BHS to offer intro medical course

By Oliver Lazenby

Blaine High School will offer a new class next year for students interested in medicine, called Principles of Biomedical Sciences. The class will introduce students to concepts of human physiology, basic biology, medicine and research processes.

“We just think the medical field is of interest to a lot of kids because that’s where a lot of jobs are,” said high school principal Scott Ellis.

The high school already has three classes filled and Ellis expects to have 80 to 90 students enrolled. Advanced Placement Biology teacher Ellie Weeks will teach the course, which is open to all students.

A nonprofit called Project Lead the Way designed the course curriculum. The nonprofit develops curriculum for courses in engineering and computer science, in addition to biomedical science.

Project Lead the Way’s curriculum for biomedical science includes four courses. The high school will start with the first year course and consider adding higher levels in the future, said Jim Nelson, Blaine High School’s career and technical education director.

In Principles of Biomedical Science, students investigate a fictional death, put together information using a fictional medical history and an autopsy report, and explore treatment that could have prolonged the fictional character’s life.

The school district board of directors approved the course at its April 24 board meeting.