This seminar introduces students to some major developments and current issues in the modern history of medicine and healthcare. Using a combination lecture/group discussion format, the class covers such topics as the doctor-patient relationship, the impact of medical care upon health, the evolution of such medical specialties as internal medicine, neurology, and psychiatry, the relationship between culture and the presentation of illness, and the history of medical therapeutics.

Developments in medicine (not necessarily "progress") can be seen as a balance between important individuals and significant events. Students will prepare a major research assignment (8 to 12 pages) assessing an individual or event of their choice, using secondary sources.