Hands-On Learning in Sports Medicine Prepares Students for Real-World Careers

High school is a time of exploration — of discovering passions, talents, and potential career paths. For those with an interest in healthcare and athletics, Sports Medicine courses provide a unique opportunity to blend both worlds. As one of the district’s Career and Technical Education (CTE) program offerings, Sports Medicine courses offer hands-on experiences with real-world applications and a strong foundation for future careers in medicine and health care. 

At Liberty High School, Morten Orren teaches Introduction to Sports Medicine, a course designed to cover information fundamental to all health care professions, with an emphasis on sports medicine. Orren, who says he first discovered his love for sports medicine in high school, sees his role as more than just teaching concepts — he’s opening the door to a wide variety of future careers in the medical field. 

“These classes have led to many students pursuing careers in sports medicine and different medical careers,” says Orren. “One student in particular got her master's in athletic training at Baylor University and just this year started as the athletic trainer at Eastlake High School in Sammamish. I have also had quite a few others pursue nursing careers.” 

The curriculum covers essential medical topics such as anatomy and physiology, medical terminology, rehabilitation techniques and emergency medicine. Students also have the opportunity to earn Red Cross certification in CPR, AED (Automated External Defibrillator) and first aid — real-world skills that can be applied immediately in emergencies. 

”The Sports Medicine program is designed to give students a head start on a medical or health career. Students have reported back to me while in college to tell me that these classes provided a foundation for their learning. They also felt that in some cases their beginning college courses were more of a review for them instead of new concepts, and it helped with their confidence.” 

One of the most valuable components of the course is when students understand the practical application of their learning. “In my Advanced Sports Medicine classes, students learn the concepts behind injuries and injury evaluations. As a part of the course, they are required to help after school at various athletic events/practices and in the athletic training room. During these times they see what they’ve been taught being put into action,” shares Orren.  

For senior Laila Qudah, practicing injury evaluation techniques and learning to apply support wraps have been highlights of the course. In the Intro to Sports Medicine course, students learn “to do wrist and ankle wraps," Qudah says, “and get to practice on friends and classmates.” If you take Advanced Sports Medicine, “you can do some of the wrist and ankle wraps on actual players typically during football season,” she continues. “It’s a very fun and interactive way of learning in something I love.” 

Senior Chelsea Irvine says the taping exercises have been particularly useful. “On my club teams or at away high school games, players come to me to tape their wrists or fingers because I’ve practiced it over and over in class. It’s allowed me to understand not just the taping process, but also the reasons behind different injuries.”  

Orren recalls moments when students witness an injury they’ve studied in class and are able to recognize evaluation techniques in action. “I love when I hear them whispering, ‘Oh, that’s the Empty Can Test!’ or ‘That’s what a positive sign looks like,’” he says. “It makes the learning process come full circle.” 

Hands-on experiences within the classroom are just as impactful. Students engage in interactive labs, such as a cranial nerves lab. During the lab, students perform a series of physical examinations that assess the nervous system. As an example, students test their optic nerves by reading an eye chart and measuring peripheral vision. They also test their olfactory nerves (sense of smell), vestibulocochlear nerve (balance and hearing), trigeminal nerve (facial skin sensation and chewing) and more.  

Above, Liberty High School Teacher Morten Orren talks with students during a sports medicine lab.

The lab “helped me see what an optometrist can do. Such as seeing how a person's pupils will contract when light shines into them,” explains sophomore Lillian Collins-Grimm, who dreams of a career in radiology or neuroscience. Collins-Grimm says the “course aligns with my plans for college because I’ll already know basic medical material. It has given me insight into what I want to pursue further into the future and has made me more excited to look into other medical positions.” 

The Sports Medicine pathway within CTE provides students with a strong foundation for careers in health care, giving them the knowledge, skills, and confidence to pursue higher education and professional opportunities. 

“I think this course helps open doors for students considering health care careers,” explains Qudah. “Even if you’re not pursuing sports medicine specifically, many health care careers require knowledge of anatomy and injury treatment. This class gives students a head start.” 

With a curriculum rooted in science, hands-on learning, and real-world applications, the Sports Medicine program is more than just a class — it’s a launching pad for future medical professionals. For students like Collins-Grimm, Qudah, and Irvine, the experience has been transformative, shaping their aspirations and giving them the tools they need to succeed in future coursework and eventually, the medical field. 

For more information on Career & Technical Education opportunities, visit our CTE Program Overview page.