Skip to main content

Willits High School

Patient Care Pathway

CTE Patient Care Pathway

Willits High School offers five classes in the CTE Patient Care pathway: Health, Applied health, Scrubs, and Medical terminology. Each class gives students new communication and teamwork skills. As well as gaining good judgement, good work ethic, and gaining professionalism. Activities done in this class include learning about disorders, treatments, and the importance of health.

On a national, state and county level there is a significant shortage of skilled medical providers and scientists. Mendocino county has such a tremendous need for qualified employees that it has been designated by the federal government as a “medically underserved population” This situation continues today.

What does this mean for students?

If you are interested in a job with high employment, high wages, and a lot of potential for growth…if you are interested in helping people, challenging and varied work, in being part of a professional team where you can really make a difference in people’s lives… then explore the possibilities the Patient Care Pathway.

A student uses a stethoscope to check a classmate's blood pressure in a classroom setting.

A student in a green hoodie takes a blood pressure reading from another student sitting at a desk.

The Benefits of this Pathway and Associated Careers

Students who complete this pathway are ready to dive into many different professions. Below are a sample of the professions and their associated average salaries. While students may need to complete further college or university degrees to be fully ready for these professions, they have the understanding of the skills required and what the profession entails.

Occupations requiring less than a B.A. degree

All salaries posted are listed as the "Average Base Salary in the US" by indeed.com - 2023

Occupations Requiring B.A. Degree or Higher

All salaries posted are listed as the "Average Base Salary in the US" by indeed.com - 2023

Required Courses Needed to Complete Pathway

  • Students will learn basic anatomy and physiology, harmful effects of alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs. Overall safety and decision making as well as sex ed. Parent permission required for certain units in the course. Parent permission slips will be sent home for signature prior to objectionable units being introduced. Alternative assignments will be given to students whose parents do not sign the parent permission slips.

    Available for grades 9-12

    A teacher and student work together on a science project involving a model and liquid.

  • The topics that are covered in CTE Applied Health include: Social Health: Communication, Using The Nonviolent Communication workbook, students will annotate and understand the purpose of nonviolent communication, then practice the four elements discussed. Mental/Emotional: Stress, Anxiety, Depression, Anger, Apathy, Self-esteem, Happiness Using research journals students will study the effects of stress and look into coping mechanisms. All students will create a lab that will test coping techniques. They will need to journal and state their findings to the rest of the class. Physical Health: Cardiovascular, Skeletal, Muscular, Digestive, and Nervous Students will learn about different body systems and research evidence-based articles that prove how to keep the systems healthy.

    Available for grades 10-12

    Icon representing a doctor interacting with a family.

  • In this class, students will be certified for CPR, First Aid, and Teen CERT. This class will teach health occupations while learning a more in depth level of anatomy and physiology, guest speakers will discuss occupations and students will have a research component where they will find out where they can apply for college for the occupation they are interested in. Students will also go on field trips. They will learn intro to medical terminology and be able to take blood pressures and to basic assessments. There is a Wellness Lab that is a large component where students have to create and do a lab encouraging healthy behaviors using data to state their results.

    Available for grades 10-12

    Medical professionals in surgical attire prepare a patient on an operating table.

  • A word-building system for developing a vocabulary in medical terminology. During this class, students will learn over 300 medical terms to proficiency. There will be weekly and biweekly exams. Students will learn different study techniques, how diagnostics are done, guest speakers, field trips, and case studies for different body systems and diseases. Students earn both high school and Mendocino College credits for successfully completing this course.

    Available for grades 11-12

    Scrabble tiles spell out 'MEDICAL TERMINOLOGY' on a dark wooden surface.

Teacher Bio

A woman with brown hair pulled back smiles at the camera, wearing a dark blue hoodie and backpack, with a river and trees in the background.

Hello! My name is Jennifer Barrett and I teach all the CTE Patient Care Pathway classes.

I have been teaching at Willits High School since 2005. I began teaching Scrubs 101, then I started teaching the health classes. Now I teach Health, Scrubs, Applied Health, and Medical Terminology.

I attended CSU, Stanislaus. I enjoy hiking and spending time with my family.

One fun fact about me is I was born the same year as the first man walked on the moon.

CTE Patient Care Pathway Map