When traveling at high altitudes, many people experience a shortness of breath. Yet Tibetans, who live in one of the highest regions on Earth, have adapted.

Senior Emily Mysliwczyk and her classmates in the new Exercise and Physiology class were tasked to figure out why.

Mysliwczyk and her classmates used their knowledge from the class and examined case studies to propose explanations. Then they researched what scientists have determined and compared their own ideas with the established scientific findings.

Exercise and Physiology is co-taught by anatomy and physiology teacher Kent Radomsky and health and physical education teacher Chris Crighton. While Radomsky teaches a continuation of their anatomy knowledge, Crighton’s expertise comes into play with the labs and the elements of physical therapy that are covered in the class.

Staff members had discussed creating such a course before, but when Supt. Dr. Randal Lutz saw a similar class at Parkway West Career and Technical Center, he decided the time was right for Baldwin to offer it.

“This class is very unique. Many schools are not given the opportunity to have a class like this,” Crighton said.

One goal is to give students more knowledge about what work is like in medicine, Radomsky said.
“This class is meant to give the students a more hands-on experience with different branches of health and medicine. I hope this class gives them the opportunity to experience what it is like working in medicine before committing to something in college,” Radomsky said.

It also advances their knowledge of how the body functions, he said.

“I believe that it is important for students to understand how the human body works because there is so much to learn and know. It is also important for them to know how to take care of their own bodies along with others,” Radomsky said.

Mysliwczyk and the other students taking the course all took Honors Anatomy last year.
“The class overall teaches me about my own body and health. It also teaches me how to be more independent and to find the answers to questions I did not know before,” Mysliwczyk said.

Students also have hands-on projects, such as identifying different muscle injuries. Radomsky said students then learn how to treat these types of injuries by working with their lab partners to practice wrapping and icing the spot that would have that injury.

Mysliwczyk said she likes the real-world applications of the class.

“I really like this class because it really gives me real-life situations and experience in the medical field,” Mysliwczyk said.