Discover Pre-College Online Biology and A&P Courses to Take in High School

Summary: While both biology and anatomy & physiology (A&P) are foundational medical courses, how you tackle your schedule has many other variables. Getting a head start with pre-college online courses will be beneficial to you.

Key Points:

• Anatomy and physiology (A&P) work together to define how the human body operates by explaining the function and structure of its many components. 
• A&P is a great foundational subject, but not necessarily a pre-med requirement.
• On the other hand, biology, or the scientific study of life and living organisms, is required as a standard pre-med requirement (with lab). 
• Determining how to fit these two vital subjects into your schedule depends on many other variables. 
• Pre-college online courses in anatomy and physiology (A&P) and biology are a great way to start building your future in medicine.

Physician. Dermatologist. Surgeon. Orthotics. Plastic Surgeon. 

Do these careers interest you? Are you a teenager hoping to study medicine someday? Do you need support in getting started, such as determining which high school pre-med courses to prioritize? What is required, and what isn’t, when applying to med school? 

In this article, we’ll review the standard pre-med requirements and outline the importance of high school courses, such as biology and anatomy & physiology (A&P), as foundational medical courses. Then, we’ll detail pre-college online courses in A&P and biology that you can take while in high school to start building your future. 

An Outline of the Standard Pre-Med Requirements

As we’ve reviewed in other articles, the standard pre-med requirements include:

• Biology: 2 semesters with lab
• Physics: 2 semesters with lab
• General or inorganic chemistry: 2 semesters with lab
• English: 2 semesters

Many medical schools have additional requirements, such as:

• Math: 2 semesters of college-level math, such as calculus and/or statistics
• Biochemistry: 1 semester
• Statistics: 1 semester
• Psychology or sociology: 1 semester (recommended)
• Writing-intensive course: 1 semester (recommended)

With this in mind, how do you decipher which courses to focus on versus the other? Let’s review two popular options—biology and A&P.

What is A&P?

Anatomy and physiology (A&P) work together to define how the human body operates by explaining the function and structure of its many components. Although not always required, anatomy and physiology provide a head start in the first year of medical school and enhance clinical relevance.

What is Biology?

On the other hand, biology, the scientific study of life and living organisms, is a standard pre-med requirement (with lab). Biology is essential because it provides a fundamental understanding of life, encompassing everything from the smallest cells to entire ecosystems.

As you can see, both are important in their own way. However, how you decide to organize your schedule has many other variables at play. What’s available at your school? When does it fit into your schedule? What is your student counselor’s advice on moving forward?

Lucky for you, anatomy courses for teens and pre-college biology prep courses are widely available through Prelum, Powered by Kaplan. We work with top universities nationwide to provide a variety of A&P and biology courses that you can test out while in high school. What types of courses can you expect? Let’s take a look at a few, starting with A&P.

Pre-College Online Courses in Anatomy and Physiology

As you’ll discover with these examples, the subset of A&P offers a wide variety of interesting topics, such as:

From the mechanics of breathing to the complexities of the cardiovascular system, the Harvard Medical School Pre-College Online Certificate Program course, Physiology: Inside the Body's Inner Workings, provides valuable insights into the fascinating world of human physiology, where you’ll discover a comprehensive understanding of how organ systems function, adapt, and interact.

In the Georgetown University Pre-College Online Program course Anatomy & Physiology: How the Body Works in Harmony, you’ll receive a comprehensive overview of the major body regions and systems through engaging course videos that feature a variety of educational tools and procedures, including cadaver dissection. Explore the musculoskeletal, nervous, cardiovascular, respiratory, renal, and gastrointestinal systems.

Are you fascinated by how the human body operates? Do the inner workings of various organ systems intrigue you? This course from the Rice University Precollege Program,

Physiology: The Foundations of Medicine offers a comprehensive examination of the nervous, muscular, cardiovascular, and respiratory systems, exploring how they function in harmony. Hear from practicing physicians who will describe the pathological complications they may encounter.

The Northwestern Pre-College Online Program also boasts a physiology option. In the online course Physiology: Understanding the Body's Systems, you’ll experience an exciting journey through the human body, exploring the functions of vital organs like the kidneys, lungs, heart, and pancreas. You’ll analyze real-world patient scenarios and hear from actual clinicians in the field.

So, how do pre-college online biology courses measure up, considering biology is a standard requirement? Let’s review.

Pre-College Online Biology Courses for Teens

Discover the future of biology in a cutting-edge course from the Dartmouth Precollege Online Program. In Biology: Transforming the Future of Science, you’ll explore the intersection of science and technology and discover how systems biology revolutionizes our understanding of genes, proteins, and cellular interactions. From personalized medicine to anti-aging research, discover how innovative technology and computational tools are transforming the world. 

What recent discoveries are revolutionizing our understanding of cells? How do scientists use the tools of microscopy to advance their knowledge further? In Biology: The Science of Cells and Innovation from the Georgetown University Pre-College Online Program, you’ll get answers to these questions, dive into the world of cells, learn their language, and discover how new technologies are allowing us to not just better see, but also feel cells.

In the Notre Dame Pre-College Online Program course, Biology: The Impact of Genetic Mutations, you’ll explore how genetic mutation occurs in cancer, how energy is transformed in living systems, and the differences between metastatic and non-metastatic tumor cells. Study how knowledge of evolution explains the existence of genetic diseases, the development of drug resistance in bacteria and tumor cells, and how organisms adapt to their environment.

As you can see, getting started in high school is right at your fingertips. Prelum, Powered by Kaplan, partners with some of the top colleges and universities in the nation. Our format is flexible with courses designed and led by faculty and delivered through dynamic videos with interactive tools. Study anywhere, anytime that fits your schedule, and receive support from seasoned mentors who will guide your learning experience. Upon successful delivery of a Final Project, you will earn a Certificate of Completion that you can add to your applications.

In the argument of whether to take anatomy versus biology courses in high school first, there isn’t a clear-cut frontrunner, as you can see. However, providing college admissions boards with a definitive perspective on the importance you’ve put on your education is a necessity, especially if your sights are set on medicine. And it is made possible with Prelum, Powered by Kaplan.

Last reviewed by Ashley Simmons on 11/26/2025.