This two-year program equips students with the knowledge and skills needed for careers focused on helping patients maintain and improve their physical, mental, and emotional health. Students will explore key concepts in diet, exercise, and rehabilitation techniques to aid recovery from injury, illness, and disease. The curriculum includes foundational health science topics, such as employability skills, lifespan development, and legal and ethical standards in healthcare.

Students will also study kinesiology, learning about body mechanics, muscle movement, and physiological responses to physical activity. The program covers Anatomy and Physiology with a focus on how the body adapts to both acute and chronic exercise, particularly in sports and athletic performance. Topics include cellular metabolism, energy systems, and the effects of exercise on the respiratory, nervous, cardiovascular, endocrine, skeletal, and muscular systems. Additionally, students will study essential nutrition and wellness principles to optimize athletic and human performance.

In the second year, students will gain hands-on experience through clinical observations in two healthcare fields, complete ten weeks of work-based learning, and earn certifications in American Red Cross CPR & AED for the Professional Rescuer. This program prepares students for success in both higher education and the dynamic healthcare workforce, offering a rigorous and relevant pathway to college and career readiness.

Instructors:
Mrs. Julie Stucki

Possible careers: Athletic Trainer, Cardiac Rehab. Specialist, Exercise Physiologist, Kinesiologist, Occupational Therapist, Orthopedic Physician, Personal Trainer, Physical Therapist, Physical Therapy Assistant, Prosthetist, Sports Medicine Physician, Sports Nutritionist, Wellness Coordinator

Dual Credits available:
University of Southern Indiana (USI)
KIN 188 - Intro to Kinesiology and Sport
KIN 281 - Personal Health Science
KIN 282 - CPR for the Healthcare Provider and Sports Injury Prevention
BIOL 121 - Human Anatomy and Physiology I
KIN 396 Health Fitness Management

Certifications available:
American Red Cross: CPR/AED for the Professional Rescuer; HIPAA - Career Safe; OSHA 10 Safety Certification; Concussion Training; Stop The Bleed; Bloodborne Pathogens