Teaching the technology of the future

Teaching the technology of the future

Written by Beth Wade Monday, 07 May 2007

Health science programs equip students for medical careers

In the Pflugerville and Round Rock school districts, health and science classes reach out to students interested in a career in the medical industry.

“We are responding to the need for students to have support in high school for the knowledge and skills necessary to have a career in the medical industry,” said Christine Gilbert, Connally High School teacher.

Connally, in Pflugerville ISD, has a Health Science Technology program beginning at the freshman level. Gilbert hopes to transition to a four-year Health and Medical Academy beginning next year.

Round Rock ISD offers a Health Science Technology Academy for its students at the McNeil High School campus. The application process begins in the eighth grade.

“We are teaching these students to not only communicate with patients, but communicate in a professional atmosphere,” Gilbert said. “I believe that is very important.”

Students spend two hours on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays rotating through departments, learning various medical related job skills and spending time working with patients.

In class, students learn to provide nurse assistance, take vital signs and create a safe, comfortable environment for patients, which are skills used during hospital visits.

“The beauty of this is not only are they able to observe various roles,” Gilbert said, “but they get those valuable hands on experiences.”

McNeil and Connally students took a behind-the-scenes look at St. David’s North Austin Medical Center’s newest technology as part of their hospital visit portion of the program. The two schools met hospital physicians to learn about the Cardiac Catheterization Lab, which opened in December.

Students were given a presentation about the technology used to diagnose heart related illnesses and an opportunity to see the technology first hand.

“If we begin the education process at an early age, we have a greater chance at sparking a student’s interest in a career in healthcare and teaching him or her to make healthy lifestyle decisions that prevent disease,” Don Wilkerson, CEO of St. David’s North Austin Medical Center, said.

Round Rock ISD high school academies

Professional Educator Academy

• Round Rock High School
• Students: 9 - 12 grades
  Learn: Various professional roles in education
• Earn: College Credit, AP Credit and educational assistant certification

Engineering Academy

• McNeil High School
• Students: 9 - 12 grades
  Learn: Critical-thinking skills to solve real-world problems
• Earn: College Credit

Health Science Technology Academy

• McNeil High School
• Students: 9 - 12 grades
  Learn: Health care field
  Earn: Certification in AED/CPF and First Aid

Fine Arts Academy

• Westwood High School
• Students: 9 - 12 grades
  Learn: Art, Dance, Theater and Music while interacting with other students, teachers and professional performers and artists

Science and Medicine Academy

• Stony Point High School
• Students: 9 - 12 grades
  Learn: Various health and science fields
  Options: Honors classes for an in-depth look at the medical field

Information Technology Academy

• Stony Point High School
• Students: 9 - 12 grades
  Learn: All aspects of information technology
  Complete: Real-world projects

International Baccalaureate Academy

• Westwood High School
• Students: 9 - 12 grades
  Learn: Prepares students for college courses
  Earn: 24 college credit hours

Note: Connally High School, through a grant it received, plans to implement a smaller learning academy program similar to the Round Rock academies beginning with the freshman class next fall.