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Teaching sociology to medical students
Author(s) -
NAJMAN J. M.,
ISAACS G.,
SISKIND MARLENE
Publication year - 1978
Publication title -
medical education
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.776
H-Index - 138
eISSN - 1365-2923
pISSN - 0308-0110
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2923.1978.tb01418.x
Subject(s) - curriculum , interpersonal communication , medical sociology , field (mathematics) , process (computing) , sociology , medical education , psychology , health care , engineering ethics , pedagogy , social science , medicine , nursing , public health , computer science , political science , law , engineering , mathematics , pure mathematics , operating system
Summary A recent change in many medical curricula has been the introduction of courses in the behavioural sciences. These courses, while introduced with the intention of emphasizing interpersonal and behavioural skills, have not been shown to lead to any of the changes towards which they are directed. Rather, there is evidence that students find these courses ‘waffly’ and boring. If the sociology component of these courses is to lead to change, then there is the need for a continuing process of evaluation and modification. In this paper we report upon one medical sociology course, its evaluation, subsequent modification and re‐evaluation. Our evidence would suggest that sociology courses can lead to changed attitudes and values, but that such changes are contingent upon the overt application of relevant sociological concepts to the health care field.