Reading the Social Determinants of Health

Catalog Description: Rita Charon has famously quipped that good readers make good doctors. Reading the Social Determinants uses literature to explore the complex relationship between the Social Determinants of Health, diagnosis, and the practice of medicine. This course uses techniques from narrative medicine, literary studies, and the history of medicine to supplement and extend your medical expertise, giving you the chance to practice diagnostic skills and, more importantly, to query the relationship between the clinic and the world that informs it. We will explore the way that literature forces us to discuss and to recognize the social components of health care affect an individual's context and how that environment contributes to experiences of health, illness, wellness, and relationships to medicine.

Syllabus

Sites:

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Direct patient care: No

Consent Requirement: Open to student scheduling

Course Objectives: By the end of the course, students will be able to:

• Assess the influence of the Social Determinants of Health 
• Provide a clear diagnosis for a patient in light of the Social Determinants of Health
• Describe the relationship between the Social Determinants of Health and their vision of their future career
• Apply treatment plans to patient cases

Graded Components: 

• Weekly Diagnostic Notes
• Social Determinants of Health Assessment
• Critical Reflection

Grading Scale: P/N

Allow repetition of course: Repetition not allowed

Course equivalency: Does not apply