Topic outline

  • General

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    • The course will involve each student working individually on a historical project of his or her own choice, under the supervision of the course co-ordinator.

      Students will be required to produce a research proposal and progress reports, to prepare an essay and make a presentation of their findings to the class.

      The aim of the option is to give students the opportunity to research and present, individually, in spoken and written forms, a history of medicine topic of their own choice, using both primary and secondary sources.

      Course Coordinator: Dr Ben Marsden b.marsden@abdn.ac.uk

  • What skills does this course develop?

    • The course will: 

      • encourage interest in the history of medicine
      • nurture an appreciation of the nature of historical scholarship, and the academic research and writing process
      • develop an understanding of the nature of primary and secondary sources in history
      • develop skills required for locating and evaluating primary sources
      • develop skills required for locating and evaluating secondary sources
      • enhance students' critical reading, oral presentation, and writing skills

  • What will the timetable be like?

    • During the first week of the course students will be introduced to some of the resources available for research in the history of medicine taking account of the current access limitations.

      Students will then produce a research proposal for their course co-ordinator to comment upon. They will work individually on their project. During this period students will be expected to maintain regular contact with their course co-ordinator, who will provide assistance and advice as required. They will also take part in a group discussion of historiographical issues.

      Two progress reports will be required, the second consisting of an advanced and detailed essay plan. Your course co-ordinator will comment on the progress reports. Each student will give a presentation on their project at a conference on the penultimate day of the course. Students will hand in their final essay at the end of the course.

  • How will I be assessed?

      • An essay of 5000 words (including references) - 80% of your mark
      • A Pecha Kucha presentation - 20% of your mark

      This is a 30 credit course, which implies 300 hours of effort by the average student. The qualities of the products are expected to reflect this.

  • Anything else I should know?

    • Students are not confined to sources in Aberdeen - they will be free to base their projects on sources elsewhere, for example at the National Archive of Scotland or National Library in Edinburgh, or sources further afield. 

      There are no specific readings for this course; students are encouraged to find their own sources, both primary and secondary. 

      Students studying the History of Medicine may apply to the John Blair Trust which provides grants up to £150 to assist with travel and other costs.

  • What did previous students think about this course?

    • Student view 23-24


      Student view 22-23


      One student commented that the course coordinator "could not have provided more support and brilliant feedback. Very supportive and his guidance was fantastic. Thank you."

      One student commented: 'One of the best modules of the medical degree so far. I really enjoyed the complete independence of getting to write about whatever topic we wanted - SSC's are normally far too prescriptive. The mini-deadlines for research plans and progress reports throughout the six weeks was really good for ensuring that we didn't leave everything till the last minute'.

      Another remarked: 'I think that a number of skills were gained in studying history of medicine, personally I discovered more about medical education as well as useful tools for writing essay and being critical of sources, which I think will help with appraising evidence for clinical interventions in the future. Also the presentation helped gain confidence in speaking in front of an audience and preparation of slides, which is a useful skill to have in medicine'.

      Student view 20-21


      Student view 19-20

  • What topics have previous students chosen?

    • Project titles from previous students include:

      'Neurosurgery in ARI c1920-c1940'' PUBLISHED ARTICLE IN JOURNAL RCPEd

      http://www.rcpe.ac.uk/sites/default/files/jrcpe_49_1_newall.pdf

      'Aspirin: From tree bark to wonder drug of the early 20th Century’

      ‘The Hypodermic Syringe: A push-pull game of health between the controversies, good and bad points of the needle’

      ‘Ogston and Lister’s contributions to antiseptic surgery’

      ‘The importance of the evacuation pathway for the wounded on the Western Front’

      ‘Dr Robert Henderson and the Iron Lung: Two Unsung Heroes in Modern Anaesthesia and Critical Care’

      ‘How the diagnosis of Autism has evolved from 1900 to 2013’

      ‘The Development of the Prosthetic Leg from 1912-2012 and Why It Got Running’

      ‘The History of the Eradication of Smallpox in Nigeria (1967 – 1970)’

      ‘The Formation of Medecins Sans Frontieres and the Beneficial Impact it has had on Humanitarian Aid’

      ‘The health impact of 9/11 and how it changed emergency medicine’

  • Where can I get more information?

    • Look through the Course Handbook - link below

      Contact the course coordinator - Dr Ben Marsden b.marsden@abdn.ac.uk

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