This six-week online course begins with an explanation of the nature of matter and a review of the principles of chemistry that are important to human physiology. We'll place an emphasis on the organization of the human body and the differences between nonliving matter and living organisms. We'll also cover cell anatomy and physiology because all life processes are ultimately carried out at the cellular level. You'll also learn principles of genetics and gain an understanding of how traits are passed from one generation to the next.

After we've established this foundation, we'll survey the anatomy and physiology of each of our 11 organ systems. You'll learn how our nervous system allows us to receive, process, and interpret sensation and send messages to our muscles and glands. We'll cover the skeletal and muscular systems, learning how they make movement possible, and also about some of their little-known but equally essential functions.

This course explains how the circulatory and respiratory systems work together to provide our bodies with the oxygen our tissues need, and how they work together with the skin and kidneys to rid our bodies of wastes. You'll learn how our bodies fight off diseases, and how our digestive system converts the food we eat into energy and the tissues of our bodies. We'll also spend time on the endocrine system, which supplies the hormones we need for our survival, and the reproductive system, that group of organs that allows life to be passed on to another generation.

We'll also discuss functions of the different organ systems that you'll probably find surprising. In addition, each lesson includes information about specific disorders that sometimes happen to our bodies, and we'll also talk about some recent advances in medicine. By the end of this course, you'll have a greater appreciation and understanding of the marvelous complexity of the human body!

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Recommended Courses:

Students who enrolled in Human Anatomy and Physiology were also interested in the following courses:

Introduction to Biology

Medical Mathematics

Medical Coding

Forensic Science for Writers

Human Anatomy and Physiology

Legal Nurse Consulting

Medical Terminology: A Word Association Approach

Introduction to Natural Health and Healing

Become a Veterinary Assistant

Become a Physical Therapy Aide

Syllabus:

All courses run for six weeks, with a two-week grace period at the end. Two lessons are released each week for the six-week duration of the course. You do not have to be present when the lesson is released, but you must complete each lesson within two weeks of its release.

A new section of each course starts on the second or third Wednesday of each month. If enrolling in a series of two or more courses, please be sure to space the start date for each course at least two months apart.

Week One

Wednesday - Lesson 01

Our first lesson will introduce you to the fascinating subject of human anatomy and physiology. Since chemical reactions drive all of our bodies' functions, we'll start by reviewing some basic chemistry. Then we'll discuss how the human body is organized and the four main types of molecules it contains. We'll even touch on a little history because humans used to have some pretty funny ideas about living organisms. Later, you'll learn why a living human being is so different from one who's died. Finally, we'll discuss homeostasis—that drive we have to keep many different variables (like temperature and blood pressure) within a narrow range. By the time you're done with this lesson, you'll be ready to learn more about the structure and function of our bodies.

Friday - Lesson 02

The smallest living unit of the body is the cell, and it's so amazing, it deserves a lesson of its own. Even though almost all cells are microscopic, they're jam-packed with many different kinds of organelles and surrounded by complex membranes. I think you'll be amazed at their complexity as we discuss their different functions. We'll also talk about how cells reproduce, and we'll finish up with a discussion on cancer—which is cell reproduction gone amok.

Week Two

Wednesday - Lesson 03

In this lesson, we'll tackle the subject of heredity. It's probably the most technical of all the lessons because we'll be exploring genetics. You'll learn how genes determine your physical and mental characteristics, and how your parents' genetic material determine these traits. You'll learn the important differences between reproductive cells and all of the other cells in the body. Then we'll spend some time talking about a man who lived in the 1800's—Gregor Mendel, the Father of Genetics—because his insights paved the way for our modern understanding of heredity. After that, we'll discuss some different genetic disorders as you learn about specific mutations in the genetic code that can cause problems.

Friday - Lesson 04

We'll move on to the organ systems in today's lesson. We'll start with the one I find most interesting—the nervous system. You'll learn how it's organized, its different jobs, and the structures that make thinking, feeling, and moving possible. You'll also learn how the nervous system works when we think we're in danger or we've suddenly been affected by physical pain. We'll use our knowledge about chemistry in this chapter, too, as we talk about how nervous impulses are transmitted. Finally, we'll talk about some disorders of the nervous system—what causes them and their effects.

Week Three

Wednesday - Lesson 05

Our bones have several functions, and some aren't so obvious. For example, did you know that red blood cells are made in your bones? Or that bones store minerals that are essential for the function of your nerves and muscles? In today's lesson on the skeletal system, we'll explore the structure and function of bones, and then we'll talk about different types of joints and the amazing structure of your spinal column. You'll learn about some common disorders of this system and what you can do to keep your bones strong.

Friday - Lesson 06

Like the skeletal system, the muscular system is crucial for movement, but it has other functions, too. We'll discuss them in detail in today's lesson. Muscles are also a lot more complicated than they appear, so we'll spend some time talking about both the structures that we can see and the structures that we can't see without a microscope. We'll go over some of the specific muscles in the body and how they work together to perform specific movements. You'll also learn why even simple movements involve chemical reactions and a close coordination between this system and the nervous system. In the last chapter, we'll look at several common injuries to different parts of the muscular system.

Week Four

Wednesday - Lesson 07

We'll focus on the respiratory system in this lesson. As you're probably aware, it's the group of organs that allow you to get that crucial substance—oxygen—to all the cells in our body. But your respiratory system has some other functions that we'll touch on in this lesson. You'll learn about the anatomy of your respiratory organs and which muscles are crucial for breathing. You'll also become aware of the differences between ventilation, external respiration, internal respiration, and cellular respiration. And we'll talk about some illnesses that could affect your respiratory system, compromising your ability to breathe.

Friday - Lesson 08

There's so much to learn about the circulatory system! In this lesson, we'll explore the composition of blood, the various blood cells, and the different kinds of blood vessels in your body. Of course, the heart is a crucial part of the circulatory system, so we'll talk about its chambers, valves, coronary vessels, and electrical system. You'll learn how blood travels around the body and its important functions. We'll spend some time on two of the most common health problems people experience—high blood pressure and coronary artery disease. You'll finish this lesson knowing the importance of taking care of this organ system.

Week Five

Wednesday - Lesson 09

In today's very interesting lesson, you'll learn all about the disease-fighting ability of your body. Did you know that your body is constantly bombarded with germs that want to make you sick? We'll talk about that in this lesson, as well as some of the many ways your body fights back to keep you well. The human body also has a system of vessels (similar to blood vessels) called the lymphatic system. We'll talk about its disease-fighting role as well as some of its other functions. You'll learn about some of the other organs in your body that are involved in the battle against disease. At the end of this lesson, we'll talk about different ways the body's disease-fighting ability can be compromised and why sometimes the body turns on its own cells.

Friday - Lesson 10

Today we'll take a close look at two different organ systems—the integumentary system (the skin) and the urinary system. Both of these systems work to get rid of waste products that would kill you if they were allowed to build up in your body. You'll learn, too, how important these two systems are in maintaining homeostasis. We'll spend quite a bit of time on the structure of these two systems. People are often surprised to learn how complex even the skin can be. And the structures of the urinary system, particularly the kidneys, are quite amazing. At the end of this lesson, you'll learn about kidney failure and the challenges of dialysis and kidney transplantation.

Week Six

Wednesday - Lesson 11

You'll never think about food the same way again after this lesson on the digestive system! Just writing about it made me want to be a bit more careful about what I eat. You'll learn about all the different structures involved with converting food into the chemicals our bodies need to grow, repair tissues, and carry on all the functions of life. We'll also discuss the role of the three main types of foods and the importance of many different vitamins and minerals. When you finish this lesson, you'll understand the value of eating a variety of foods and how good food choices will enhance your health. We'll spend some time discussing two common digestive disorders, and then we'll talk about one of the most common kinds of cancer—colon cancer.

Friday - Lesson 12

We'll end this course with a discussion about the endocrine and reproductive systems. You'll learn how the endocrine and nervous systems work together to regulate all of your body's functions. We'll discuss some specific endocrine glands, the hormones they produce, and how they influence each other. Homeostasis again becomes something important to talk about because of the crucial role of the endocrine system. We'll also cover both the female and male reproductive systems. You'll learn about their anatomy and how the endocrine system affects their organs, making reproduction possible. We'll end this chapter with a discussion about two fairly common disorders—diabetes and endometriosis.

This course includes a knowledgeable and caring instructor who will guide you through your lessons, facilitate discussions, and answer your questions. The instructor for this course will be Holly Trimble.

Holly Trimble has a bachelor's degree in physical therapy from the University of Colorado and a master's degree in pediatric physical therapy from Boston University. She completed an additional 15 credit hours in education at the doctoral level. She taught math and science to sixth-graders for several years at a private school, and also worked as a private tutor for children with learning disabilities. She has lectured on health-related topics to all age groups, from school-age children to adults, and has been a guest speaker at colleges and universities including Wellesley College, Boston College, MIT, and Boston University. She is also an adjunct professor, teaching college-level anatomy and physiology courses online and in the classroom.

Requirements:

Internet access, e-mail, the Microsoft Internet Explorer or Mozilla Firefox Web browser, and the Adobe Flash and PDF plug-ins (two free and simple downloads you obtain at http://www.adobe.com/downloads by clicking Get Adobe Flash Player and Get Adobe Reader).

Student Reviews:

"As always, I really enjoyed this course. I can't wait to take another class."

"As an MT for over 20 years, I found this course very enlightening. It also helped as a refresher. I thoroughly enjoyed this class and will consider taking more on line courses. As I am not a "classroom" person, this online course is the first one I've taken and the best! The instructor was very knowledgeable and I enjoyed how she interjected a little humor in the lesson also! Thank you for a wonderful experience!"

"Excellent, challenging course presented by the instructor in a manner that held your interest. An outstanding experience!"

"Great course! I took this course for very specific reasons, but I have been amazed at how often the material has made a difference in my understanding of day to day issues and situations."

"Great course to give basic overview of Anatomy & Physiology - enjoyed it."

"Holly did a great job of teaching this course and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I look forward to continue taking more online courses in the future."

"Holly's enthusiasm is infectious. The lessons were very understandable. I never thought I could enjoy Biology so much! Thanks, Holly."

"Holly Trimble wrote in a style that was entertaining and easy to understand, yet not so simple that I felt belittled. I could tell that she has high expectations for her students. The material itself was very well organized, and I knew what to expect in each chapter because of how consistent they were from lesson to lesson (e.g., there were always 5 chapters, and chapter 5 was always about disorders of that particular system). I would highly recommend Holly Trimble's course to anyone who is interested in taking Anatomy/Physiology."

"Holly, what a terrific instructor! You really made me stop and think about the subject we were studying and not just gloss over the reading material. On more than one occasion my jaw dropped because I was so amazed by some fact of information I learned about our bodies in this class. I thoroughly enjoyed your class."

"I can not say enough good things about this course. The instructor is phenomenal. She is an extremely knowledgeable & caring individual. She always responded to any questions or comments within 24 hours. The reading material for the course was so much more interesting than a standard textbook. I truly looked forward to the release of each successive lesson. The mini quizzes tested your grasp of the material and the assignments reinforced what you had learned as well as being fun. The instructor had a knack for making learning a very challenging subject-with tons of information-an absolute joyful experience. I would absolutely recommend this course to anyone currently in or just entering the health care field, or for that matter, to someone who just has an interest in Anatomy & Physiology."

"I didn't realize how much I had learned until I happened to be watching a TV show on PBS. I could actually understand what the scientists/doctors were talking about and explaining. The show dealt with diseases of the brain and things that can go wrong in the human body. I knew exactly what they were talking about thanks to your course!"

"I enjoyed taking this class. I have a strong interest in science, especially the human body. My full-time job is accounting, but I hope to go back to school to become a nurse. I enjoyed reading the questions and the responses from the teacher and the students. The answers were very clear and they were not too technical to comprehend. Thank you for offering this course."

"I enjoyed the class very much. It was evident that the instructor had spent a lot of time on the reading materials, as well as the assignments and quizzes. Also, I really enjoyed the personal anecedotes she included in all the materials; it made the reading more enjoyable. Clearly the instructor had/has a great understanding of the subject matter. Really enjoyed the class!"

"I enjoyed this course immensely and would recommend it to anyone that had any desire to learn about the human body. I am preparing to enter PT school and feel that this course was a huge help to me in preparing for the courses that lie ahead."

"I feel this course gives an excellent overview. It proved useful for me in that I am confident in the subject matter and will now plan to take another anatomy/physiology class directly at a local college."

"I felt that Holly was a great instructor who interacted well with myself and other students. She was very responsive to questions online and came across as upbeat. Thank you."

"I felt that the content was very well organized and presented in an interesting manner. I especially appreciated the many "lifestyle" applications pertaining to disease prevention!"

"I felt this course was very informative. I also felt the instructor, Ms. Holly Trimble, did a wonderful job of putting this material together. She made it very understandable for the average person to comprehend. I would recommend this course to anyone interested in the medical field. Thanks."

"I found the instructor, Holly Trimble, to have an enormous amount of knowledge and experience. She was able to use examples and break down the lessons in ways we could understand. I was shocked that I could do so well in this course, but I truly believe Holly's examples, visuals, and structure of lessons made it easier for me to understand. She's a wonderful teacher. Thank you!"

"I got so much information that I can use in my field. The instruction was very good. I hope she has more classes."

"I had taken A&P I for credit and need to take it over. This course has helped a lot. It's not too technical which helped with understanding the concepts. This will help when it is time to take A&P I & II for credit."

"I have enjoyed this course so much. Holly has such a knack for explaining and referencing so many things in every day terms and experiences that I was able to fully comprehend and not be intimidated at all. I was pleasantly surprised and I plan to take other online classes because of this. Thank you so much, Holly."

"I have really enjoyed this course. I know that it is going to be great with my LPN course which will be starting in October. ... I learned a lot from this course and will recommend it to friends who are wanting some upgrading."

"I have to admit that I was very nervous starting the class, but my instructor made me feel confident and positive of myself. I'm proud of myself. Thank you for this class."

"I just want to thank you for making this course available on line. I am a medical transcriptionist and this course was very beneficial to me. It's a great condensed version of an actual Human Anatomy and Physiology class. I would recommend it to anyone who needs a refresher. Thanks again."

"I really enjoyed the class. The information was in an easily digestible format. As a medical records coder, this course will help take me to a higher level of coding with the anatomy knowledge I have now. This class far exceeded my expectations!"

"I really enjoyed the instructor’s layout. It was highly organized and well thought-out. I enjoyed being challenged, yet enjoyed the simplicity of it all. Holly did a fantastic job of being very professional, yet simple enough to understand (and fun at times). So I am walking away with an admiration and great respect for the awesomely designed human body!!! Thanks so much for the opportunity."

"I really enjoyed this class. I love the fact that I can take classes online for my own advancement and not have to take a class."

"I really enjoyed this course, and Holly did a great job of explaining everything. It was fascinating to learn about our human bodies and how things work. I look forward to taking more online courses in the near future. Please keep me informed of any classes that will complement the ones that I have already taken, i.e. Medical Terminology, and Human Anatomy and Physiology."

"I really enjoyed this course. Holly was very informative with her own insight on some subjects. It's nice to know that your teacher is not just reading out of some textbook. Thank you so much and I look forward to doing more courses taught by Holly."

"I really enjoyed this course. I feel that it will be helpful for my LPN course that I will be taking next."

"I took this class as a prereq for Medical Coding. As a novice I felt that this course was easy to read and understand as well as interesting. I totally enjoyed the course. Thank you."

"I took this course because I teach an EMT course at a local college. I have learned a great deal. I thought I knew the human body and how it worked, but it was a lot more complicated than I thought. I have a greater understanding now and am much better off because of the way you broke things down and made it simpler to understand. Many thanks to you."

"I truly enjoyed this course. I am 55 years old, and have decided to try to change careers - to nursing if possible. I felt this course would give me an some idea of what studying to become an RN would entail. Thank you very much!"

"I wanted to take a minute and say thanks for making this such a great class. I thought the material was easy to read and understand, and you were diligent about being involved with the discussion board. I was able to gain a better understanding in a variety of areas and will be able to put it to use in my personal life. Thanks again."

"I would just like to say that I am continually impressed how detailed your lessons are while being concise and to the point. A LOT of material in the chapters!"

"Just wanted to THANK YOU for a great and insightful Anatomy and Physiology course,and thanks for making a typically very difficult course relatively easy to understand."

"One of the best courses I have taken. Thank you."

"Our instructor presented complex material in an entertaining style without compromising accuracy in either terminology, structure or function. Excellent!"

"Really nice format. The teacher's writing style and examples made this dense material fun and accessible even for nonscientific types like me!"

"So much material was covered in a beautifully instructed, well-thought-out manner so as to tie it all together. I enjoyed the bits of stories and humor, and recent knowledge included in the lessons, as well as the incredible information through the supplementary links which brought the material to life. Even though I didn't always want to sit down and read and work through the material, I always came away from it with the satisfaction of having learned something and participated in a community of students."

"Thanks for teaching this course. It has helped me towards achieving my goal of getting a bachelor’s degree in Physical Education. The instructor is great and helpful, and this class met all my needs."

"Thank you for a great course! I learned a lot of useful information that will prepare me to move into a career in nursing."

"Thank you for teaching this course. It will be very useful in my further studies in college."

"Thank you for the information in this course. It was so helpful in my everyday needs. I didn't know all the functions of my body but this has really made me think about my body in a whole new aspect."

"Thank you, Holly, for this course. I am enrolling in CNA classes and this will help a lot in getting back into a study habit after 17 years of absence. I plan to continue my studies until I finally get my RN. Thank you so much for these wonderful lessons."

"Thank you, Holly. I took this course in hopes of learning enough to help me take my next step in the long journey toward having an in-home medical billing career. I got more than I bargained for! Thank you."

"Thank you, Holly. This was an interesting and challenging course. The amount of material covered in such a short amount of time is staggering! And all the while, your writing style and real-life experiences made this a great experience! I highly recommend anyone interested in this area to take this course."

"Thank you! I appreciate the valuable information gleaned from taking this course. This course, instructor, and format met my needs and I will recommend it to others."

"Thank you! I appreciate the valuable information gleaned from taking this course. This course, instructor, & format met my needs and I will recommend it to others."

"Thank you so much. I have certainly enjoyed this class. This is very helpful in my job. I am employed as a Coder 1with CCA certification through AHIMA. In the future I hope to attain CCS certification. You bring a personal touch to a distance class that keeps the material fresh and interesting. Thanks again."

"That was fascinating. I never took the time to feel every part of my body that moves when I breathe. I really have enjoyed this class so far.. Thank You."

"The course was great!! I learned a lot and enjoyed taking it. Holly was a great instructor. She presented the material in such a way that was easy to understand and remember. She responded to my questions very quickly and was able to provide me with the answer or direction as to how to find it. I highly recommend this course to anyone, and I recommend Holly as an instructor for any course. She does a great job!!"

"The instructor had an excellent command of the subject along with excellent ability to impart that knowledge. I would love to take another course with her. This is the very best course I have taken in many, many years."

"There was a lot of information presented in this class. I'm sure I've had some of it before in other classes, but I forgot how involved the whole system is!"

"This class was a big help for me. I have a better understanding of the human anatomy and physiology that will help me in my medical coding class. Thank you for the experience."

"This class was extremely interesting. I'll never take anything in my body for granted again. There was a lot of subject matter to cover in a short time and it was presented extremely well."

"This course exceeded my expectations. Every lesson was very interesting and provided just the right amount of information along with useful every day examples. I have been entertaining my husband with "Did you know that,...? " anatomy and physiology facts. He will be sad that I have completed the course!"

"This course has really helped me with what I needed in order to continue my studies in the medical field. Thank you so much!"

"This course was great. Being an older student with a family, time is always an issue. This course was well written and the time it took to do each lesson was just right. The lessons were very well written and the professor made the subject exciting and engaged thought. I really did enjoy this course."

"This course was great. Very easy to understand and learn. Thank you."

"This course was so useful and well written. I feel that I can go into my university level Human and Anatomy course ahead of the curve."

"This course was very useful and I am glad that I took it."

"This has been an amazing journey - one I feel will be a real asset for my forthcoming LPN school. The material was well presented and easy to understand. Thank you Holly!"

"This is an excellent course. I took this course to update my knowledge of human anatomy and physiology. The illustrations used made the process easier and fun. I liked the way the teacher related her own experiences to the information she was presenting. I feel that helps students to grasp the information easier and to get a better understanding of the material presented. The course was perfect in length and student expectations."

"This is by far the best course I've taken, and that includes courses with actual moderators standing in front of me. Not only was I able to do every lesson on my own, but I was also able to learn everything I wanted at my own pace and test myself to the point that guessing wasn't an issue because I knew the material. So, to Mrs. Holly Trimble, thank you so much for making this easy, fun, and interesting. I will be telling my co-workers about this class and encouraging them to take it. Once again, thank you."

"This online course was an extraordinary experience for me. The system utilized by the instructor was entertaining and made me pay attention to the subject. I am happy because I learned a lot."

"This really was a fascinating, easy-to-follow course. Even with the more difficult subject matter, the content was written in a down-to-earth style that kept it approachable throughout the course."

"This was a fabulous course: informative, comprehensive, challenging--and fun! I definitely will use what I've learned in my work as a medical editor. I recommend this course to everyone who works in a health-related field, and to anyone who wants to learn more about how the human body works."

"This was a great course. It was just what I needed. The appropriate level of information was given at a good pace for easy understanding."

"This was a great introduction to the world of biology for me. I had been debating on whether to pursue a chemistry or biology career and this class helped me with my decision. The pictures added great visual impact to the lessons, and the added Supplementary Materials added even more value. This was great!!"

"This was an excellent course. Not just an introduction or a refresher, but an in-depth and thorough presentation of very interesting material. I like that it was challenging and required focused study. I am now inspired to take college courses in this area and others related to my chosen field. Thank for a very high quality course. I am sorry to see it end."

"This was an excellent course, providing me with more information than I anticipated. Holly is a great instructor, providing interesting lessons, and always effectively answering questions in a very timely manner. Thanks, Holly!"

"This was an excellent introductory course to the human body. It gave me a much better understanding of how the human system works. The lesson materials greatly helped in this process. I would highly recommend this course to anyone interested in getting a better understanding of how the human body works."

"This was a very informative course. I really appreciated it and have learned a lot. Thank you again."

"This was a wonderful course - EVERYBODY should know this information. It is not hard to understand (like algebra!), one only needs to read the material. All the links to further reading material were also excellent. Thank you very much!"

"This was a wonderful course. Over the years I have taken various anatomy and physiology classes and this one was the easiest to understand and wonderfully organized. I thoroughly enjoyed this class and learned so much! Thank you!!"

"This was the very first class I've taken in over 20 years since high school. I was a little nervous at the start, but the instructor and course material were great. I highly recommend this course. It started me on my way to pursuing entering college."

"To me, the mark of a truly great teacher is the ability to take complex material and make it not just understandable, but non-threatening to the average person. Through her use of real life examples and analogies, Holly did just that. A truly educational experience!"

"Very interesting--everyone should take this course and learn about how their bodies work. The instructor was everything I could have asked for."

"Wonderful. I plan to take the practical nursing course this fall and found the info to be just what I needed to jump start me. I am 54 and needed the basics. The study was down to earth and easy to understand. Thanks, Holly."

"Wow! Loved this course. Nice, conversational style of writing. Great assignments. My kitchen still smells like vinegar ;)"