Monster Heart Medic is a free iPad app produced by the Lawrence Hall of Science with funding from the National Institutes of Health. The purpose of the app is to help students learn about the cardiovascular system through a game environment.

The basic premise of Monster Heart Medic is that students have to help a friendly monster named Ragnar live a healthier life. Throughout the game students conduct exams on Ragnar to monitor components of his health like blood pressure and cholesterol. Students also have to teach Ragnar how to take care of himself by making better food choices and exercising. In all there are 37 tasks called Health Fact Achievements that students need to complete in the game.

To successfully complete all of the Health Fact Achievements in Monster Heart Medic could require a few hours or more. I played Monster Heart Medic through the first few achievements this morning and that took about fifteen minutes. Part of the reason for that time is that the initial start-up of the app includes a lot of written directions for students. The reason it takes a while to move through each achievement is that the animations and simulations are detailed and truly designed to teach not just provide a review for students.

Monster Heart Medic was designed for elementary school students but middle school students could also learn a lot from playing the game.