Online Health Services Course Information

Health services courses and programs are available online at a range of levels, from free courses with no prerequisites, to graduate degree level offerings. There are also continuing medical education (CME) courses offered online for physicians and other health service professionals. Some courses may contain a hybrid lab component.

Overview of Online Health Services Courses

Online course offerings are generally more theoretical or administrative in nature, and most practical health services courses are offered in a clinical or campus setting. Due to the range of education levels and broad spectrum of specializations within that fall within this field, subjects and levels of courses are widely varied. Standalone courses are available and online classes may also be found in related health and medical degree programs, including health care administration, health services management and mental health services. Health services courses may enable students to hold job titles such as medical office administrator, medical services technician or nurse practitioner.

Course Requirements

Courses require the use of a computer with Internet access. Most lectures are delivered through a media player. Students may require Adobe Acrobat Reader, Microsoft Word and Excel. Some schools may utilize specialized teaching software. Intranet messaging boards and e-mail are often used for course communication.

List of Courses

Ethics and Legal Issues Course

This course provides a thorough examination of ethical and legal issues in health services administration. Case studies, risk management and quality assurance are key topics for discussion. Students learn about the major legal issues encountered by those in the field of health care. The course aims to equip students with a comprehensive understanding of the health services provider's role in maintaining an effective standard of care.

Health Services Planning and Evaluation Course

In this course, which is generally offered as part of undergraduate degree programs, students learn to analyze and design health care programs and models by utilizing research data, planning strategies and model development techniques. Students enrolled in this class gain a historical background to health care systems and develop their own health care model.

Human Pathology Course

Students receive a comprehensive overview of human diseases and diagnostic methods. Diseases are analyzed at a cellular level, major organ systems are reviewed and diagnostic tools are discussed. This course may contain a lab component.

Pharmacology Course

This course focuses on the analysis of drugs and their effects on the human body through the application of biophysics, biochemistry and physiology. Various drug classes and specific agents are studied. The course is composed of lecture and discussion.

Public Health Toxicology Course

Environmental toxicology and prevention are topics of study in this course. Students learn how toxic chemicals are distributed and spread within the human body and populations. Case studies are used to demonstrate causes and effects of toxins.

Clinical Human Brain Course

Students discuss human brain function, diseases and anatomy in this course. Case and animal studies are used to reveal how the brain works. Neurotransmitters and their role in altering brain function through the effects of drugs are discussed.