Literature and Medicine.

Catalog description

Why are we so fascinated by tales of doctors and patients, from Dr. Frankenstein and his famous monster to the brilliant detective work of House, M.D.? What do the stories we create—about disability and disease, about who (and what) has the power to heal, about the fear of death and desire to transcend it—tell us about our culture, our history, and the experience of being human? In this course, we’ll read novels, short stories, and essays written by both patients and clinicians as we investigate the surprising affinities among literary representation, medical science, and clinical practice. Topics will include the clinician-patient relationship, medical detection, illness and social exclusion, and the quest for immortality. Fall and Spring. Fall and Spring.