Anatomy and physiology classes are biology courses that cover the human body, its systems, and disease processes in depth. Students pursuing a degree or certificate in the health care field are typically required to take anatomy and physiology classes as part of their required curriculum. In addition to other online courses, many degree programs offer online anatomy and physiology classes. Some health-care degree and certificate programs are entirely online, while others use a hybrid model that includes some on-campus course work and labs. With so many options, choosing online or distance learning options can be difficult, but there are some basic considerations to keep in mind.
Regardless of your educational objectives, only enroll in accredited programs; otherwise, the time and effort spent obtaining course credit may be wasted if the credit cannot later be transferred to another institution. You may also discover that your education does not qualify you for certain levels of certification from issuing agencies. The American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA), for example, only allows graduates from accredited institutions to sit for their certification exams.
If you want to take online anatomy and physiology classes as part of an undecided health care major or as a way to start a health care major so you can transfer to a specific health program at another school, make sure to inquire about transfer options at both schools. Many for-profit colleges and technical schools are quiet about the possibility of credits not transferring from one school to another. They might not tell if you don’t ask.
The major systems of the body, such as the respiratory, muscular-skeletal, circulatory, digestive, cardiovascular, and nervous systems, will be covered in either online or traditional on-campus anatomy and physiology classes. A comprehensive course will teach students how to recognize body parts, anatomical structures, and their functions.
Anatomy and physiology is a complicated subject that some students may find difficult to grasp. There is no evidence that online classes are more or less effective than traditional classes, but Sloan Consortium research suggests that the more interactive an online anatomy class is, the better the learning outcome.
Before investing in a class on your own, look for open-source online modules and learning resources or ask your employer about career development or tuition reimbursement if you are a health care professional who provides indirect care such as information management or registrar service.