Northeast Advanced Anatomy Course Jumpstarts College Learning for High School Students
In collaboration with local K-12 school districts in the Finger Lakes region and the New York City metro area, Northeast College of Health Sciences has launched an innovative new course, Principles of Human Anatomy and Physiology (A&P), just for high school students to begin earning college credits.
Dedicated to powerfully preparing the next generation of healthcare leaders, Northeast College teamed up with the Seneca Falls Central School District to introduce local students to advanced anatomy and the College’s state-of-the art facilities and technology. While in the Anatomy Center on Northeast’s Seneca Falls Campus, students in the inaugural class learn about human cadaveric dissection, considered the gold standard for studying human anatomy. They also experience the most technologically advanced tools in the College’s digital anatomy lab.
Northeast Collaborates to Inspire Students to Think Big
Together, the educational institutions, both in Seneca Falls, N.Y., are jumpstarting College learning, providing a foundation for local students to pursue higher education and think big for their future careers. Mynderse Academy high school senior Makayla Williams wants to study the brain in college, ideally becoming a neuroscientist.
Williams eagerly signed up for the A&P course and rides the bus to Northeast College with 12 fellow students once a month. Together they participate in lab observations and experiments led by Northeast Associate Professor Dr. Ilija Arar. And like her classmates, Williams loves the hands-on experience and has never seen anything quite like the learning spaces and technology available at the College.
The students overwhelmingly say learning with human cadavers is their favorite part of the course. A close second is working with the Anatomage anatomy tables -- virtual dissection tools that mirror 3D visuals of real human cadavers on jumbo display screens. While in class at Northeast College recently, the students had to name the muscles of the upper and lower extremities, which were tagged on a cadaver donated to the College’s Anatomical Gift Program.
Dr. Arar is thrilled to expose students to the future of health sciences education. And he’s elated with the progress of the inaugural high school class. "You are doing a bang-up job on the labs," Arar told students during a college lab session. “I hope this experience will ignite a spark to create a new generation of science-literate individuals and future healthcare providers from our region.”
Preparing High School Seniors for College Learning
The Principles of Human Anatomy and Physiology course provides students entering the health, wellness and medical fields with a head start on the foundational education needed for their future careers. It also gives any potential college student a jumpstart in their general education and reduces the number of credits they’ll need to earn once enrolled, said Scott Redding, biology teacher in the science department at Mynderse Academy. Redding provides the lecture portion of the A&P course to students in the high school classroom, meeting with them daily Monday through Friday.
Also important to Redding is that the course provides students with an introduction to college learning and the responsibility and independence that is soon going to be expected of the students who move on to college. And most of them want to. Amelia and Myah want to be doctors, Vanyssa wants to be an anesthesiologist, Kylee hopes to be a forensic psychologist, Robert wants to be a college physical education teacher and Loc said he’s always been interested in learning about the human body.
With access to laboratory resources unlike any other college in the region, the inaugural high school Principles of Human Anatomy and Physiology class at Northeast College will continue their studies through June 2025 for a full academic year of studies, four college credits and a jumpstart on their futures. Future high school courses will be offered at Northeast College’s Seneca Falls Campus and Long Island Campus.
Principles of Anatomy and Physiology
For who: Local high school students
Credits: 4 credits
Locations: Northeast College Seneca Falls and Long Island campuses
Cost: $50/credit hour