FAR 3950 - TO BE HUMAN

credits: 3.0
Understanding how humans relate to each other, a goal of good medicine, can be achieved by studying works in the field of fine and performing arts: painting, photography, documentary and feature films, short stories, poetry, plays, and graphic novels. Topics, including sexuality, death, dying, and disabilities as they intersect with race, class and gender, will be presented for discussion and evaluated by reflection essays composed by the student or creative projects created in other media. This course is valuable for those going into the medical field and may not be appropriate for students who find discussions of death and illness uncomfortable or potential emotional triggers. Objectives: A) Describe and analyze works of art that wrestle with difficult topics that define us as humans, such as contemplating death, dying, dementia, and right to life issues; B) Compare world views and universal fears and fascination about death, dying, abandonment, as present in class readings, films and lectures; C) Creatively respond to class presentations in order to synthesize information into a final presentation (art work, dramatic reading, dance, musical performance, poetry, creative writing) or research on the topic of art and medicine. Method of Instruction: Film screening and slide lecture presentations. Class discussion and student presentations. Method of Evaluation: Weekly response essays on Canvas to topics /presentations of the week will require students to attend class and participate in discussions, that they later reflect on in their essays. The final project can be delivered in the medium of their choice. Meets *GLP Distribution Requirement.