EXP 1201 - Medicine, Science and Decisions

Credits: 3

Explorations Courses focus on enduring questions. Enduring questions do not have easy answers; instead, they encourage examination of complex issues from multiple perspectives, introspection, evidence-based arguments, and learning how to respectfully discuss controversial and difficult topics. This course explores the relationship between medicine, society and decisions. We will examine how our understanding of medicine influences our personal choices, social policies, and behaviors. The course will traverse from basic science concepts to how medicines are discovered, developed, and disseminated and ultimately to how our understanding of therapeutics influences our decisions. Some of the topics that will be addressed in the course will directly relate to DEI issues, such as pharmaceutical drug prices, vaccine mandates, cycling drugs off the market, clinical trials (current and past practices) and social policies related to medicines. While the course will cover fundamental science and medicinal topics, the class will be open to students from all majors. Students will also examine the Merrimack Connections curriculum.