Problems and Prospects of the Social Sciences in Medical Education

A discussion of problems involving thee introduction of soc sci, esp sociol, to medicine & Med educ. Several obstacles to the complete assimilation of sociol into the Med Sch curriculum, into the hosp, clinic & other Med-treatment settings still exist, & are analyzed. Such problems are related essentially to difficulties in COMM & mutual appreciation among soc sci'ts & Med men. The difficulties have 2 major sources: (1) the nature of the Med tradition, & (2) the present state of sci'fic development of sociol & the behavior sci's. The subculture of medicine is examined along with the role-image of the MD & the Med curriculum. The future prospects of sociol & the soc sci's in medicine & Med educ are discussed, including the advisability of establishing independent behavioral sci dept's in the Med Sch & related Med systems. AA.