Harvard MEDscience brings science to life for local high-schoolers

Harvard’s MEDscience program offers local high-schoolers hands-on learning. The program, which is currently in 11 Boston Public Schools, is a semester long high school biology curriculum that studies the anatomy and physiology of seven human organ systems such as the cardiovascular system or digestive system. Each schools’ science teacher integrates a MEDscience-designed curriculum into their classroom instruction. But one day a week, the class travels to Harvard Medical School—to the MEDscience Simulation Lab – to use what they’ve learned in the classroom to take care of a patient. Educators often find that students who learn through simulation and experiential, or hands-on learning, are able deepen their understanding of an issue or lesson by connecting it to real-life experiences. The program also stresses the importance of critical thinking, self-efficacy, leadership, problem solving, teamwork and confidence.