Human Anatomy and Physiology Society

What Human Anatomy and Physiology Society does

The Human Anatomy and Physiology Society (HAPS) is a nonprofit professional membership organization founded in 1987 and headquartered in LaGrange, Georgia, dedicated to advancing the teaching of human anatomy and physiology across secondary and post-secondary education. It serves approximately 1,300-1,700 educator members drawn from community colleges, four-year institutions, universities, high schools, and international schools across the United States, Canada, and worldwide — with community-college faculty representing the largest segment, given that approximately two-thirds of combined A&P courses in the US and Canada are taught at two-year institutions.

HAPS's core products and proprietary assets include the HAPS Learning Outcomes framework (covering combined A&P, anatomy-only, and physiology-only courses, released under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 in August 2024); a suite of psychometrically validated standardized exams — the Comprehensive A&P Exam (established 1993), Comprehensive Anatomy Exam, and split A&P I/A&P II exams, migrating to the ExamSoft platform in July 2026; the open-access peer-reviewed HAPS Educator journal (published three times yearly); the Teaching Resource Hub; HAPS-Institute graduate-credit professional-development courses; and a year-round events portfolio comprising an annual conference, four regional meetings, a virtual conference, and webinar series.

HAPS generates revenue through a diversified set of small-ticket streams: annual individual membership dues ranging from $20 (undergraduate student) to $110 (regular member), with free emeritus status after 10+ years of membership; tiered per-exam fees of $15-$24; conference registration fees ($175-$525 depending on format and timing); HAPS-I course tuition ($425-$525); journal and conference advertising; and charitable grants such as the $100,000 Ric Martini Endowed Fund (2024). Distribution is conducted primarily through direct digital channels (self-serve membership and exam-ordering portals on the HAPS website) and in-person events, with no reseller or retail channel.

Name

Human Anatomy and Physiology Society

Legal name

Human Anatomy and Physiology Society

Website

https://hapsweb.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1987

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Nonprofit professional membership society serving approximately 1,300-1,700 anatomy and physiology educators globally through standardized exams, learning outcomes, a peer-reviewed journal, conferences, and graduate-credit professional development courses.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Education Services

NAICS

Educational Services (611)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Education Professionals (Teacher/Administrator CE, CPD) (EDAAALAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Continuing Education (CE/CPD) & Provider Accreditation Bodies (EDADACAF)

Keywords

• Professional society membership
• Anatomy physiology education
• Standardized assessment exams
• Teaching resource library
• Educator professional development

Headquarters

HQ city

La Grange

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership fees ranging from $20/year (undergraduate student) to $110/year (regular member). Multi-year discounts available (5% for 3-year, 10% for 5-year). Institutional membership offers 5% discount for 3+ members from same institution.
2. Conference Registration: Revenue from annual conferences, regional meetings, and virtual conferences. Registration fees vary by conference type and include meals and networking events.
3. Exam Fees: Standardized exams sold to instructors at institutions. Pricing tiers: Under 15 exams at $24 each, 15-100 exams at $17.50 each, 100+ exams at $15 each (effective July 1, 2026).
4. Professional Development Courses: HAPS Institute (HAPS-I) offers graduate credits and professional development courses. GATE 2026 course pricing: HAPS Members $450-500, Non-members $475-525, Students $425.
5. Publication Fees: The HAPS Educator is an open-access peer-reviewed journal. No submission or publication fees; revenue derived from member engagement and advertising.
6. Advertising: Advertising space sold in the HAPS Educator journal and at conferences. Advertising rates available upon request.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels11 records

Core offering

HAPS is a professional membership society that supports anatomy and physiology educators through standardized psychometrically validated exams (Comprehensive A&P, Comprehensive Anatomy, and A&P I/II variants), a published set of HAPS Learning Outcomes for curriculum design, the HAPS Educator peer-reviewed journal, and a Teaching Resource Hub of downloadable materials. The society runs an Annual Conference, four regional meetings, a Virtual Conference, HAPS-Institute graduate-credit courses, webinars, and moderated discussion groups. Membership, exam sales, conference registration, and professional development course fees form the core commercial offerings.

Product overview

The Human Anatomy and Physiology Society (HAPS) offers a comprehensive suite of educational products and services for anatomy and physiology instructors. The core offerings include the HAPS Exam program (standardized assessments including Comprehensive A&P Exam, Comprehensive Anatomy Exam, and A&P I/II variants), the HAPS Educator peer-reviewed journal, and HAPS Learning Outcomes curriculum guidelines. The Teaching Resource Hub provides free downloadable materials including class activities, lab resources, and educational research. Professional development is delivered through HAPS-Institute courses, webinars, town halls, and the Annual Conference. Community engagement features include discussion groups, book club, regional meetings, and the annual gathering. Financial support programs include the Ric Martini Student Engagement Grant and various awards. The organization also hosts virtual conferences and specialized programs like the Gross Anatomy for Teacher Education (GATE) course.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• HAPS Exam program Standardized online assessment suite for anatomy and physiology instructors at colleges, universities, and high schools, used to benchmark student performance against national norms; migrated to ExamSoft delivery from July 2026.
• HAPS Comprehensive A&P Exam 100-question multiple-choice standardized exam for two-semester undergraduate A&P courses, providing schools with normalized national data for comparing student performance.
• HAPS Comprehensive Anatomy Exam 100-question multiple-choice exam assessing human anatomy learning outcomes, designed for one-semester undergraduate anatomy courses.
• HAPS A&P I and A&P II Exams Split standardized exams covering A&P I (37 questions) and A&P II (32 questions) for programs teaching only one portion of the full A&P curriculum.
• HAPS Educator Journal Open-access peer-reviewed journal publishing Educational Research, Teaching Perspectives, and Current Topics articles, with three issues per year and no submission or publication fees.
• HAPS Learning Outcomes Comprehensive learning outcome sets for combined A&P (two-semester), anatomy-only, and physiology-only courses, released under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 licensing for curriculum design and exam alignment.
• Teaching Resource Hub Centralized free repository of downloadable teaching resources including course guidelines, class activities (TIPS database, Guided Inquiry Activities, Histology Challenge), lab resources, and educational research materials curated by HAPS members.
• HAPS-Institute (HAPS-I) Courses Professional development program offering graduate credits and continuing education courses in flexible formats for working A&P instructors, covering Best Teaching Practices, Humanism & Anatomy, Research Methods, and Leadership Development.
• Webinars and Town Halls Online professional development programming including ADInstruments and Cengage-sponsored webinar series plus member-only town halls and recording archives.
• HAPS Virtual Conference Fully online nine-day virtual conference hosted in Canvas LMS featuring keynote talks, flipped workshops, virtual poster sessions, and panel discussions.
• HAPS Annual Conference Annual in-person gathering featuring update seminars, workshops, poster presentations, networking, and exhibitor opportunities for anatomy and physiology educators.
• Regional Meetings One-day regional gatherings hosted by HAPS members at their home institutions across four regions, typically featuring poster and workshop presentations for 40-80 participants.
• HAPS Discussion Groups Seven online discussion groups including the main HAPS-L listserv (active since 1998), High School Group, Teaching Portfolios group, and four Regional Discussion Groups for member networking.
• HAPS Book Club Monthly virtual book club established in Fall 2020 for shared professional learning and community building, discussing popular press books with occasional author appearances.
• Gross Anatomy for Teacher Education (GATE) Three-day professional development course in human gross anatomy with complete cadaver dissection for high school and collegiate anatomy educators, offered in partnership with UAB.
• HAPS Blog Curated articles about personal experiences, trends, and events written by and for A&P instructors, featuring topics from teaching tips to A&P-related experiences.
• HAPS Membership Tiered annual membership for anatomy and physiology educators, with rates from $20/year (undergraduate student) to $110/year (regular member); multi-year and institutional discounts available; Emeritus tier free for long-term retired members.
• Ric Martini Student Engagement Grant Grant program providing up to $750 to instructors at high schools and community colleges to support educational opportunities (field trips, enrichment activities) for introductory A&P students.

Quantifiable outcome

• ~450,000 students assessed annually using HAPS standardized exams in US and Canada
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• CengagecoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2021HAPS partnered with Cengage since 2021. Their support has funded a Physiology Learning Outcomes Summit and various learning opportunities in the form of webinars. Cengage provides educational resources and content for HAPS members.
• ADInstrumentscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate partner sponsoring the SAM Drogo Technology in the Classroom Award ($1500) and providing webinar content through the ADInstruments Webinar Series.
• American Physiological Society (APS)coreOthersProfessional society partner aligned with HAPS mission. Listed among sister organizations and collaborated on the 2013 credentialing task force.
• American Association of Clinical Anatomists (AACA)coreOthersProfessional society partner. Collaborated on the 2013 anatomy and physiology credentialing task force.
• American Association of Anatomists (AAA)coreOthersProfessional society partner. Collaborated on the 2013 anatomy and physiology credentialing task force.
• UAB Department of Cell, Developmental and Integrative Biology (CDIB)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-sponsor of the GATE 2026 (Gross Anatomy for Teacher Education) professional development course with complete cadaver dissection, June 24-26, 2026.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• American Association of Clinical Anatomists (AACA): Professional society for clinical anatomists that collaborates with HAPS on credentialing task forces and shares a similar membership/conference model. Directly comparable as a sister anatomy-education organization serving an overlapping faculty audience.
• American Physiological Society (APS): Long-standing physiology professional society partner of HAPS. Comparable as a scientific society with a strong education membership tier, peer-reviewed journals, conferences, and assessment programs that overlap with HAPS's physiology offerings.
• American Association of Anatomists (AAA): Sister anatomy society that collaborated with HAPS on the 2013 anatomy and physiology credentialing task force. Directly comparable membership society model targeting anatomy educators and researchers.
• National Association of Biology Teachers (NABT): US-focused professional society for biology educators at the K-12 and introductory college levels. Comparable membership, conference, and professional development model targeting a teaching community that overlaps with HAPS's high school and community college segments.

Broad incumbents

• American Society for Microbiology (ASM): Large scientific society with a strong education arm serving microbiology educators. Comparable model - membership, peer-reviewed journals, conferences, and educator resources - but with a broader disciplinary scope and significantly larger scale.
• National Science Teaching Association (NSTA): Largest US professional organization for science educators, with a comparable membership, conference, and professional development model. Broader in scope (all science disciplines) but a near analog in how it serves teacher members and publishes content for the classroom.
• American Chemical Society (ACS) - Education Division: Major scientific society with a dedicated education division that produces standardized exams, conferences, and pedagogical resources. Operates an analogous testing business (ACS Exams) that competes with HAPS Exams in the standardized assessment model.
• Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research Honor Society: Scientific research society with a membership, chapter, and publication model similar to HAPS, but broader in disciplinary scope. Comparable as a nonprofit scientific society that monetizes memberships and conferences.

Regional players

• American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN): Though focused on nursing education, AACN is a key stakeholder in A&P prerequisite standards for health professions. Comparable as a membership and standards-setting organization influencing how A&P courses are structured, with similar conference and curriculum resource offerings.
• American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine (AACOM): Membership association for osteopathic medical schools and their faculty. Comparable as a society that represents educators who teach A&P as a prerequisite for health professions, sharing HAPS's audience overlap but with a defined institutional membership model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/HAPSofficial
• Xx.com/HumanAandPSoc
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/haps-on-linkedin

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles21 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Human Anatomy and Physiology Society