The Archie Williams BioMedical Science (BioMed) class, constructed and taught by Archie Williams BioMed and Peer Resource (PR) teacher Jenny Brown, provides students with opportunities to engage in hands-on, career-focused, scientific exploration. Within BioMed, students foster a deeper understanding of biomedical concepts through collaborative projects and interactive lab experiments that mimic real work procedures. The course equips juniors and seniors with foundational knowledge and skills relevant to the biomedical field. 

BioMed is grounded in immersive labs, mimicking real-world procedures and giving students a deeper understanding of biomedical concepts. The materials provided in the program allow for students to work with real human DNA, antibodies, and several unique pieces of lab equipment. Brown, who helped design the course back in 2015, has proudly watched the course design grow in popularity over the years. 

“I used to have one section, but it now fluctuates between four sections, which is super cool. So that’s kind of where it started, and the thought was to do something just really hands-on and more workplace-oriented,” Brown said.

The program’s unique curriculum guides the multiple sections of students through a set of different units modeled after biomedical careers. It first leads students through the Public Health field, in which they dive into various aspects of public health. Later in the year, students are then guided through more specialized courses, including forensic sciences and genetics. 

This hands-on approach is reflected in the classroom’s dynamic setup, designed to foster communication skills. The classroom is arranged in a seminar formation, with desks set up around the center of the room, an immersive discussion-based learning space. At Archie Williams, Brown hosts seminars on Mondays, where she leads in-depth discussions on biomedical topics. 

In addition to the hands-on workplace environment, the BioMed program also offers students valuable job shadow opportunities at various biomedical labs and clinical centers. For many students, these job shadows are the highlight of the program, the experiences allowing them to see the concepts they learn in class being applied to real-world settings.

“On a job shadow, [students] go and either experience a research lab or a clinically based biomedical setting where they’re using some of the biomedical applications that we’re actually doing in our lab work here,” Brown said. 

The job shadow is one of the most anticipated aspects of the class, with many students looking forward to it throughout the school year. Archie Williams junior and current BioMed student Tago Desruisseau is currently working on obtaining a job shadow. 

“Both of my parents are medical professionals, so it will be cool to get a look into what their working life is like through [the job shadow],” Tago said. 

Through the job shadow opportunities offered by BioMed, students like Tago can explore a range of different biomedical and scientific careers. This real-world application was one of the main reasons Brown first developed the program, partnered with another educator at Tamalpais High School to develop the course. Together, they created a course to inspire juniors and seniors to explore career-focused scientific fields and gain insight into the biomedical field. 

“I just wanted to create [a class] that was more exploration and job oriented, so she and I developed the Tam BioMedical program,” Brown said. 

Their efforts led to the development of Tam Biomedical Science, a program that quickly gained recognition. Upon Brown’s arrival at Archie Williams in 2017, news of the class began to generate excitement among students and staff alike, and Brown got the opportunity to continue the class at Archie Williams.

Since the inception of Archie Williams’ Biomedical program in 2018, the Falcon Foundation has played a crucial role in its growth, consistently providing financial support for essential lab equipment and resources. This ongoing investment has allowed the program to expand, now reaching more students than ever.

“The [Falcon Foundation] funds me every single year because it costs a lot [to keep the sections running, as] antibodies and DNA are pretty expensive. And the program has expanded,” Brown said.

With the ample opportunities in BioMed, students who take the class often get inspired to continue the study. Archie Williams senior Isaac Shott is a former BioMed student who plans to major in biology in college. During his sophomore year, Isaac took Living Earth, a course that sparked his interest in biological sciences. 

“I remember being in the Living Earth my sophomore year with Mr. Hayden. I didn’t really know what I wanted to do, like in the future, but in that class, I remember learning about genes and heredity. So, I thought the next practical step would be to go to either enroll in AP Bio or BioMed,” Isaac said.

While many science classes at Archie Williams include labs, Isaac appreciates the hands-on aspect of the BioMed labs and how they prepare students for real-life scenarios.

“Usually, I hate labs in normal classes, but the BioMed labs are like nothing I’ve ever had before. It’s super hands-on,” Isaac said. “It allowed me to learn a lot more than any other lab I’ve ever had in any other class.” 

The Archie Williams BioMed program continues to provide students with unique insights into the scientific field, sparking an interest in pursuing careers within it. 

“The class is so realistic in nature that I sometimes forget I’m a student because I just feel like a scientist,” Tago said.