Examining Issues in Primary Care, SUNY Upstate Medical University

This elective will examine health issues in primary care, using the perspectives afforded by literature, film and theater. Hands-on literature and drama experiences will be part of the elective with attendance expected at live theater performances and at the Rosamond Gifford Author Lecture Series. Among the topics included are: professionalism, resource allocation, physician-patient communication, quality of life, cultural diversity, gender identity, domestic violence, aging, epidemic disease, body image, mental health, addiction, climate change and health, and research ethics. Class participation and discussion are the basis for assessment. The class meets late August to early December on Wednesday evenings, 6-9 pm, with occasional events on other weekday evenings.Educational Goals and Approach: -View relevant medical issues through the lens of literature, specifically using relevantnovels, short stories, poetry, plays, author lectures. - Exposure to new experiences - Question stereotypes, analyze “hot” topics - Encourage social learning through small group interaction -“Hand on” learning: all work done during class time; no outside reading, required essays or testing - Active participation, discussion required - Risk taking approach – moving students out of their comfort zone - Improve communication skills – honing skills through debate, reading aloud, discussion and presentations - Appreciate the language, context and nuances of each individual’s stories - Examine the historical roots of current social issues that impact health care delivery. Elective only. This information has been collected for the Post-Discipline Online Syllabus Database. The database explores the use of literature by schools of professional education in North America. It forms part of a larger project titled Post-Discipline: Literature, Professionalism, and the Crisis of the Humanities, led by Dr Merve Emre with the assistance of Dr Hayley G. Toth. You can find more information about the project at https://postdiscipline.english.ox.ac.uk/. Data was collected and accurate in 2021/22.