Impact of a Workshop on Physiological Sciences in Public High School Students in Puerto Rico (PR)

Basic principles of physiology are usually taught in general biology courses in high school but many factors impact learning of important concepts in this area. In public high schools in PR often located in underserved areas with limited resources, students are at a disadvantage as they lack basic knowledge on relevant physiological concepts. Aim To evaluate capability and interest in learning in these students. Method A workshop consisting of a general conference on physiology and its relevance to science, and four presentations (including practical exercises on heart function/bioelectricity, the concept of pressure and gas exchange/respiration, cell‐cell communication and extracellular fluid volume) was given to fifty‐two students from a public high school in PR. Student learning was evaluated with pre‐ and post‐tests and data analyzed using a chi‐square test. Results A significant increase in correct responses between 29% and 83% for all questions following the workshop occurred (55.2% ± 22.3; p<0.01). Conclusions These findings suggest that high school students in disadvantaged areas are interested and capable of learning physiological concepts when presented in a dynamic format involving discussions and practical exercises. We conclude that an education program based on similar workshops could be implemented in public high schools to foster physiology education.