Health & Wellness Academy
Overview & Course Descriptions
Samohi’s Academies offer students an integrated approach to the curriculum anchored by a CTE pathway. Through a blocked schedule, students complete a CTE pathway in one year while earning credit for two additional academic courses. The Health and Wellness Academy brings together the CTE Sports Medicine & Healthcare course sequence with the English Composition for Sports Medicine and Human Biology courses. The academy is available to 11th and 12th grade students.
SPORTS MEDICINE & HEALTHCARE CTE COURSE SEQUENCE
SPORTS MEDICINE
“G” - College Preparatory Elective
This is a Career Technical Education (CTE) concentrator course within the Patient Care pathway that provides students with foundational knowledge, industry skills, and leadership development related to health care and sports medicine professions. Students learn the fundamentals of medical terminology, including word roots, prefixes, and suffixes, while exploring concepts of prevention, wellness, and disease processes within the scope of patient care. Instruction introduces students to the roles and responsibilities of healthcare professionals and prepares them for potential industry certifications such as cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and automated external defibrillator (AED).
The course provides instruction in key topics related to sports medicine, including the prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation of athletic injuries; anatomy and body systems; cell and tissue structure and response to injury; exercise physiology; therapeutic exercise and modalities; nutrition; pharmacology; and kinesiology. Students investigate how the human body responds to injury from the cellular level through organ systems and examine the role of biomechanics in injury prevention and recovery. Learning experiences include academic coursework, collaborative projects, anatomy exploration, and hands-on skill labs in first aid and emergency injury treatment. Students may also have opportunities for job shadowing or internships in related fields such as exercise physiology, biomechanics, sports psychology, sports nutrition, strength and conditioning, athletic training, and other healthcare professions.
ADVANCED SPORTS MEDICINE
“G” - College Preparatory Elective
This is a Career Technical Education (CTE) capstone course within the Patient Care pathway designed to prepare students for postsecondary education, training programs, or entry-level opportunities in health and sports medicine fields. The course develops advanced knowledge, industry skills, and leadership competencies aligned with healthcare industry standards and legislative requirements. Students explore specialized topics related to sports medicine, including the prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation of athletic injuries, as well as the structure and function of cells, tissues, and body systems. Emphasis is placed on anatomy, biomechanics, exercise physiology, therapeutic exercise and modalities, nutrition, and pharmacology, while reinforcing the medical terminology and professional skills necessary for careers in patient care.
Through rigorous academic study and applied learning experiences, students investigate how the human body responds to injury from the cellular level through organ systems and how biomechanics influence injury prevention, performance, and rehabilitation. Instruction integrates group projects, anatomy exploration, research assignments, and hands-on skill labs that strengthen clinical and problem-solving skills. Students examine legal and ethical issues in healthcare, explore career pathways in sports medicine and related health professions, and develop proficiency in emergency response and injury management. Opportunities for job shadowing or internships may be available in fields such as athletic training, exercise physiology, biomechanics, sports psychology, sports nutrition, strength and conditioning, and other healthcare-related professions, providing students with real-world insight into sports medicine careers.
HEALTH & WELLNESS ACADEMIC COURSES
ENGLISH COMPOSITION FOR SPORTS MEDICINE
“B” - English
This is an interdisciplinary English course within the Health and Wellness Academy that explores the intersection of storytelling, science, ethics, and human health. Students develop advanced reading, writing, speaking, and research skills through literature, nonfiction texts, and multimedia sources focused on medical topics and health-related issues. Through personal narrative writing, analysis of medical case studies, and discussion of ethical dilemmas in science and medicine, students examine how language and storytelling shape our understanding of the human body, illness, healing, and professional identity in the health field.
Throughout the course, students investigate topics such as biomedical ethics, sports-related brain injuries, human performance, and the history and social impact of disease. Major learning experiences include analyzing works such as The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, researching current health controversies, and engaging in project-based learning focused on policy and advocacy in youth sports. Students also conduct research, participate in Socratic seminars and collaborative discussions, and produce a range of writing (from personal narratives to argumentative and informative essays) preparing them to think critically about complex health issues while strengthening the communication skills essential for careers in the health sciences.
HUMAN BIOLOGY
“D” - Lab Science
Human Biology is a comprehensive course that explores the structure and function of the human body through a scientific lens. Students will engage in critical analysis of biological systems, focusing on the relationships between anatomical structures and their physiological functions. Emphasis is placed on systems thinking, scientific inquiry, and real-world applications in health, medicine, and human development. Through hands-on lab investigations, discussions of medical case studies, and integration of scientific literacy skills, students will gain a deep understanding of the complex interactions that sustain life in the human body.
The course builds scientific skills such as data analysis, hypothesis testing, anatomical modeling, and the use of evidence to support conclusions. Students are expected to think critically about biological processes, develop explanations based on observable phenomena, and evaluate scientific claims using logic and evidence. Human Biology prepares students for advanced study in anatomy, physiology, biomedical science, and related health fields.
Human Biology will explore the traditional life science in Biology through a close examination of the human body and its physiological processes. The goal of this course is to furnish students with the scientific concepts, principles and applications required to understand the human body. Topics range from the scientific method, the major body systems, and how these systems work with each other to maintain homeostatic balance. Through this course, students will showcase their ability to: 1) identify and evaluate disruptions in the human body 2) evaluate how environmental factors and lifestyle choices affect the human body in the long term 3) expand laboratory practices and collect and analyze data to form conclusions using both qualitative and quantitative data 4) explore global health issues to gain awareness of medicine in the real world and 5) engage in collaboration with peers to build presentation and listening skills.