Topic outline

  • General

    • This option allows students to explore some aspect of the history of culture of health or medicine in a country of their choice.

      After an introduction to library sources and finding aids, students will prepare an essay project proposal for approval by the course coordinator. Students will then work independently on their essay for submission on the last day of the SSC, with consultations with the course coordinator as required.

      This course is capped at 12 students

      Course Coordinator:  Dr Alexander Sutherland  a.m.sutherland@abdn.ac.uk 

  • What skills does this course develop?

      • An alternative perspective upon medicine/health to that normally provided on medical courses
      • An appreciation of the approaches of the humanities towards medicine/health
      • Experience of choosing, planning and implementing an essay project
      • Experience of searching for information on medicine/health in (another) country
      • Insights into the history/culture of medicine/health in another country
      • Experience of preparing and formatting a referenced essay according to guidelines

  • What will the timetable be like?

    • This is a six week course beginning with in person orientation session, which is to help students source reference material and the  to discuss ideas and approaches to historical essay writing

      By the end of week 2, students should have independently prepared a draft outline of their chosen topic

      Weeks 4-6 students work independently upon their chosen topic.

      The course coordinator will be available for to meet during weekly one-hour office hours - bookable

      As a guide the project should involve around 150 hours of work.

  • How will I be assessed?

    • There are three component parts to the course assessment:

      • Attendance at the in person orientation session is mandatory
      • The project outline (c.300 words) must be approved by the course co-ordinator
      • The mark is based 100% on the essay (c.3500 words) complete with referenced sources must be submitted by the due date in the format specified.

  • What do previous students think about the course?

    • Student view 22-23


      http:// 

      Student view 21-22


      http:// 

  • What topics have previous students chosen?

    • Project titles from previous students include:

      Cold War Politics and Polio: The Contribution and Impact of the Soviet Union on the Development of the Sabin Vaccine

      Female Genital Mutilation in the UK: Why does it Continue?

      The cultural and historical conditions that led to the blood/HIV scandal in France

      Cultural Factors in the Second Half of the Twentieth-Century in the UK that Led to the Declassification of Homosexuality as a Mental Illness in the International Classification of Diseases

      The Impact of Years of Violence on Mental Health and the Healthcare System in Timor-Leste

      Cultural factors accounting for the burden of illegal abortion in Latin America

      The Role of Socio-Cultural and Socio-Economic Factors in the Spread of HIV in South Africa 1982-2000

      The hypothermia research programme carried out by German medical scientists between 1939-45

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