Biomedical/Allied Health
Magnet Program
Welcome to BMAH!
With 3.2 million jobs expected to be created between now and 2018 in the healthcare field, the AACPS BioMedical Allied Health (BMAH) Magnet program embraces one of the fastest growing career fields in the country. BMAH is a four-year (grades 9-12) educational choice that gives highly
motivated and academically eligible students the opportunity to explore and engage directly with the health care industry.
BMAH’s solid instructional program combines project-based learning and interactions with medical/allied health professionals to prepare students for post-high school academic and career success. Through BMAH related
competitions and research courses, students will gain real-world experience and training in investigative techniques and practical knowledge that could one day be used to save a life.
Before we begin…
General Magnet Program Information
All AACPS Magnet Programs…
Offer students a specialized course of study or an emphasis on instruction that is different from the traditional curriculum offered in AACPS.
Are a key component of Anne Arundel County’s vision for Programs of Choice.
Attract qualified students from all areas of the county who complete an admission process.
Are public school programs and do not involve any additional cost to attend.
o Some programs may have lab, field trip, or exam fees.
Provide transportation through regional consolidated community bus stops.
o Private transportation is required to and from the community bus stops. Most bus stops are located at local elementary schools, middle schools, or libraries.
What benefits does BMAH offer?
A curriculum that weaves health care topics through all courses;
The chance to learn with students who share the same passion for the health care fields from all parts of Anne Arundel County;
Access to 21st century technology as an important part of the classroom;
Project/Problem-based learning that challenges students to consider, discuss, and solve real-world, hands-on problems;
Frequent opportunities to explore healthcare careers through job shadows and internships;
Community and industry partnerships with major hospitals and institutions in the Baltimore/Washington Professional Corridor; and
Educational partnerships with local colleges and universities to prepare for academic success after high school.
All BMAH students attend Glen Burnie High School
School Phone: 410-761-8950
School Website: http://www.aacps.org/aacps/gbhs/index.html Principal: Vickie Plitt
Lead Teacher: Betty Golibart
BMAH students get to choose from one of the following Pathways of Study to follow through their four years in the BMAH Magnet Program:
Public/International Health
BioMedical Science
BioTech Engineering
Aging and Wellness
Health, Information, and Technology
Although most of the classes that BMAH students take in 9th grade will be
related generally to the biomedical and allied health fields, as students move through the four years of the BMAH program, their classes will become more focused on their chosen pathway.
Medical Rounds
Walking Wellness
BMAH Social Issues (Honors Social Studies)
BMAH Art
Honors Mathematics
Honors English
Honors Science
Honors World Language
Project Lead the Way (PTLW)—The BMAH program is the only school in the state to offer both PLTW Bioengineering and PLTW Biomedicine.
All courses have overlays that reflect biomedical topics.
What classes do BMAH students take?
Medical Rounds…
Are 4 to 6 week modules of in-depth, project/problem-based learning focused on a specific BMAH-related issue.
Use Socratic discussions to challenge students to consider interesting and relevant health care topics.
Often include visits from BMAH professionals familiar with the current topic. Medical Round topics may include:
What happens to your body in space?—Discover and discuss issues surrounding extended space travel and meet with an astronaut who has experienced those
issues first-hand.
Can music and art act as medicine?—Study the importance of art in the healing process and meet with a community Specialist of Alternative Medicine.
Is Technology a medical field?—Discuss the role that technology plays in the health care industry and study the types of 21st technology used every day
in the medical world.
In Walking Wellness students…
Have the opportunity to discuss relevant issues in an informal setting while improving their full-body health.
Spend 45 minutes every other day listening to podcasts related to their current Medical Rounds module, considering discussion questions, and sharing their thoughts with other students.
Use technology to keep a record of their vital statistics (pulse, heart rate, etc) and nutritional health data so they can track changes and
improvements to their health over the school year.
BMAH Social Issues…
Asks students to consider 21st century social issues that are extremely
relevant in today’s world.
Pushes students to think about difficult problems and controversial issues professionals in the health care fields have face each and every day.
Functions as the Social Studies course for BMAH students. BMAH Social Issue topics may include:
How poverty impacts the health of children
Pandemic diseases in four regions of the world and how each of these diseases could be erased with a clean source of water
Genetically Modified Foods – are they harmful to your health?
Complementary and Alternative Medicines such as Eastern medicines, herbal
medicines, acupuncture, and yoga
*This schedule serves as an example of a typical ninth grade student’s schedule. Your student’s schedule may look different.
**Students will register for Honors Geometry, Honors Algebra II, or Honors Pre-Calculus as determined by their current Math level.
***9th grade BMAH students may only chose one elective. (This mirrors the STEM magnet program option for 9th graders). A student may take 1 credit of the same elective all year or ½ credit of different electives each semester in ninth grade
****A student’s world language level will be determined by his or her current World Language
Here is a sample Grade 9 schedule*
Grade 9—Fall Semester
Period/Block A Day B Day
1 Walking Wellness BMAH Social Issues BMAH Fundamentals of Art BMAH Medical Rounds BMAH Social Issues Walking Wellness BMAH Medical Rounds BMAH Fundamental of Art
2 BMAH Honors English 9 Honors Geometry**
3 Elective*** BMAH Honors Biology
Applying to the BMAH Program
As with all AACPS Magnet Schools, students must
complete an application process and be determined
eligible for the BMAH program.
Students can apply to the BMAH program in the fall
of their 8
thgrade year.
1. Information Nights: Attend the BMAH Information Night in the fall to
visit the magnet school, meet the BMAH facilitators and teachers, and learn more about the program.
Visit the Magnet Website (www.aacps.org/magnet) for details on any upcoming Information Nights.
2. The Application: Complete the online Magnet Application by the
posted deadline.
The Magnet Application opens in the fall and will remain open for approximately two months.
The Magnet Application is posted at https://magnet.aacps.org.
3. The Interview: Sign-up for and complete a Challenge Interview.
Information about the Challenge Interview is available on the Magnet Website (www.aacps.org/magnet). This information may vary from year to year.
The Magnet Application Process:
4. Evaluation: The magnet office uses the following criteria to determine whether or not a student is eligible for BMAH:
a) 7th and 8th grade academic records b) MSA scores
c) Math and World Language classes taken d) Interview scores
Students may be eligible through one of two pathways
These pathways are not a ranking system, but rather determine what the student will
need to complete during the application process.
Pathway I* Students must have:
A minimum of a “B” average (3.0 grade average) in grade 7
Current enrollment in, or successful completion of Algebra I with a “B” (80%) or better
Current enrollment in, or successful completion of Level 1 of a World Language
with a “C” (70%) or better
Scores of Proficientor Advanced in MSA Reading and Mathematics in grade 7
or scores in the 60 percentile or above on nationally-normed tests in Reading
and Mathematics
An average rubric score of a 7 or better on the Magnet Challenge Interview
The Magnet Application Process:
Pathway II* Students must have:
A minimum of a “mid-C” average (2.5 grade average) in grade 7
Current enrollment in or successful completion of Algebra I with a “C” or better
OR
Successful completion of STEMath 7 with a “B” or better AND current enrollment in
STEMath 8 with a “B” or better. (Students must complete STEMath 8 with a “B” or better by the end of grade 8 in order to remain eligible for this program).
Current enrollment in, or successful completion of, Level 1 of a World Language with a
“C” or better
An average rubric score of a 7 or better on the Magnet Challenge Interview
Scores of Proficientor Advanced in MSA Reading and Mathematics in grade 7 or scores
in the 60 percentile or above on nationally-normed tests in Reading and Mathematics
An average rubric score of a 3 or better on the Academic Interview
Two letters of recommendation from a recent teacher and a community member
(teacher, coach, mentor, etc)
*Please note that the only distinction between these two pathways is that students in Pathway II will complete an academic interview and will need letters of
recommendation. Both Pathway I and Pathway II students are treated equally in the Lottery.
The Magnet Application Process:
5.
The Lottery:
Because there are often more eligible applicants for each Magnet program than seats available, a computerized, random Lottery is usually conducted for to place students either in the program or on a wait-list. It is the belief of the Magnet Office that a Lottery is the most fair way to all
students to determine who is given a seat in a Magnet Program.
Students placed on the wait-list will be offered a seat as space becomes avaiable in the program
6.
Registration:
Accepted students will attend a Welcome andRegistration Night for their program to learn information about the:
Enrollment process
Summer reading assignment
BMAH Summer Bridge—a two week summer experience for students to engage in focused BMAH experiences
The Magnet Application Process:
The Lottery and Registration
Need More Information?
Contact a member of the BMAH team:
Tina Gillmeister, STEM CoordinatorPhone: 410-222-5391 x4
Email: [email protected]
Bobbie Armour, BMAH Magnet Resource Teacher
Phone: 410-570-9274
