FINAL PROJECT: Abstract and Reader's Reponse > Draft Curriculum for Medical Humanities Course: Looking at Health Disparities
One way to develop a secondary theme to bind your broad topic together is to name the adjacent disciplines/professions who can help with this work:
For example, health policy analysts/advocates. Look at what Andy Slavitt writes about in major news papers and other places.
What about medical ethics? Philosophers help. One pioneer is Arthur Caplan (still living) and the now dead philosopher in England Philippa Foote.
Historians know quite a bit. Check out the publication Nursing Clio.
Medical anthropology is helpful, too.
Also, what about citizens working on health disparities in Baltimore? Any NGO groups?
May 12, 2019 |
MbS
MbS
Abstract: The medical humanities course will broaden students’ perspectives and give them insight regarding the structural factors that contribute to health care disparities that are currently prevalent in the United States. These issues are relevant to students interested in any field, however it is particularly important for those pursuing a career in the medical field. Structural violences contribute to significant health care gaps, however they are often overlooked in medical care due to a lack of education and a tendency of holding implicit biases. Social determinants of health are necessary to be aware of in the medical profession due to the impacts they have on a patient’s health that need to be taken into consideration for effective treatment. With a variety of examples (that may be used as discussion topics or lectures in the course), the students will be well-informed of how different factors, mainly within the categories of discrimination and poverty, can affect a person’s health care. This draft curriculum will also provide resources that may be of use when deciding which topics to focus the course on that may be adjusted based on the types of students who enroll in the course.
Reader Profile: Some students may not be engaged in the topics if they do not believe this knowledge pertains to their intended careers.
Reader’s Response: (If joining the medical field) I agree that these factors do contribute to a person’s health and they are important to keep in mind but I don’t know how to apply this knowledge when interacting with patients. Even so, I will be more aware of the structural factors that cause health problems where I work in the future to treat my patients better. (If not joining the medical field) These factors are interesting to learn about however I’m not sure where I will use this information since I am not interested in health care. It does give me more general perspective/awareness of how structural factors affect a person’s situation.