LOS ALAMITOS, CA — For the 2023-2024 school year, Los Alamitos High School introduces a new advanced anatomy course. Taught by Mrs. Rofe, Advanced Anatomy is geared towards career-focused students interested in pursuing professions in the medical field.

Like regular Anatomy, Advanced Anatomy is part of the Project Lead the Way (PLTW) curriculum. PLTW focuses on real-world problems and their solutions, giving students interdisciplinary ways to apply their knowledge. One real-life application of the curriculum includes students following the life of a fictitious family. Members of this fictitious family each have various medical conditions that students need to diagnose and treat.

“Students [will] explore how to detect and fight infection, screen and evaluate the code in human DNA, and evaluate cancer treatment options,” Mrs. Rofe said. “Students [will be] exposed to a range of interventions related to immunology, surgery, genetics, pharmacology, medical devices, and diagnostics.”

To further facilitate the real-life applications of Advanced Anatomy, during the summer, construction is going to expand the current Anatomy room. Dubbed the “Patient’s Room,” Mrs. Rofe will share the new room with Mr. Hansen, who teaches Sports Medicine.

“[Mr. Hansen and I] do not have the final plans with details quite yet, but it will be a room that looks more like a physical therapy space versus a traditional classroom,” Mrs. Rofe said about the expansion.

The only prerequisite for joining Advanced Anatomy is that students must have taken the non-advanced anatomy course. However, students that have taken regular Anatomy the year before during the 2021-2022 school year are able to take the advanced course.

Advanced Anatomy is not a weighted course, but it is considered a capstone course. Additionally, after completing the class, students receive Biomedical Pathway Certification as part of the PLTW curriculum. For students interested in pursuing degrees on the medical track, these factors will make Advanced Anatomy stand out during the college admissions process. 

Currently, school administrators are considering a zero period of Advanced Anatomy. For students interested in the zero period option, it is important to make note of it on the 2023-2024 scheduling paper. Be sure to tell your counselor, too. 

The new advanced anatomy class will provide invaluable experiences for those wishing to pursue careers in the medical field or even those who are curious about it. Therefore, as scheduling for the 2023-2024 school year continues, current and former Anatomy students should consider the advanced course.