This course focuses on contemporary social challenges viewed from healthcare. We will discuss about 3 main topics - chronic disease, physical disability, and cancer- through lectures and group work.
The aims of this class are:
1) To learn various point of views on medicine and patient care.
2) To make opportunities on communicating with others about the offered topics.
3) To facilitate students’ ability to setting agenda for problems crying out for solutions.
By the end of the course, students will be able to:
1) Understand contemporary social challenges viewed from medical care.
2) Discuss about social challenges in a logical way and propose plural solutions.
3) Explain one’s own opinion logically to others
4) Understand others’ way of seeing, communicate and facilitate consensus-building
5) Understand the process of “consensus-building” and “value-creation”, and learn how to apply the skills to other topics.
✔ Applicable | How instructors' work experience benefits the course |
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As a patient myself, I have experiences in the activities of a patients' association and in the management of a non-profit organization where patients and people with disabilities give lectures about their experiences. In this class, I would like to introduce the diversity of opinions surrounding medical care in the real world in a more concrete way by introducing the stories of actual patients. |
Healthcare, Medical Sociology, Sociology, Medical Engineering, Biotechnology, Medical Ethics, Science Communication
Specialist skills | ✔ Intercultural skills | ✔ Communication skills | ✔ Critical thinking skills | Practical and/or problem-solving skills |
Class 1: 【Face-to-face class】 Guidance
Class 2-4: 【Face-to-face class】 Lectures on topics and group discussion.
Class 5-7: 【Online class】 Group-work on social agenda and solution for people living with healthcare.
The first four lectures will be held face-to-face, however, in the event of unavoidable absences related to COVID-19, alternative assignments, etc., will be made available upon request.
Course schedule | Required learning | |
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Class 1 | 【Face-to-face class】 (1) Class guidance : Objectives of this class, skills to be acquired, class procedures, and evaluation (2) Introductory lecture: Social issues surrounding healthcare | After the lecture, students are expected to be able to explain social disparities in health, "individual level" and "social level" factors affecting health, etc. |
Class 2 | 【Face-to-face class】Lecture (1)Lecture (1) Communication in/about Health and Medicine - Communication in health care settings, patient perspectives and behavior, stigma (prejudice) regarding disease | Review the first lecture. |
Class 3 | 【Face-to-face class】Lecture (2) "Medical model" and "social model" of Health and disability - "Medical model" and "social model", 4 social barriers faced by people with illnesses and disabilities, 4 types of social support | Review the second lecture. |
Class 4 | 【Face-to-face class】Lecture (3) Impact of media information on health - Diversification of health and medical information, risk communication, health literacy. - Explanation of 5th through 7th group work. | Review the third lecture. |
Class 5 | 【Online class】Groupwork (1) | The class will be divided into small groups using the breakout function of Zoom. Students will choose one theme from the subjects covered in the lecture, and gather information, analyze issues, and discuss in order to explore the essence of the problem. |
Class 6 | 【Online class】Groupwork (2) | Continuation of group work. |
Class 7 | 【Online class】Groupwork (3) | Preparing a final report based on the contents discussed in the group work. |
To enhance effective learning, students are encouraged to spend approximately 100 minutes preparing for class and another 100 minutes reviewing class content afterwards (including assignments) for each class.
They should do so by referring to textbooks and other course material.
None required
Reference books: ※Please refer to the Japanese description column.
Course materials: course materials are provided during class.
(1) Sessions 2 to 4: A quiz will be given in each class to check the students' understanding of the lecture (50% of the total grade).
(2) Final report: Final report on group work (50% of total grade)
The final report will be evaluated comprehensively from the following points of view:
・Logicality and originality of the idea for setting the task
・Ability to listen to the opinions of group members and build consensus
・How you contributed to the group work
There is no particular medical expertise or skill that you should have acquired in advance.
Japanese will be used in class and group discussions. Reports will be accepted in English.
This course is 500-level course. Tokyo Tech’s “wedge-shaped style education” enables students to pursue liberal arts education in a phased manner throughout undergraduate and graduate programs. Students are encouraged to take courses in the sequence of 100, 200, 300, 400, 500, and 600 levels. As such, master's students must begin from 400-level Humanities and Social Science courses in 1Q and 2Q of the first year, then proceed to 500-level courses. And master's students entering in September must begin from 400-level Humanities and Social Science courses in 3Q and 4Q of the first year, then proceed to 500-level courses. Students can register for 500-level Humanities and Social Science courses six months after their entrance (i.e. students admitted in April can register in 3Q and 4Q, and those admitted in September can register in 1Q and 2Q).