Teaching Introduction to Sociology to Pre-Medical Students

In response to recent changes to the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) for entry into medical school beginning in 2015, the Department of Sociology at The University of Memphis introduced a new and special section of Introduction to Sociology for Pre-Medical students during the spring 2013 semester. The course targeted underclass students seeking to enter medical school upon completion of their undergraduate program, as they are among the first cohort of entering medical students to be effected by the change in the MCAT. Our departmental goal is to successfully prepare students for the changes approved by the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) to understand the foundations for learning about human and social components of health, including changes in the U.S. health care system, demographic changes in the country’s population, race and socioeconomic status and how these factors are related to health, illness, mortality, health disparities, and access to medical care (Ward 2012). The syllabus used in the course can be a vital resource for other sociology departments around the United States who are considering integrating this course into their curriculum. The learning objectives, core concepts, teaching methods, assessment measures, and reading material were effective teaching tools for the task of merging key sociological principles to the new domain of knowledge that is expected of medical students.