Yesterday, we told you about the subject of Chemistry as it relates to a “Health” science. Today, we are publishing a follow-up piece connecting physics with health education.
In their textbook, An Integrated Approach to Health Sciences: Anatomy & Physiology, Math, Physics, & Chemistry, authors Colbert and company list physics as one of the four basic building blocks of health sciences.
The authors explain:
“Of particular importance to health science students is that physics sheds light on the workings of simple and complex machinery used in the health science field. Furthermore, many principles of physics are used in the effective diagnosis and treatment of patients.”
We recently came across a paperback for nursing students and allied health professionals called, Introduction to Biological Physics for the Health and Life Sciences, which sums it up this way:
“Physics is central to the study of biomedical science, and in many cases, students are required to have an understanding of basic physics to help appreciate the behaviour of biosystems.” 2
Physics curricula include: matter, motion, momentum, mass, weight, force, gravity, heat transfer, work, and energy, for example.
Health science students also learn about radiation and its implications on health, among other related topics. Of course, there’s the specialty of health physics.
“Health physics is the discipline responsible for the protection of humans and their environment from the harmful effects of ionizing radiation while providing for its beneficial uses. Health physics can be considered an allied health profession, but as a discipline it is much more diverse.” 3
We believe learning a little bit about physics is important not just for health science majors, but for those aspiring to learn all they can about how the body works and how to make it better.
References
1. Colbert, Bruce J. (1995). An Integrated Approach to Health Sciences: Anatomy & Physiology, Math, Physics, & Chemistry. Albany, NY: Delmar Publishers.
2. Franklin, Kirsten, et. al. (2010) Introduction to Biological Physics for. the Health and Life Sciences. Hoboken, NJ Wiley
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