SOC 274: Health, Illness and Society

Course Description

What do you do when you get sick? Where do you go? Who provides your medical care? In this course we will discuss why the answers to these basic questions are actually quite complex. This course is designed to introduce students to medical sociology and will examine issues surrounding health, illness and healing from a sociological perspective. Throughout the course we will cover numerous topics including: the social construction of health and illness, healthcare providers, healthcare systems - including contemporary debates regarding healthcare reform - and the social determinants of health inequalities. Additionally, this course offers an introduction to sociological theories and concepts that may be particularly useful for those interested in pursuing medical school or any career in a health-related field.