Medical Humanities (MEDH)

MEDH 1000  INTRODUCTION TO MEDICAL HUMANITIES (3 credits)

This is an interdisciplinary survey course in Medical Humanities. It focuses on the contributions and perspectives of arts and humanities in providing a broad and culturally diverse understanding of health, illness, healing, and medicine.

Distribution: Humanities and Fine Arts General Education course

MEDH 2010  SYMBOLIC LOGIC (3 credits)

A first course in symbolic logic designed to introduce students to formal systems of sentential logic and predicate logic. The course explores the nature of both syntax (the formal structure of elements of language) and semantics (interpretive relations between language and subject matter including notions such as truth and reference). Students learn how to translate between English and formal languages, how to construct truth-tables and interpretations to test for key semantic properties, and how to construct derivations. In addition, students will consider the nature and relationships between important logical properties and explore foundational issues in logical metatheory. Throughout the course, students will encounter broad philosophical themes such as the purpose of language, constraints on translation, and nature of meaning itself. (The study of logic is also excellent preparation for the LSAT and the reasoning portions of other examinations for graduate study.) (Cross-listed with PHIL 2010).

MEDH 2030  HISTORY OF MEDICINE: FROM ANTIQUITY TO THE PRESENT (3 credits)

This course will cover the history of medicine and medical practices from the earliest civilizations to the present. In addition to this chronological scope, the course will also examine medical practices in cultures from across the world. (Cross-listed with HIST 2030).

Prerequisite(s): Not open to non-degree graduate students.

Distribution: Global Diversity General Education course and Humanities and Fine Arts General Education course

MEDH 2060  ART AND SCIENCE OF MEDICAL DECISION-MAKING (3 credits)

The course explores multiple facets of medical decision-making, including the perspective of the patient, the family, and the healthcare provider. Topics include basic anatomy and medical terminology, which will be used to understand decision-making in the context of the provider. Students use literature and other records to generate and critically evaluate clinical decisions. The course does not satisfy requirements for degree programs in the Department of Biology minor, BA, BS in Biology; BS in Biotechnology. (Cross-listed with BIOL 2060).

Prerequisite(s): BIOL 1060 or concurrent.

MEDH 2300  HUMAN VALUES IN MEDICINE (3 credits)

Human Values in Medicine examines questions of value and meaning that arise in medical contexts. This course provides an opportunity for philosophy majors, medical humanities majors / minors, and students preparing for health professions to confront ethical and social issues in medicine and biomedical research. (Cross-listed with PHIL 2300).

MEDH 3000  MEDICAL HUMANITIES COMMONS (3 credits)

A multidisciplinary study of a health-related topic from the perspective of medical humanities. Each semester the course will focus on a different topic or problem for exploration and inquiry. The course topic or problem is examined using disciplinary perspectives, interdisciplinary intersections, and translational opportunities.

Prerequisite(s): MEDH 1000 or Permission of the instructor.

MEDH 3450  PHILOSOPHY OF MEDICINE (3 credits)

This course considers a range of philosophical questions raised by and within the practice of medicine. The course begins with a conceptual investigation of the meaning of "health" from "illness." Is the classification of individuals as healthy or ill an objective, scientific matter? Or is it instead a matter of social and ethical values? What follows from answering this question one way, versus another? This introduction forms the backdrop against which we move on to investigate a range of further topics. Examples of some of the topics that may be covered include: medical and social models of disability; the role morality of doctors and other medical providers; abortion, euthanasia, and conscientious objection in the healthcare professions; health measurement and quality of life; "death panels" and health resource rationing; conditions on appropriately voluntary and informed consent to medical procedures; and the ethics of biomedical research. (Cross-listed with PHIL 3450).

Prerequisite(s): 6 hours of Philosophy OR Sophomore status OR permission of the instructor

MEDH 4000  TOPICS IN MEDICAL HUMANITIES (3 credits)

This course introduces students to a specialized subject matter in the disciplines of medical humanities not covered in existing courses. This course may be repeated for different topics up to a maximum of six credit hours. (Cross-listed with MEDH 8006).

Prerequisite(s): Junior standing or the permission of the instructor.

MEDH 4900  CAPSTONE IN MEDICAL HUMANITIES (3 credits)

In this capstone course for students majoring in Medical Humanities, students will curate and complete their portfolio of educational experiences in the discipline. To integrate and apply their previous course work and experience, students will participate in a community-focused medical humanities project.

Prerequisite(s): Senior standing (or students in junior standing with permission from the instructor) and MEDH 1000, MEDH 3000 and a writing in the discipline course approved for the major. Not open to non-degree graduate students.

MEDH 4950  BRINGING THE WAR HOME: DEPICTIONS OF WAR VETERANS IN LITERATURE AND FILM (3 credits)

Course explores the impact of war on combatants, their families and communities as represented in literary fiction, film, historical documentation, first-person accounts, and other texts written in or translated to English. (Cross-listed with ENGL 8956, ENGL 4950).

Prerequisite(s): ENGL 1160 prerequisite

MEDH 4990  INDEPENDENT STUDY IN MEDICAL HUMANITIES (1-3 credits)

This course is guided reading or independent research in special topics in Medical Humanities under the supervision of a member of the Medical Humanities faculty. This course is designed primarily for the student interested in topics not currently available in the program offerings and who has demonstrated ability to work independently. May be repeated once for credit. (Cross-listed with MEDH 8996).

Prerequisite(s): Junior standing or permission of the instructor. Not open to non-degree graduate students.