This six-week course covers many aspects of human anatomy and physiology, beginning with the organization of the human body, structure and function of cells, and an introduction to the principles of genetics.  After this foundation, the course moves on to discuss each of our eleven organ systems–the nervous, skeletal, muscular, circulatory, respiratory, lymphatic, urinary, integumentary, digestive, endocrine, and reproductive systems.  Each lesson includes information about specific disorders that sometimes occur, and we’ll talk about some recent advances in medicine as well.  Each lesson also contains an assignment, a pronunciation guide, a quiz, and links to additional Web sites that I have previewed and found to relate directly to the material in the lesson.  You can ask me questions about the material at any time through a Discussion Area.

Excerpt from Chapter 2 of Lesson 6 (The Muscular System)

Muscle Anatomy

We have about 650 muscles in our bodies, so we can’t cover all of them in this course! What we can do, though, is get an idea of the parts of most muscles, understand how they work together to produce a movement, and learn how muscle fibers and neurons work together to make a muscle contract.

The main part of the muscle, the muscle belly, contains thousands of individual muscle fibers, the muscle’s cells. Muscle fibers are wrapped together in bundles very similar to the arrangement of neurons in a nerve. In this case, though, it might be more helpful to think of muscle fibers as straws bundled together (instead of telephone wires) because muscle fibers stay inside the muscle belly.

Each individual muscle fiber is wrapped in a layer of collagen called an endomysium. Groups of muscle fibers are bundled together in fascicles, similar to the way that nerve cells are bundled. Fascicles are surrounded by another collagen layer called a perimysium. The entire muscle belly is surrounded by another layer called the epimysium, which is surrounded by a sheath of connective tissue called the fascia.

“As a lifelong student and college professor with several degrees, some of which included online courses, I found Holly Trimble to be the best online instructor I have ever had. She explained topics in a clear, yet thorough way, and accentuated these with narratives that helped to personalize the online classroom. I am definitely considering taking another course with her. Thanks so much, Holly, for the great learning experience!” – ed2go student

“This course was much more informative than I expected. I learned so very much about human anatomy… I am still amazed as to how everything works together to maintain homeostasis and keep us going. Wonderful course! Loved the teaching style of Holly Trimble. She made it interesting and so informative.” – ed2go student

“I really enjoyed the class. The information was in an easily digestible format. As a medical records coder, this course will help take me to a higher level of coding with the anatomy knowledge I have now. This class far exceeded my expectations!” – ed2go student

Take a journey through the human body and learn medical terminology related to all 11 of its organ systems.  In this course, we discuss diseases of the cardiovascular, lymphatic, respiratory, nervous, skeletal, muscular, integumentary (skin), urinary, digestive, and male and female reproductive systems.  We also go over different diagnostic and treatment procedures for each system.  As you progress through the course, you’ll learn the meaning of many prefixes, root words, and suffixes, and you’ll greatly increase your medical terminology vocabulary!

Excerpt from Chapter 3 of Lesson 1 (The Cardiovascular System)

Term:  cardiodynia

Root: cardi/o – heart

Suffix: dynia – pain

Pronunciation: kar – dee – oh – din – ee – a

Meaning: pain in the heart or the region of the heart

Usage: The patient’s periodic cardiodynia was of grave concern to his family’s doctor, so he referred him to a cardiologist (a physician who specializes in cardiovascular disorders).

Important to know:

Cardiodynia should never be ignored, even if the person experiencing it thinks it’s just gastroesophageal reflux (heartburn). Pain in the heart region should always be treated as a medical emergency as it may be a sign of a myocardial infarction (heart attack). A myocardial infarction is sometimes called an MI.

View Class Demo

“I really enjoyed taking this course. It helped to expand my knowledge of medical terminology. I thoroughly enjoyed learning about diagnostic procedures and treatments the most; it has made things a bit clearer in my medical coding studies.” – ed2go student

“I really enjoyed the course and found it to be beneficial to my career goals and aspirations. The course was extremely convenient and the cost is more than reasonable.” – ed2go student

“Wonderful course that enhanced my knowledge…Loved the “Important to Know” section of each disease. Very helpful. The images and quick evaluation quizzes were great!” – ed2go student

“Great course! I learned a lot. It was simply written, yet very comprehensive. I especially liked how the instructor expanded upon each of the terms to further the learning experience. Thank you!” – ed2go student

“I loved how in depth this course was! I felt as though I was taking an anatomy, biology, and medical terminology class all in one. Breaking down each part of the lesson by the system, diseases, treatments, and procedures was a great way to expand the lesson well beyond just terminology. GREAT class!! Thank you so much, Holly!”  – ed2go student

This six-week course covers topics that we didn’t have time for in Human Anatomy and Physiology I.  It covers basic histology–the study of the different tissues in the body, and then moves on to a discussion of the different senses, including proprioception (information from your muscles and joints), balance, sight, sound, taste, and smell.  We also talk about cellular metabolism–the chemical reactions that occur in cells, and we discuss classes of chemicals called acids, bases, and salts, and their significance in the body.  You’ll then learn about significant events in the human lifespan, from fertilization of an egg by a sperm through old age.  By the end of the course, you’ll have an even greater appreciation of the complexity and wonder of the human body!

Excerpt from Chapter 4 of Lesson 3 (The Senses of Proprioception and Equilibrium)

Understanding Equilibrium

The word equilibrium refers to your sense of balance. It allows you to sit, walk, run, ride a bike, go up and down stairs, and generally get through your day without falling over. Your sense of equilibrium relies on information from several different sources. These include:

• The proprioceptors in your muscles and joints that give your brain information about the position of your body parts and how hard your muscles are contracting.
• The cutaneous receptors in your skin that give your brain information about the surfaces touching your body.
• Sensory receptors in your eyes that give your brain visual information about the position of your body in relationship to your environment.
• Sensory receptors in your vestibular system, located in your inner ear, that give your brain information about the position of your head and the direction and speed of any movement.

Once this information gets to the brain, the brain must coordinate it to get an accurate picture of your position and movement. To stay in balance, it must then send the correct signals, via motor neurons, to your muscles. Your muscles then have to contract and relax in just the right order and with just the right amount of force.

Ideally, your body will respond to challenges to its balance with automaticity. In other words, you don’t have to think about what’s going on. Riding a bicycle is a great example of this. Do you remember what a challenge it was to learn to ride a bike? At first, it takes a great deal of mental effort and concentration to stay upright. But once you get it, it sticks with you. Even well into adulthood, most of us can get on a bike and head down the street without even thinking about it.

“This is the first online course I have ever taken, and it was wonderful. I was hesitant to take one, but as I got into it and realized how fun it was, I picked up another one! I will definitely recommend this instructor to anyone willing to take an online course, and I will look for her name the next time I sign up for one. Thanks so much.” – ed2go student

“I can’t even begin to express how much this class has opened my eyes and mind up to everything that goes on in the human body. I took this class to help me get accepted to nursing school, but the class was so interesting that now I know without a doubt that I am headed in the right direction with my career. I really enjoyed the class, and I’ve always heard if you enjoy doing it then you’re in the right place. Thanks for making this so interesting.” – ed2go student

“I appreciated the amount of enthusiasm that came through from the instructor. I feel I have a strong basic understanding of the human body and its many systems. I believe this course has prepared me for my new career course and am very thankful for the opportunity to learn in this online format.” – ed2go student

This six-week course will help prepare you for a rewarding career as a physical therapy aide.  You’ll learn about different disorders, and the way physical therapists treat these disorders, as well as the specific role of the physical therapy aide.  You’ll also learn how to communicate effectively with health care professionals and patients and how to understand medical documentation, and you’ll learn about important principles of ethics and laws that will affect you if you choose this career.  We’ll cover many different medical terms commonly used by physical therapists, and we’ll study the body’s eleven organ systems.  We’ll also discuss infection control, proper body mechanics, moving patients safely, and the normal gait cycle.  Physical therapists use physical agents called modalities and exercise to treat their patients, so we’ll spend two lessons on those topics.  In addition, we’ll cover balance and coordination disorders and talk about treating children with disabilities.

Excerpt from Chapter 2 of Lesson 10:  Using Physical Agents

Let’s look at what happened to Mrs. Smith’s muscles when she injured them in the car accident. The force of the accident caused the muscle fibers in her neck to actually tear. Along with tearing of the muscle fibers, blood vessels and nerves in her muscles were damaged. This damage started a process called acute inflammation.

Acute Inflammation

Acute inflammation happens right after an injury. If the injury isn’t too severe, it usually lasts from one to six days. During acute inflammation, more blood flows to the site of injury, causing heat and redness. Capillaries, the tiniest blood vessels, become more permeable (leaky), allowing fluid and blood to move into spaces between cells. This causes tissues to swell (edema). White blood cells move into the area to mop up damaged tissue. Additionally, certain chemicals are released, such as histamines, which promote inflammation.

Mrs. Smith experienced all five of the classic signs of acute inflammation:

• Heat
• Pain
• Redness
• Swelling
• Loss of function

Mrs. Smith’s PT sees her about a week after her injury. Unfortunately, she still shows signs of acute inflammation. Her PT wants to get this under control. He wants to reduce circulation of blood to the injury, reduce pain, and get her on the road to the second phase of healing—proliferation. He wants to prevent normal acute inflammation from becoming chronic inflammation. He decides to use cold to reduce her inflammation.

“This instructor made this class very interesting for me. She is incredibly knowledgeable, not only in her field of physical therapy but in teaching as well. She conveyed the material in a very understandable way. In many instances, I would tell my husband about the many things I learned throughout the chapters. For someone who is considering a career change, this was the perfect course to gain insight. I loved this course and I thought the teacher was exceptional. I plan to take another course that she teaches. Also, I really liked how the quizzes and assignments were set up twice per week. Great format!” -ed2go student

“The anatomical pictures, charts, and descriptions were first-rate! I hold a bachelor’s degree in education and five nationally recognized personal training certifications, including a rehabilitative exercise specialist certification… This course had the best presentation and was the easiest to comprehend that I have been exposed to in my 30 years of teaching fitness.” – ed2go student

“I felt this course was very informative and written in an understandable manner. I also enjoyed the illustrations; they were well done and provided great visuals for the lessons. Overall, I feel I have learned a great deal and will hopefully be able to take what I’ve learned and become a contributing PT Aide in a PT office or environment. I would recommend this course to others.” -ed2go student

This six-week Introduction to Chemistry course will help you master the principles of chemistry, even if you struggled in high school or college with this subject.  It will help you understand that everything that happens in the human body depends on a chemical reaction, and it will help prepare you for a health-related career or for success in a college chemistry course.  You’ll learn the basics of matter and energy, and the structure of atoms, ions, and isotopes.  You’ll also learn about different types of chemical bonds and chemical reactions, as well as how to balance chemical equations and perform simple stoichiometric calculations.  We’ll study solutions, different types of molecules, and important classes of chemical substances found in the human body.   To make the course more interesting and practical, each lesson will tie the material to some function in human physiology.

Excerpt from Chapter 5 of Lesson 6 (Chemical Bonds):

Hydrogen Bonds

Hydrogen bonds act somewhat like fickle teenage romances. They’re weaker than ionic, polar covalent, or true covalent bonds. They act more like temporary attractions than true chemical bonds. In fact, it’s the attraction between molecules that creates them—rather than the bonding of atoms within a molecule. They easily break apart and come back together again.

Hydrogen bonds occur when a partially positive hydrogen atom in one molecule becomes attracted to the negative side of another molecule. This is easy to see when you look at water molecules. The positive hydrogen side of one water molecule forms a weak bond with the negative oxygen side of another water molecule. These bonds are fairly stable when water is in its solid form (ice), but continually break apart and come back together when water is liquid. They don’t exist when water is in its gaseous form because the water molecules are so far apart from each other.

“I thoroughly enjoyed this course. The lessons, assignments, and quizzes were very well written and executed. I have already recommended this course to several peers who are pursuing nursing. Thank you for an enjoyable course!” – ed2go student

“Thank you, Holly! This course has helped me tremendously, and I now feel more confident in my chemistry knowledge. I now feel more prepared for a college chemistry course, and I have you to thank!” – ed2go student

“Excellent course! Exactly the overview and type of content that I needed to better understand chemistry. The instructor was professional and helpful, and the exercises were at the right level for even the non-chemist to understand. Thank you!” – ed2go student

This six-week course will increase your effectiveness as a science teacher for children in grades four to six.  It covers the nature and history of science, the scientific method, principles of direct instruction, learning and organizational tools, and foundational content in physical, life, and earth science.  In addition, the course includes many worksheets and checklists that you and your students can use for designing experiments, managing assignments, writing research papers, and creating science fair projects.  The Discussion Area is a place where fellow teachers can share their assignments and experiences, so that they can profit from each other’s knowledge.

Excerpt from Chapter 3 of Lesson 2 (The Nature of Science)

Models, Theories, and Laws

In the first chapter, we went over a list of attributes of science related to its nature. In the second chapter, we discussed the lives of four scientists who changed our thinking about the structure of our solar system. Let’s now look a little closer at the meaning of three important concepts: models, theories, and laws. These concepts are all important to the study of the nature of science.

Scientific Models

Scientific models represent concepts, systems, or structures. They are tools to help us discuss and understand different aspects of our world. When teaching about the solar system, for example, teachers often use commercial models that show the sun in the center, with the planets in proper order orbiting around it. These models are not entirely accurate, because they show the planets moving in circular orbits. In real life, planets move in elliptical orbits. Also, the distances of the planets from the sun are not proportional in the models. However, they do represent the order of the planets and the concept of orbits.

Models also represent more abstract concepts. When you see a picture of light traveling in a wave pattern, you’re looking at a model. A model of an atom, with electrons traveling around the nucleus in a circle, simplifies the actual structure of an atom. Chemistry teachers use models when they use sticks and balls to show how atoms of hydrogen and oxygen combine to form molecules of water.

“The instructor, Holly Trimble, is very good at getting to the core of instruction. In the past, I had felt like I was teaching bits and pieces of scientific information. It was not until I read the chapter on the drive for equilibrium that I saw it all tied together. But, I had never been able to put that into words to let my students understand that concept. I teach high school science and math, and I found this course invaluable. I will use what I learned in these lessons every day in class!” – ed2go student

“I have taken many science courses in my teaching career, but no course has really taught me science and how to use it in my classroom like this one! It has been previously hard for me to teach science because I never understood it myself. Science concepts were never explained in a way that I could understand them until now. I will never again dread teaching science. Thank you so much!” – ed2go student

“This was the best education course I have ever taken. The lessons were great and the resources given at the end of each lesson were terrific. I wish I had taken this course many years ago – my students would have benefited from it!” – ed2go student