Photo by Braylen Garren

Sophomore Ben Maxey uses a patient simulation to practice taking a patient’s pulse. Health Science prepares students for higher level medical classes and is an introduction to the medical field.

How to save a life

Welcome to Rooms 56, 57, 219

Story by Nashita Kalam, News/Feature Editor

After a short walk down the art building stairs, students are met face-to-face with an old brick building. Most people might walk past and not think twice about what might be inside. They might not know that the students inside that building are learning to prepare for some of the most important career fields.

Texas High offers various health science courses and has advanced technology to help students learn necessary skills to go into the healthcare field. Students start off by taking Principles of Health Science to learn the basics.

“The main objective for this course is for the student to be exposed to all the different health care careers available,” health science teacher Joe Nolen said. “A lot of this course is hand-on projects as well as Google Classroom work.”

Students who continue their interest in health related courses can move onto the Health Science Theory course where students can learn basic medical skills. This will benefit students who will go into the healthcare field or even people who won’t. In the past two years, the district has purchased technology such as patient simulators that will allow students to practice skills hands-on.

“The Health Science Theory course is a little more of a hands-on type course where students learn more skill development in areas such as CPR and measuring the vital signs like pulse, respirations, blood pressure and body temperature, as well as additional knowledge and skills necessary to work in various medical careers,” Nolen said.

Texas High is fortunate enough to provide courses that many schools don’t. The school doesn’t only offer courses that are general to just healthcare, but also courses that are specific to certain healthcare fields such as radiology. These courses allow students to be able to walk out of the classroom at the end of the year and be able to become certified in that profession.

“There are only two schools in the state of Texas that have imaging courses so far, with Texas High being one of the two,” Nolen said. “Students will be working toward being able to sit for the Limited Scope Medical Radiography Certification Exam.”

The health science CTE program also considered classes for healthcare courses that most people don’t think of. The pharmacology and pharmacy technician course allows students to learn about the pharmacy route, a route that is usually overlooked.

“The Pharmacology course is typically taken as an 11th grader and very helpful for students going into the Practicum of Health Science Pharmacy Technician course, where students can become a certified pharmacy technician,” Nolen said. “Students will learn the requirements to become a pharmacy technician and to maintain certification and licensure [in the practicum class].”

Through Texarkana College, students can learn skills to directly go into the workforce. During the courses, students learn the knowledge and skills necessary to succeed in the fields, and at the end of the year, students can become certified and get a job in the profession.

“This Health Science Practicum course is designed for students who would like to become certified in phlebotomy and in EKG. With these certifications, the student can go to work as a phlebotomist or as an EKG Technician where the technician takes and records the electrical activity of the heart,” Nolen said. “The Health Science Practicum CNA course is designed to help students acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to become a certified nursing assistant. Students learn the textbook concepts required for a nursing assistant.”

Students enjoy their health science courses. The classes are interesting and help students prepare for their future.

“I enjoy my health science class a lot,” sophomore Laila Toubia. “I am interested in the medical field and in class we get to explore different jobs. It’s a class where I can relax, talk and have fun learning.”