfully completed the Health Sciences Core curriculum. This course helps the student establish insight in the healthcare field. Students will be exposed to the theory and applied tasks related to careers within health care. This course covers topics such as human growth and development, health informatics, information technology, and therapeutic and rehabilitative services. Other topics include medical and emergency services, mental health, and pharmacological and nursing services.

Upon completion of Health Science Core and Healthcare & Clinical Services, 2 units of Science (other than Biology I) may be awarded upon the completion of the sequence of courses to satisfy graduation requirements.