SECTION 127.417. Medical Terminology (One Credit), Adopted 2021

(a) Implementation. The provisions of this section shall be implemented by school districts beginning with the 2024-2025 school year.

(1) No later than August 31, 2024, the commissioner of education shall determine whether instructional materials funding has been made available to Texas public schools for materials that cover the essential knowledge and skills identified in this section.

(2) If the commissioner makes the determination that instructional materials funding has been made available, this section shall be implemented beginning with the 2024-2025 school year and apply to the 2024-2025 and subsequent school years.

(3) If the commissioner does not make the determination that instructional materials funding has been made available under this subsection, the commissioner shall determine no later than August 31 of each subsequent school year whether instructional materials funding has been made available. If the commissioner determines that instructional materials funding has been made available, the commissioner shall notify the State Board of Education and school districts that this section shall be implemented for the following school year.

(b) General requirements. This course is recommended for students in Grades 9-12. Students shall be awarded one credit for successful completion of this course.

(c) Introduction.

(1) Career and technical education instruction provides content aligned with challenging academic standards, industry-relevant technical knowledge, and college and career readiness skills for students to further their education and succeed in current and emerging professions.

(2) The Health Science Career Cluster focuses on planning, managing, and providing therapeutic services, diagnostics services, health informatics, support services, and biotechnology research and development.

(3) The Medical Terminology course is designed to introduce students to the structure of medical terms, including prefixes, suffixes, word roots, singular and plural forms, and medical abbreviations. The course allows students to achieve comprehension of medical vocabulary appropriate to medical procedures, human anatomy and physiology, and pathophysiology.

(4) To pursue a career in the health science industry, students should learn to reason, think critically, make decisions, solve problems, and communicate effectively. Students should recognize that quality health care depends on the ability to work well with others.

(5) The health science industry is comprised of diagnostic, therapeutic, health informatics, support services, and biotechnology research and development systems that function individually and collaboratively to provide comprehensive health care. Students should identify the employment opportunities, technology, and safety requirements of each system. Students are expected to learn the knowledge and skills necessary to pursue a health science career through further education and employment.

(6) Professional integrity in the health science industry is dependent on acceptance of ethical and legal responsibilities. Students are expected to employ their ethical and legal responsibilities, recognize limitations, and understand the implications of their actions.

(7) Students are encouraged to participate in extended learning experiences such as career and technical student organizations and other leadership or extracurricular organizations.

(8) Statements that contain the word "including" reference content that must be mastered, while those containing the phrase "such as" are intended as possible illustrative examples.

(d) Knowledge and skills.

(1) The student demonstrates professional standards/employability skills as required by business and industry. The student is expected to:

(A) express ideas in a clear, concise, and effective manner;

(B) exhibit the ability to cooperate, contribute, and collaborate as a member of a team; and

(C) exemplify professional work standards such as appearance, attire, time management, organizational skills, and responsibilities.

(2) The student recognizes the terminology related to the health science industry. The student is expected to:

(A) identify abbreviations, acronyms, and symbols related to the health science industry;

(B) recognize the incorrect use of abbreviations, acronyms, and symbols through review of The Joint Commission's "Do Not Use List";

(C) identify and define the component parts of medical words, including root, prefix, suffix, and combining vowels;

(D) practice word-building skills;

(E) research the origins of eponyms;

(F) recall directional terms and anatomical planes related to body structure;

(G) define and accurately spell occupationally specific terms such as those relating to the body systems, surgical and diagnostic procedures, diseases, and treatment; and

(H) use prior knowledge and experiences to understand the meaning of terms as they relate to the health science industry.

(3) The student demonstrates communication skills using the terminology applicable to the health science industry. The student is expected to:

(A) demonstrate appropriate verbal strategies such as correct pronunciation of medical terms and written strategies such as correct spelling in a variety of health science scenarios;

(B) employ increasingly precise language to communicate; and

(C) translate technical material related to the health science industry.

(4) The student examines available resources. The student is expected to:

(A) examine medical and dental dictionaries and multimedia resources;

(B) integrate resources to interpret technical materials; and

(C) investigate electronic and digital media with appropriate supervision.

(5) The student interprets medical abbreviations. The student is expected to:

(A) distinguish medical abbreviations used throughout the health science industry; and

(B) translate medical abbreviations in simulated technical material such as physician progress notes, radiological reports, and laboratory reports.

(6) The student appropriately translates health science industry terms. The student is expected to:

(A) interpret, transcribe, and communicate vocabulary related to the health science industry;

(B) translate medical terms to conversational language to facilitate communication;

(C) distinguish medical terminology associated with medical specialists such as geneticists, pathologists, and oncologists;

(D) summarize observations using medical terminology; and

(E) interpret contents of medical scenarios correctly.

Source Note: The provisions of this §127.417 adopted to be effective April 26, 2022, 47 TexReg 2166