10.06.08

Aspiring doctors and medical technicians these days can often get lessons in anatomy, disease or radiology before college. The human body systems class at Wheaton High is among an increasing number of rigorous classes for high school students seeking an early glimpse into the growing health-care field -- and a head start on the training they'll need.

The programs are designed with a hands-on style intended to give students a clear picture of the connection between real-world jobs and the biology and chemistry they study in other classes. Many of them, reflecting an effort by schools to provide increasingly sophisticated vocational education, prepare students to graduate with the training and certifications they'll need to immediately enter health-care jobs. Those jobs can be a starting point for students who plan to work to help pay for college.