Principles of the Biomedical Sciences Course Description
Principles of Biomedical Science (PBS) is a full-year high school course in the PLTW Biomedical Science Program. This course serves to provide foundational knowledge and skills in fields such as biology, anatomy & physiology, genetics, microbiology, and epidemiology as well as engage students in how this content can be applied to real-world situations, cases, and problems.
Through both individual and collaborative team activities, projects, and problems, students will tackle real-world challenges faced by biomedical professionals in the field. They will work with the same tools and equipment used in hospitals and labs as they engage in relevant hands-on work. Students will develop skill in technical documentation to represent and communicate experimental findings and solutions to problems. In addition, students will explore how connections to other disciplines such as computer science and engineering shape the future of medicine and practice collaboration techniques that will help them connect with professionals across any field.
Through both individual and collaborative team activities, projects, and problems, students will tackle real-world challenges faced by biomedical professionals in the field. They will work with the same tools and equipment used in hospitals and labs as they engage in relevant hands-on work. Students will develop skill in technical documentation to represent and communicate experimental findings and solutions to problems. In addition, students will explore how connections to other disciplines such as computer science and engineering shape the future of medicine and practice collaboration techniques that will help them connect with professionals across any field.
The Principles of the Biomedical Sciences (PBS) course is divided into six units designed to introduce students to the study of human biology and medicine. The following is a description of each unit in the PBS course.
Unit 1 – Medical Investigation
In Unit 1 students engage in forensic science and medical examination investigations in order to:
a.) explore biological and forensic science careers;
b.) gain experience in experimental design and data analysis;
c.) learn about biomolecules and their role in determining identity;
d.) learn about human anatomy and physiology and causes of death;
e.) practice synthesizing multiple forms of data to draw conclusions; and
f.) work to develop professional communication skills
Unit 2 – Clinical Care
Students assume the role of different medical professionals working through the schedule of patients in a family care clinic in order to:
a.) explore medical careers;
b.) practice professional communication;
c.) gain experience collecting, recording, and interpreting physiological data;
d.) learn how to perform routine medical tests and evaluate results;
e.) learn about cutting edge technologies revolutionizing healthcare;
f.) understand the interconnectedness between body systems; and
g.) explore the various causations and inheritance of disease.
Unit 3 – Outbreaks & Emergencies
Working as public health officials and then as emergency responders, students are presented with a series of events they must address while exploring:
a.) careers in public health, epidemiology, microbiology and emergency medicine;
b.) professional communication and presentation;
c.) data analysis;
d.) processes by which critical medical decisions are made and acted upon;
e.) processes by which patients are diagnosed with a contagious disease and by which a causative agent is identified.
Unit 4 – Innovation, Inc.
Welcome to PLTW Innovation, Inc. – an incubator for innovation where some of the best minds in science and engineering endeavor to solve some of the world’s most pressing biomedical challenges. Students tour Innovation, Inc. labs and engage in experiences designed to:
a.) build their engineering and experimental design process skills,
b.) challenge them to design solutions to current and emerging issues both on and off this world,
c.) tangibly highlight that solutions to biomedical science problems rely on collaboration between professions,
d.) build their computer science skills by using computer aided design (CAD) and geographic information system (GIS) to innovate the future of medicine, and
e.) explore career fields on the forefront of medicine.
Unit 1 – Medical Investigation
In Unit 1 students engage in forensic science and medical examination investigations in order to:
a.) explore biological and forensic science careers;
b.) gain experience in experimental design and data analysis;
c.) learn about biomolecules and their role in determining identity;
d.) learn about human anatomy and physiology and causes of death;
e.) practice synthesizing multiple forms of data to draw conclusions; and
f.) work to develop professional communication skills
Unit 2 – Clinical Care
Students assume the role of different medical professionals working through the schedule of patients in a family care clinic in order to:
a.) explore medical careers;
b.) practice professional communication;
c.) gain experience collecting, recording, and interpreting physiological data;
d.) learn how to perform routine medical tests and evaluate results;
e.) learn about cutting edge technologies revolutionizing healthcare;
f.) understand the interconnectedness between body systems; and
g.) explore the various causations and inheritance of disease.
Unit 3 – Outbreaks & Emergencies
Working as public health officials and then as emergency responders, students are presented with a series of events they must address while exploring:
a.) careers in public health, epidemiology, microbiology and emergency medicine;
b.) professional communication and presentation;
c.) data analysis;
d.) processes by which critical medical decisions are made and acted upon;
e.) processes by which patients are diagnosed with a contagious disease and by which a causative agent is identified.
Unit 4 – Innovation, Inc.
Welcome to PLTW Innovation, Inc. – an incubator for innovation where some of the best minds in science and engineering endeavor to solve some of the world’s most pressing biomedical challenges. Students tour Innovation, Inc. labs and engage in experiences designed to:
a.) build their engineering and experimental design process skills,
b.) challenge them to design solutions to current and emerging issues both on and off this world,
c.) tangibly highlight that solutions to biomedical science problems rely on collaboration between professions,
d.) build their computer science skills by using computer aided design (CAD) and geographic information system (GIS) to innovate the future of medicine, and
e.) explore career fields on the forefront of medicine.
Non-Discrimination Statement:
The Chapel Hill – Carrboro Board of Education, therefore the Career and Technical Education Department, prohibits discrimination, harassment, or bullying based on protected classifications that include, but are not limited to, the following: race, creed, color, national origin, gender, gender identity, class, socioeconomics, ethnicity, sexual orientation, cognitive/physical ability, diverse language fluency, religion, status as an English Language Learner, marital status, pregnancy, parenthood, immigration status, genetic makeup, or any classification or characteristic protected by state or federal law or regulation, or by this policy. The Board further prohibits discrimination against a person perceived to have any of the above characteristics or against a person for associating with someone protected by this policy. Individuals who wish to file a discrimination, harassment, and/or Title 9 complaint may call the Civil Rights Compliance Coordinator: Brandy Reeves Chief of Staff and School Leadership [email protected]
Declaración de no discriminación:
La Consejo de Administración de Chapel Hill y Carrboro, por lo tanto, el Departamento de Educación Técnica y Profesional, prohíbe la discriminación, acoso o intimidación basado en clasificaciones protegidas que incluyen, pero no se limitan a, lo siguiente: raza, credo, color, nacionalidad, género, identidad de género, clase, clase socioeconómica, origen étnico, orientación sexual, capacidad cognitiva / física, fluidez lingüística diversa, religión, aprendiz del idioma inglés, estado civil, embarazo, paternidad, estado migratorio, composición genética o cualquier clasificación o característica protegida por la ley o regulación estatal o federal, o por esta política. El Consejo también prohíbe la discriminación contra una persona que se percibe que tiene cualquiera de las características anteriores o contra una persona por asociarse con alguien protegido por esta política. Las personas que deseen presentar una queja por discriminación, acoso y/o Título 9 pueden llamar al Coordinador de Cumplimiento de Derechos Civiles: Brandy Reeves, Jefe de personal y liderazgo escolar, al [email protected]
The Chapel Hill – Carrboro Board of Education, therefore the Career and Technical Education Department, prohibits discrimination, harassment, or bullying based on protected classifications that include, but are not limited to, the following: race, creed, color, national origin, gender, gender identity, class, socioeconomics, ethnicity, sexual orientation, cognitive/physical ability, diverse language fluency, religion, status as an English Language Learner, marital status, pregnancy, parenthood, immigration status, genetic makeup, or any classification or characteristic protected by state or federal law or regulation, or by this policy. The Board further prohibits discrimination against a person perceived to have any of the above characteristics or against a person for associating with someone protected by this policy. Individuals who wish to file a discrimination, harassment, and/or Title 9 complaint may call the Civil Rights Compliance Coordinator: Brandy Reeves Chief of Staff and School Leadership [email protected]
Declaración de no discriminación:
La Consejo de Administración de Chapel Hill y Carrboro, por lo tanto, el Departamento de Educación Técnica y Profesional, prohíbe la discriminación, acoso o intimidación basado en clasificaciones protegidas que incluyen, pero no se limitan a, lo siguiente: raza, credo, color, nacionalidad, género, identidad de género, clase, clase socioeconómica, origen étnico, orientación sexual, capacidad cognitiva / física, fluidez lingüística diversa, religión, aprendiz del idioma inglés, estado civil, embarazo, paternidad, estado migratorio, composición genética o cualquier clasificación o característica protegida por la ley o regulación estatal o federal, o por esta política. El Consejo también prohíbe la discriminación contra una persona que se percibe que tiene cualquiera de las características anteriores o contra una persona por asociarse con alguien protegido por esta política. Las personas que deseen presentar una queja por discriminación, acoso y/o Título 9 pueden llamar al Coordinador de Cumplimiento de Derechos Civiles: Brandy Reeves, Jefe de personal y liderazgo escolar, al [email protected]