2015/16 Taught Postgraduate Module Catalogue

HPSC5800M The Origin of Modern Medicine (Birth of the Clinic)

30 creditsClass Size: 50

Module manager: Dr Adrian Wilson
Email: A.F.Wilson@leeds.ac.uk

Taught: Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) View Timetable

Year running 2015/16

This module is approved as an Elective

Module summary

.

Objectives

On completion of this module, students should be able to:

(1) distinguish the rival approaches to the body which have characterised Western medicine in its historical development;
(2) relate interpretations of the body to the institutional settings of medical practice and teaching;
(3) grasp and articulate the transformation of Western medicine associated with the Paris 'clinic';
(4) interpret primary sources associated with the themes of the module;
(5) critically assess the relevant historiography;
(6) write a substantial essay based on original source-materials;
(7) write a historiographic critique on a topic relevant to the themes of the module.

Syllabus

Western medicine in the seventeenth century was riven by a seemingly irreducible tension between anatomical and non-anatomical approaches, reflecting the inherent disparity between the perspectives of the doctor and the patient. And in 1700 the gap between anatomy and illness - pointed out by Francis Bacon almost a century before - was as wide as ever. Yet by the early nineteenth century this gap had been decisively closed: the new anatomical pathology, and the associated diagnostic techniques such as the stethoscope, defined illness itself for the first time in anatomical terms.

The course will trace the process by which illness and anatomy were brought to converge between 1700 and c.1820. By relating developments in medical practice and knowledge to their institutional settings, particularly to the pedagogic context, it will seek render intelligible this major historical change in approaches to the body.

Teaching methods

Delivery type	Number	Length hours	Student hours
Lecture	10	1.00	10.00
Seminar	5	2.00	10.00
Tutorial	10	1.00	10.00
Private study hours			270.00
Total Contact hours			30.00
Total hours (100hr per 10 credits)			300.00

Private study

Reading for classes: 120 hours
Writing of assessments: 150 hours

Opportunities for Formative Feedback

Essay #1 (see below) to be written by Week 7, and feedback to be given within two weeks of termtime.

A draft of either Essay #2 or Essay #3 to be produced by Week 9, and feedback to be given by Week 11.

In addition, performance during seminars and tutorials will be monitored and feedback will be given as required.

Methods of assessment

Coursework

Assessment type	Notes	% of formal assessment
Essay	2,000 words	33.33
Essay	2,000 words	33.33
Essay	2,000 words	33.34
Total percentage (Assessment Coursework)		100.00

Essays are of 2,000 words. One essay (any one of the three) must be based on primary sources; another (also any one of the three) must be a historiographic review; and the other may be based on primary and/or secondary sources.

Reading list

There is no reading list for this module

Last updated: 22/02/2016

Disclaimer

Browse Other Catalogues

• Undergraduate module catalogue
• Taught Postgraduate module catalogue
• Undergraduate programme catalogue
• Taught Postgraduate programme catalogue

Errors, omissions, failed links etc should be notified to the Catalogue Team.PROD