SOC 362 - Medical Sociology (3 credits)

(Prereq: SOC 101 or SOC 102; or permission of the instructor) This course introduces students to sociological research and theory related to medical practice and medical professionals. Students will explore the connection between medicine and other important social institutions in our society, and will examine the way medical knowledge and policy shapes and is shaped by the society in which it develops. Emphasis will be placed on the social structure of hospitals, the social and cultural factors that influence patient-provider interactions, and contemporary debates regarding health care delivery systems. Offered as needed.