1. Health Professions LessonPlan
Time: 45 Minutes
Target Grades: 11th-12th
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Lesson Overview
Summary: This lesson is intended to be presented in a high school classroom setting within the
time frame of a single class period. The primary focus is on improving the students’ knowledge
of the health professions that are currently experiencing shortages in the state of Iowa. This is
accomplished by presenting and reviewing the material in multiple formats that allow the
students to be actively engaged.
Goal: To increase students’ knowledge of health professional shortages in Iowa
Objectives: Students will be able to
 Identify health professions based on descriptions of the career
 Identify health professions based on descriptions of patient/client interactions
 Describe a specific health profession from educational requirements to job
responsibilities
 Define health professional shortage areas and medically underserved populations
Outline:
 Pre-test
 Introduction to health professional shortages
 Health professions game
 Group summary activity
 Posttest
Materials
 Information packets (folder and papers)
 Pre- and posttests
 AHEC cups
 Computer mouse
 Otoscope
 Blood pressure set
 Wrist watch
 Bite tray
 Dental mirror
 Legal pad
 Quick Reference to DSM-IV
 Classroom with a blackboard, whiteboard, or projector

2. Health Professions LessonPlan
Time: 45 Minutes
Target Grades: 11th-12th
2
Lesson Plan
1) Pre-test(5 minutes)
 Introduce AHEC and its mission
 Give students a copy of the pre-test and ask them to answer all questions to the best of
their ability
 Collect tests as soon as students are finished
2) Introduction to Health ProfessionalShortages (10 minutes)
 Hand out information packets
 Discuss Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs)
o Designated each year by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
o Three types of professionals: primary care, dental, and mental health
o Three types of designations: geographic area, population groups, and facilities
 Discuss PRIMECARRE Loan Repayment Program
o Primary Care Recruitment and Retention Endeavor
 Recruit and retain primary care practitioners in Iowa
o Assists in the repayment of educational loans
o Must be employed in a designated HPSA
o Primary care physician (family medicine, general practitioner, general internal
medicine, general pediatrics, obstetrics and gynecology, general psychiatry)
dentist, dental hygienist, physician assistant, nurse practitioner, certified nurse
midwife, clinical psychologist, clinical social worker, psychiatric nurse specialist,
mental health counselor, marriage and family therapist
 Discuss individual health professions
o Review job description, education, pay, and job outlook

3. Health Professions LessonPlan
Time: 45 Minutes
Target Grades: 11th-12th
3
3) Health Professions Game (10 minutes)
 Display the list of health professions on a blackboard/whiteboard/projector
 Have each student take out a blank sheet of paper and a writing utensil
 Instructor will read a description of a profession or a reason why someone would see a
health professional and students will try to identify the correct profession
 Students will display their answers before the correct answer is read
 Each correct answer earns the student 1 point
o The student(s) with the most points will receive an AHEC cup
 Read as many questions as is possible in 10 minutes
 See the attached sheet “Health Professions Game Questions” for a list of possible
questions
4) Group Summary Activity (15 minutes)
 Divide students into four groups
o Group 1: family and general physician, general internist, general pediatrician,
obstetrician and gynecologist, psychiatrist, and physician assistant (computer
mouse & otoscope)
o Group 2: nurse practitioner, psychiatric nurse specialist, and certified nurse
midwife (blood pressure set & wrist watch)
o Group 3: clinical psychologist, mental health counselor, marriage and family
therapist, clinical social worker (legal pad & Quick Reference)
o Group 4: dentist and dental hygienist (bite tray & dental mirror)
 Each group will choose one of their assigned health professionals and create a brief story
about them. They should be creative, but they also must be accurate.
 The story should include:
o Professional’s name and job
o Where s/he went to school and what degree was earned
o Where s/he is currently employed
o What his/her work schedule is like

4. Health Professions LessonPlan
Time: 45 Minutes
Target Grades: 11th-12th
4
o How much s/he is paid
o An example of an interaction with a patient or client, including how s/he uses the
two tools provided
 Give students about 10 minutes to work, then have each group share their story with the
class
 Example: Dr. Andrew Jordan is a doctor of osteopathic medicine who specializes in
family medicine. After earning his bachelor’s degree, he went on to receive his doctorate
from Des Moines University. Dr. Jordan then completed a three year residency and
passed the COMLEX-USA to become a licensed physician. He currently works at a small
family practice clinic in Waverly, Iowa. He regularly works 40-50 hours per week, but he
often works more because he is on call three nights each week. All of his work earns him
$193,000 per year. Yesterday Dr. Jordan saw a patient named Tom Thompson. Mr.
Thompson is a 47 year old man who was visiting the doctor about his sore throat. Dr.
Jordan used the otoscope to examine Mr. Thompson’s throat and believed that he had
strep throat. He then used the computer to order lab testing to confirm the diagnosis. Mr.
Thompson’s test came back positive for strep throat, so Dr. Jordan electronically sent a
prescription for antibiotics to the local pharmacy.
5) Posttest(5 minutes)
 Give students a copy of the posttest and ask them to answer all questions to the best of
their ability
 Collect tests as soon as students are finished
 Pass out AHEC cups to the remaining students who did not receive one as a prize

5. Health Professions LessonPlan
Time: 45 Minutes
Target Grades: 11th-12th
5
Health Professions Game Questions
1) These professionals have a master’s degree with a focus on psychiatric and mental health.
They asses and treat patients for both mental and physical issues and earn an average of
$80,000. (Psychiatric Nurse Specialist)
2) Ted has never flossed before. He recently decided he should start flossing daily, but
doesn’t know how to do it correctly. What health professional would be most likely to
teach him? (Dental Hygienist)
3) These professionals have a Ph.D. and have a median earning of $68,000. They assess,
diagnose, and treat disorders through methods such as psychotherapy and behavior
modification programs. (Clinical Psychologist)
4) Ella is four years old and needs to get her vaccinations before starting kindergarten.
Which professional will her parents mostly likely take her to see? (General
Pediatrician)
5) These professionals have at least a master’s degree and earn $24,000-$63,000. They deal
with issues including anxiety, depression, grief, poor self-esteem, and stress. (Mental
Health Counselor)
6) After completing a master’s degree and clinical experience, these professionals specialize
in women’s wellness including pregnancy, labor, delivery, and primary care. They earn
between $80,000 and $90,000. (Certified Nurse Midwife)
7) Tina is an eight year old girl who recently fell down and cracked one of her teeth. What
health professional should she see to have it repaired? (Dentist)
8) Tim and Stacy have been arguing often lately because they cannot agree on how to
discipline their five year old daughter. What health professional should they see to help
resolve their conflict? (Marriage and Family Therapist)
9) Steve has just gotten a cold, and he wants to get a prescription for antibiotics. He lives in
a rural area where the physician is only at his clinic one day per week. Which health
professional will he be mostly likely to see? (Physician Assistant)

6. Health Professions LessonPlan
Time: 45 Minutes
Target Grades: 11th-12th
6
10) These professionals earn a master’s or doctorate degree and may work under the
supervision of physicians or practice independently. They perform physical exams,
diagnose and treat common ailments, and prescribe medications. (Nurse Practitioner)
11) These professionals are M.D.s or D.Os who diagnose and treat mental illness. They
typically earn around $200,000. (Psychiatrist)
12) Peter is a sixty-eight year old man who has been experiencing problems with his
digestive system for several weeks. What health professional should he see to diagnose
his problem? (General Internist)
13) After completing a master’s degree and passing a licensing exam, these professionals
assist with problems including poverty, drug addiction, domestic abuse, and
homelessness. (Clinical Social Worker)
14) Brenda is a twenty-five year old soccer player who believes she sprained her ankle during
a game. Which professional should she see for a diagnosis? (Family or General
Physician)
15) Amanda took a home pregnancy test that was positive, and she now wants to have it
confirmed by a health care professional. If she prefers to see a physician for her prenatal
care, which professional should she visit? (Obstetrician and Gynecologist)