Spirituality, Religion, and Medicine

Catalog description

This course will explore the relationships between spirituality, religion, and medicine as these influence and impact health, well-being, illness, and patient care. The course will provide students with a broad exposure to various dimensions of health, an overview of religion and spirituality, the interface between family, illness, and cultural competence and how current research guides this discussion. An introduction of various religious affiliations and belief systems will be presented as they relate to individual health, well-being, and illness. Strategies for incorporating and integrating religion and spirituality into medicine will be reviewed. Discussions will also include the benefits, barriers, challenges and medical ethics surrounding these strategies and initiatives using real-world case studies and examples.