BSE 704

Credit: 2 hours.

The medical encounter between patients and physicians has been represented in literary texts such as poems, short stories and novels for centuries. In this elective, students will be given the opportunity to reflect on the medical experience through an analysis of literary texts from various time periods and cultural contexts. Particular attention will be paid to the difference in perspective by patients, physicians and other actors in the healthcare setting. Our reading of literature will be complemented by texts from the field of narrative medicine, which uses the tools of literary analysis and close reading to understand patients’ histories and fine-tunes awareness of the cultural and social determinants of health.

No graduate credit. 2 professional hours. Approved for S/U grading only. Prerequisite: Restricted to students enrolled in the Carle Illinois College of Medicine.