Aims of the course: 

• Understand the human body – learn about anatomy, physiology, cells, body systems and diseases. 

• Understand diseases and infections – learn how infectious agents cause disease and how infections can be investigated. 

• Develop practical laboratory skills – learn scientific techniques used to investigate and diagnose diseases. 

• Use scientific evidence – learn how to research information, analyse data and decide whether evidence is reliable. 

• Develop critical thinking – learn to interpret scientific information and make reasoned conclusions. 

• Improve research and communication skills – practise producing scientific reports and presenting information clearly. 

• Prepare for university – develop independent learning, research and problem-solving skills needed for higher education. 

• Prepare for future careers – build a foundation for further study and employment in medical science and related areas. 

Content: 

Unit 1: Human Physiology, Anatomy and Pathology 

This unit is all about the human body and how it works. You will learn about cells, DNA, genes and important biological molecules before moving on to different body systems. You will also learn what happens when these systems don’t work properly and how different diseases and disorders can affect the body. 

Unit 2: Health Issues and Scientific Reporting 

This unit looks at disease, health and medical research. You will learn about the immune system and what happens when it doesn’t work correctly. You will also explore genetics and genetic technologies, including how science can be used to investigate and potentially treat health conditions. A major part of this unit is learning how to work with scientific information. You will practise finding evidence, understanding data, deciding whether information is reliable and producing scientific reports. 

Unit 3: Practical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases 

This is the more hands-on laboratory unit. You will learn about microorganisms such as bacteria and how they can cause infectious diseases. You will develop practical laboratory skills, including techniques for growing and investigating microorganisms safely. You will also learn how infections can be identified and diagnosed and how to interpret your experimental results. 

Unit 5: Biomedical Science 

The Biomedical Science unit is about how scientists use laboratory tests to investigate diseases and understand what is happening inside the human body. You will learn about blood and its components and how blood tests can help identify conditions such as anaemia and blood disorders. You will also study cells and tissues, learning how samples can be collected and examined to detect diseases such as cancer. Another part of the unit focuses on urine testing, where you learn how substances such as glucose, protein and blood can indicate conditions including diabetes, kidney disease and infections. You will develop practical skills in carrying out tests, analysing results and understanding how biomedical scientists help doctors diagnose and monitor diseases. Overall, the unit is about being a medical detective—using scientific evidence from patient samples to work out what might be wrong and help guide treatment. 

Curriculum map