Impact of a Workshop on Physiological Sciences in Public High School Students in Puerto Rico José O. García 1, Jorge D. Miranda 2, Caroline B. Appleyard 3, Nelson Escobales 2 1 Institute of Neurobiology, 2 Department of Physiology, University of Puerto Rico - Medical Sciences Campus, San Juan, PR, 3 Department of Physiology, Ponce School of Medicine, Ponce, PR Acknowledgements We would like to extend our gratitude to the American Physiological Society - PhUn Week Program and Pfizer for their support Also, we acknowledge the support and enthusiasm of the graduate students from the Department of Physiology, UPR – School of Medicine. Support was also provided by the RCMI Program, UPR-Medical Sciences Campus. Contact Information: Introduction Physiology concepts are currently included in the core curriculum of biology courses for high school students. However, the learning process could be negatively impacted by several different factors such as school localization and limited resources, causing an unfavorable understanding of basic principles of physiology. In order to assess the awareness and ability in learning, a workshop on basic principles of physiological concepts was presented to 52 high school students from Vega Baja, Puerto Rico (Table 1). The workshop covered essential knowledge on Nervous, Cardiovascular and Respiratory physiology enshrined in the “Exercise and Health” theme proposed by the Physiological Understanding (PhUn) Week Program from the American Physiological Society (APS). Abstract (#5046) Introduction: 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 (average 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. Results Summary A significant increase in correct responses occurred for all questions following the workshop (55.2% ± 22.3; p<0.01). This demonstrates a positive impact caused by the workshop on physiological sciences on these students. The response of students who identified the word physiology with the concept of function increased 83% after the workshop (Fig. 1). The response of students that recognized that neurons need neurotransmitters for communication increased 63% following the presentation (Fig. 1). At the end of the demonstration, all students (100%) answered correctly that the human body generates electricity. In the same manner, the concept of extracellular fluid volume and blood volume was understood by 98% of the audience. Both questions were answered correctly by almost all students in the post-test evaluation (Fig. 1). An improvement of 36% was noted among students for the breathing question. However, a maximum of only 40% was achieved, suggesting that respiratory physiology is one of the hardest areas to grasp (Fig. 1). These findings imply that high school students in underprivileged areas are interested and capable of learning physiological principles when presented in a dynamic format involving practical demonstrations. We conclude that an educational program based on practical workshops could be executed in public high schools to promote physiology education. Methodology Physiological Sciences Workshop: The workshop was based on basic principles of physiology following the central theme of “Exercise and Health”. The human body systems included as part of the centrally themed seminar were: the Nervous System, the Cardiovascular System, and the Respiratory System. These were given in four different presentations, each 30 to 45 minutes. This general conference incorporated practical exercises on: Cell to cell communication in the nervous system and the dangerous effect of common illicit drugs on the neurons. Heart function and bioelectricity carrying out measurement of arterial blood pressure and ECG demonstrations. The extracellular fluid volume in relation to cardiovascular function. The concept of pressure and gas exchange/respiration using a homemade model constructed with a plastic bottle of water and balloons. Pre-Test and Post-Test Evaluation: The student learning was evaluated with a pre-test and a post-test that consisted of 5 general questions concerning the key physiological concepts presented and discussed. The pre- and post test were given at the beginning and at the end of the work shop with the same questions on both. The evaluated questions were the following: Question #1: With which concept could you associate “physiology”? Question #2: How do the nervous system cells communicate with each other? Question #3: Do you know if the human body generates electricity? Question #4: What is the approximate total blood volume of the human body? Question #5: What causes air to move into our lungs during the breathing process? Data Analysis: Students answers from pre- and post-test were analyzed using chi-square test. Percent of Correct Answers for Questions 1 to 5. Figure 1. Percent of Correct Answers for Questions 1 to 5. Green bars represent the percent of correct answers during the pre-test. Orange bars represent the percent of correct answers during the post-test (*p < 0.05; **p < 0.01). Demographic and Setting Information of Students Impacted by the Physiological Sciences Workshop Table 1. Demographic and Setting Information of Students Impacted by the Physiological Sciences Workshop ** * Program # Poster Board #T39