Medicine and Society Minor
Examine medicine, disease, and health through the perspectives of social science, history, literature, and philosophy.
21 Credit Hours for Minor
Science and Technology in Society (3 Hours)
English Course and History Course (6 Hours)
Sociology Course (3 Hours)
Electives (9 Hours)
What You'll Study
Complete courses in a variety of disciplines ranging from science and technology studies, sociology, communication, history, and women's and gender studies. Course offerings include:
- Medical Dilemmas and Human Experience
- Technology and Disability
- Gender and Science
- The Life Sciences and Society
- History of Modern Biology
- Literature and Medicine
- Medical Geography
- Health Policy
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Hear From Some Graduates
Annmarie Taheny, '19
The medicine and society minor offers a unique approach to medicine and healthcare that I had not encountered in my other pre-health classes. The focus on the human side helped me gain a fuller picture of the impact of health, wellness, and treatment on individuals.
Erica Palladino, '15
The medicine and society minor was a perfect blend of health and humanities and pushed me to eventually pursue an MPH and career in public health. Classes such as "medical dilemmas", "technology and disability", as well as "literature, medicine and culture" not only made me a better writer and health communicator, but also opened my eyes to how medicine has influenced history. I'm currently a Strategic Communications Fellow in the Office of the U.S. Surgeon General, and I know that minor was the first step to get me there.
Nathan Quan, '19
The classes I took for the medicine and society minor challenged the assumptions I had about biochemistry and medicine. They offered a critique of these fields which my biochemistry major could not do. The critiques and lessons learned from these courses continue to inform the work that I do as a COVID-19 Case Investigator and will continue to do so as I prepare for graduate studies in medical anthropology.
Sydney Newman
This minor provided a strong addition to my biochemistry major. I completed psychology and sociology classes, which helped me prepare for the MCAT, the standardized entry test for medical school.. I also took courses that pushed me to think critically about ethical issues, social inequities, and other topics relevant to modern medicine and healthcare that often aren’t covered in the hard sciences. This minor helped me see medicine is more than just science.
What can you do with a medicine and society minor?
Our program focuses on the meanings and experiences of disease, medicine, and health. Graduates go on to careers and graduate school in:
- Medicine
- Science
- Public Health
- Health Policy
- Science communication
Contact Us
If you have questions about pursuing a medicine and society minor, please contact: