2:30P-3:45P  TR  (25) 3 cr
Topic: Literature and Medicine

COAS INTENSIVE WRITING SECTION

This course is devoted to literary works that feature cultural issues, interpersonal situations,
and problems of values or ethics that are characteristic of modern medicine.  Students from any
discipline who have an interest in medicine are encouraged to consider the course.
Being sick and healing the sick are experiences that can reach well beyond technical and
narrow professional matters to engage our emotions, our metaphysics, and our moral and ethical
sense.  In this course we will explore these important non-technical dimensions of medicine by
reading and discussing a selection of literary and autobiographical works that emphasize the
cultural and personal aspects of illness and medical practice.  Most of our authors are doctors or
patients, and some are both.

The reading list is not completely decided, but it will include most of the following books
and one or two others, and a collection of short readings: Virginia Axline, DIBS: IN SEARCH
OF SELF; Henrik Ibsen, AN ENEMY OF THE PEOPLE; Perri Klass, A NOT ENTIRELY
BENIGN PROCEDURE; Leo Tolstoy, THE DEATH OF IVAN ILLYCH; William Carlos
Williams, THE DOCTOR STORIES.  We will also see one film about medicine and selections
from one or two others.

This course is a COAS intensive writing section, and writing will be a major part of the
semester's work.  There will be four papers of 1000-1200 words, several shorter written
exercises, and a final exam.  For grading purposes, each paper will be worth 15%, the exam 20%,
and the exercises and class contribution will add 20% to make the full 100%.