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The History of Medicine: Philosophy, Science, and Psychology
  • Level Foundation
  • Duration 14 hours
  • Course by University of California, Santa Cruz
  • Offered by

About

"History of Medicine" provides an accessible historical and interdisciplinary perspective on medicine, focused primarily upon therapy and practice, to achieve better understanding of the scope, practice, and limits of medicine. Medicine is defined as the treatment of disease. Human attempts to understand and treat disease will be seen as evolving from the spiritual and mystical practices of the distant past, to the rational approach of the Classical World, and finally to the scientific thinking of the Renaissance and beyond. This course is appropriate for both a general audience and those entering medical and health professions.

Modules

1. The Natural History and Causes of Disease

    • 4 Videos
    • 3 Readings
    • 1 Assignment
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1 Assignment

  • Quiz 1

4 Videos

  • Lecture: What is Disease?
  • Lecture: How Did Disease Begin?
  • Lecture: Historical Patterns of Infectious Disease
  • Lecture: What Causes Disease?

3 Readings

  • How to Navigate This Course
  • Key Concepts 1
  • Optional Readings & Videos 1

2. Therapy

    • 3 Videos
    • 2 Readings
    • 1 Assignment
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1 Assignment

  • Quiz 2

3 Videos

  • Lecture: The Origins of Therapy
  • Lecture: "I Shall Please": The Placebo Response
  • Lecture: The Art of Medicine

2 Readings

  • Key Concepts 2
  • Optional Readings 2

3. Early Schools of Medicine

    • 5 Videos
    • 2 Readings
    • 1 Assignment
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1 Assignment

  • Quiz 3

5 Videos

  • Lecture: Early Schools of Medicine: Egypt
  • Lecture: Early Schools of Medicine: India
  • Lecture: Early Schools of Medicine: Greece
  • Lecture: Early Schools of Medicine: China
  • Lecture: Early Schools of Medicine: A Comparison

2 Readings

  • Key Concepts 3
  • Optional Readings

4. The Dark Ages to the Renaissance

    • 5 Videos
    • 2 Readings
    • 1 Assignment
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1 Assignment

  • Quiz 4

5 Videos

  • Lecture: The Collapse of the Roman Empire
  • Lecture: Medicine in the Islamic World
  • Lecture: Malthusian Forces in the Middle Ages
  • Lecture: Anatomy in the Renaissance
  • Lecture: Surgery in the Renaissance

2 Readings

  • Key Concepts 4
  • Optional Readings 4

5. The Renaissance to 1900

    • 5 Videos
    • 2 Readings
    • 1 Assignment
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1 Assignment

  • Quiz 5

5 Videos

  • Lecture: Medical Advances from 1700 to 1900
  • Lecture: The Beginnings of Microbiology
  • Lecture: Germ Theory of Disease
  • Lecture: The Rise of Science and Pseudoscience
  • Lecture: The Superficiality of Pseudoscience

2 Readings

  • Key Concepts 5
  • Optional Readings & Videos

6. The State of the Art in 1900

    • 2 Videos
    • 2 Readings
    • 1 Assignment
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1 Assignment

  • Quiz 6

2 Videos

  • Lecture: Medicine in 1900
  • Lecture: Turn-of-the-Century Advances

2 Readings

  • Key Concepts 6
  • Optional Reading & Podcast

7. Organic Chemistry and the German Pharmaceutical Story

    • 3 Videos
    • 2 Readings
    • 1 Assignment
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1 Assignment

  • Quiz 7

3 Videos

  • Lecture: The Beginnings of Modern Pharmacology
  • Lecture: The European Pharmaceutical Story
  • Lecture: How Do Drugs Work?

2 Readings

  • Key Concepts 7
  • Optional Readings

8. Alternative Medicine

    • 4 Videos
    • 2 Readings
    • 1 Assignment
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1 Assignment

  • Quiz 8

4 Videos

  • Lecture: Alternative Medicine
  • Lecture: Nutrition
  • Lecture: The Art of Diagnosis
  • Reconsidering the ways we think about body weight and health

2 Readings

  • Key Concepts 8
  • Optional Readings

9. The Current State of the Art

    • 7 Videos
    • 2 Readings
    • 1 Assignment
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1 Assignment

  • Quiz 9

7 Videos

  • Lecture: Holism and Preventive Medicine
  • Lecture: Probiotics
  • Lecture: Breakthroughs in Chemistry
  • Lecture: Antibiotics & Vaccines
  • Lecture: Superbugs and Ethical Dilemmas
  • Lecture: Current State of the Art: Physical Therapies
  • Lecture : Medical Ethics

2 Readings

  • Key Concepts 9
  • Recommended Readings

10. The Future of Medicine

    • 4 Videos
    • 2 Readings
    • 1 Assignment
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1 Assignment

  • Quiz 10

4 Videos

  • Lecture: Medical Systems
  • Lecture: The Future of Medicine
  • Lecture: Precision Medicine
  • Lecture: Studies in Medicine: A Coda

2 Readings

  • Key Concepts 10
  • Recommended Readings

Final Project

    • 1 PeerReview
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1 Peer Review

  • Final Project —The World's Next Medical Breakthrough!

Auto Summary

Explore the evolution of medicine with "The History of Medicine: Philosophy, Science, and Psychology." This foundational course from Coursera delves into the historical and interdisciplinary perspectives of medical practice, spanning from ancient spiritual healing to modern scientific approaches. Ideal for both general audiences and aspiring medical professionals, the course offers 840 minutes of engaging content. Subscription options include Starter and Professional plans.

Grant Hartzog
Instructors

Grant Hartzog

Greg Gates
Instructors

Greg Gates