CTE Spotlight: Sports Medicine Students Put Their Senses to the Test

We’re kicking off Career and Technical Education (CTE) Month with a behind-the-scenes look at a cranial nerves lab in a Sports Medicine class taught by Morten Orren at Liberty High School!

During the lab, students performed a series of physical examinations that assessed the nervous system. As an example, students tested their optic nerves by reading an eye chart and measuring peripheral vision. They also tested their olfactory nerves (sense of smell), vestibulocochlear nerve (balance and hearing), trigeminal nerve (facial skin sensation and chewing) and more.  

This lab is an example of how students gain real-world skills for the future through CTE courses. The Sports Medicine program is designed to give students a head start on medical or health careers.

“CTE really helps students see what they are learning applied in real-world situations,” Orren explained. “Students have reported back to me while in college that these classes provided a foundation for their learning. They also felt that in some cases their beginning college courses were more of a review for them instead of new concepts and it helped with their confidence. The skills they gain in the class, as they pertain to Sports Medicine, are recognition of injuries and how to care for them. They also learn sports nutrition, what types of foods help with athletic performance.”

Stay tuned throughout the month as we highlight several CTE programs in the district and next month for an expanded article about the Sports Medicine program in our Horizons community newsletter.

Learn more about Career and Technical Education in the ISD: https://www.isd411.org/academics/high-school-curriculum-pathways/career-technical-education-cte.