The Advanced Placement (AP) program has been in operation for many years and offers high school students the ability to take courses for college credit. The College Board, the organization that administers AP programs as well as the SAT standardized test, announced recently that anatomy & physiology (A&P) will be offered through the AP program starting in the Fall of 2024.
Here are three details HAPS members should know about the AP program and the AP A&P course they will offer:
- Advanced Placement courses are taught by high school teachers who are offered extensive professional development opportunities, such as summer workshops, to learn the curriculum and instructional requirements for the different AP courses. The driving force behind all AP courses is the final, 3-hour, exam; for the entire duration of the course, the teachers teach to this exam. Exams are scored on a scale of 1 to 5. A score of 3 is considered passing and scores of 4 or 5 indicate mastery and superior understanding.
- Colleges and universities can accept or decline AP credits. Some schools accept credits only if students score a 4 or 5 on the exams. Other schools do not accept AP credits unless the student takes and passes the next level of course content at their institution. If the credits are accepted, then the student can opt out of that college class.
- The new AP A&P course might fulfill one or both semesters of a two-semester college sequence. One of many possibilities is that if a student scores a 5 on the AP exam, they will get credit for both semesters, a score of 4 will earn credit for one of the two semesters, and a 3 means a student will have to take both semesters of A&P. In almost all cases, credit decisions are made by college administrators.
My hope is that HAPS members can play a role in the development of this new program. Reports from my network of high school teachers is that the now mature AP Biology program had difficult early years because the exam focused on memorization over conceptual learning. However, those same teachers now report that the AP Biology is indeed a rigorous course and provides students with a high-quality learning experience.
A few possible roles for HAPS in the new AP A&P course include:
- helping instructors with day-to-day teaching and learning issues
- identifying course learning goals and objectives
- assisting with the development of the final exam
- helping colleges navigate the politics of accepting or rejecting AP A&P credits
Many experienced A&P instructors and administrators will view this new AP A&P program with skepticism, “Can a college-level anatomy and physiology course be taught in a high school?” That is indeed a valid question. My 15 years of experience working in a college/high school partnership strongly suggests yes (Jensen, Mattheis, and Loyle, 2013). Let’s give the teachers and students the best possible opportunities for success. The HAPS organization can indeed be a significant participant in the launch of this new A&P program.
Jensen, M., Mattheis, A., & Loyle, A. (2013). Offering an Anatomy and Physiology Course Through a High School-University Partnership: The Minnesota Model. Advances in Physiology Education, 37: 157-164
Dr. Murray Jensen is a Professor of Biology Teaching and Learning at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis.
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mcarmichae@vsb.bc.ca Would love to pursue. It is possible with chem background. Have 20 years experience including new ap course, bio 11 and 12 and new Anatomy and Physio both online and in school. Would like to network.
I am very interested in helping write this course outline. I teach both High School Anatomy & Physiology and College-level Human Anatomy. I have been teaching for 23 years. I cannot wait for the AP level A&P to be rolled out to High Schools! Who could I talk to about this at HAPS, in case HAPS becomes involved? TIA, Shaun
Does anyone know of a school that is piloting AP Anat/Phys in 2023-24?
Hi Matt. I have heard that piloting started THIS year…but cannot find a HS where this is taking place. I have tried contacting the College Board too and not been able to find out any information.
I teach A&P at community college as a 2 semester course and will be attempting to teach both semesters in one 16 week semester as 2 8 week courses this Fall. Would love to know more about this. Thanks!
I too would love to be a part of this rollout.
I have been teaching A&P for 28 years (2 years in DeKalb County, GA and 26 years at Greater Atlanta Christian School). I have found the standards of A&P in Georgia embarrassing. My Students will discuss with me what their friends are learning in other high schools, – it gives the impression of a glorified health class. I have had many, many students go on to be nurses or doctors and they come back and give me the encouragement I need to continue in the rigor of which I teach. I believe an AP A&P class would be wonderful and I would love the opportunity to give insight or even help develop this course. I do not have a medical background, however, I teach this course as if every student I have will go down that path. I have developed this class to the degree in which I typically have 5 sections of it every year… a mix of CP A&P along with an Honors level Dual Credit A&P.
If anyone is interested in my curriculum and would be interested in what I teach, – please email me at tball@GAC.org. After Thanksgiving, we are hitting O2 / CO2 transport including the Haldane & Bohr Effect, Chloride Shift and O2 – Hemoglobin disassociation curve.
Does anyone have any info on this that has been released by the college board/AP? I can’t find anything on the site at this time. Thanks
I had reached out to Murray Jensen in the fall to see if he had any insider info. Surprisingly, he had none (insert who knows emoji). This seems to be an odd roll out by College Board…if they are indeed rolling it out on the time line they claim.
Has anyone been contacted about testing this course in 2023-24?
I have yet to hear of anyone officially piloting A&P Anat/Phys next year (23-24)
Are there standards that have been identified and outlined for the fall 2024 roll out?
Looking foreword to this class!
Has there been any updates to this course yet? Did anything get announced in Seattle?
Have you heard any updates on the progress or time frame of a roll-out?
As a high school A&P teacher, I am very excited about the prospect of this class!!!!! I would love any information about this, as if our school offers it in 2024, we will need Board approval in November first!
Are there any updates on this?
I have been trying to find information on AP A&P on the college board site and can’t find anything. Does anyone know if it is indeed going to be offered in 2024? My school is very interested in offering it. I currently teach Honors A&P but want to add AP A&P. Also, has anyone heard of any workshops being offered Summer 2024?
Are there any updates about this class? Assuming the Fall 2024 rollout has been pushed back?
Received this a couple days ago
Thank you for your interest in our new courses. We are currently in an exploratory phase for a possible [AP Anatomy and Physiology OR AP Business Principles] course, working closely with college faculty and high school teachers to consider the course and exam content. A new AP course can only launch if colleges and universities agree to award college credit and placement to students who achieve qualifying AP exam scores. Once the course framework, which will include learning outcomes and required course content, is available, we will share it with colleges and universities for consideration for credit and placement and make a decision about the course launch.