83145 - History of Medicine

Learning outcomes

Outline the history of the medical sciences from classic times till today, focusing on the birth of morpho-functional disciplines, the concept of disease throughout the ages, and the progress of surgical and therapeutic sciences.

Course contents

This course is part of the Integrated Course in Humanities and Scientific Methods. The Integrated Course aims to provide students with an initial but structured understanding of how humanistic, social, and scientific disciplines contribute to health and medical practice. Through this interdisciplinary approach, students will explore key historical milestones in medicine, fundamental ethical principles, and communication strategies in the doctor–patient relationship, as well as the psychological and cultural dimensions of health. They will also examine major determinants of health and disease — including inequalities — and acquire essential skills in medical statistics, epidemiology, and scientific research methodology. By the end of the course, students will be able to understand the role of evidence, data, context, and values in shaping healthcare practice and public health policies. 

 The contents of this specific course are:

• The origins of medicine

• The Hippocratic revolution

• Hellenistic medicine

• Medical schools in ancient Rome

• Medieval medicine

• Concepts of health and disease in pre-modern medicine 

• The anatomical revolution: Vesalius

• The discovery of blood circulation: Harvey

• The rise of pathological anatomy: Morgagni

• The microbiological revolution: Pasteur and Koch

• The evolving concept of normality and pathology 

• The kinds of medicine: bedside, hospital, library, social and laboratory

• Medicine between science and values

• The birth of bioethics

• Genomic medicine: from the disease to the patient

 

Readings/Bibliography

Pdfs of the powerpoint presentations of the lectures will be the material to be reviewed for the exam together with some scientific papers presented during the lectures. These matherials will be available on Virtuale after each lecture. 

Also, the following reading is recommended:

William Bynum, The History of Medicine. A very short Introduction, Oxford University Press, 2008.

Teaching methods

Lectures and Structured discussions on selected themes

Assessment methods

The final exam is a joint written test covering all the teaching units of the Integrated Course. It consists of a paper-based, multiple-choice quiz with 32 questions (each with 4 choices, only one of which is correct). The number of questions for each unit is proportional to its number of CFU:

• History of Medicine: 4 questions
• Ethics and Behavioural Sciences: 8 questions
• Medical Statistics and Epidemiology: 8 questions
• Scientific Research Methodology: 4 questions
• Determinants of Health and Disease: 8 questions

The exam lasts 30 minutes. There are no penalties for wrong or blank answers.

The test is passed with at least 18 correct answers, provided that the student answers at least one question correctly in each module. A score of 31 or 32 correct answers is awarded with 30 cum laude (30L). Students who fail the exam can retake it on the next available date.

Grades will be sent by email to each student's institutional address (@studio.unibo.it). The student has three days to reject the grade by replying to the professor's message. After that, the grade will be considered accepted and recorded.

Reviewing the exam with the professor is possible, upon request, only in case of a failing grade. Details about the test questions or the student's incorrect answers will not be shared by email.

Students with specific learning disorders (SLD) or those with temporary or permanent disabilities are advised to contact the relevant office in advance (https://site.unibo.it/studenti-con-disabilita-e-dsa/en/for-students) to arrange appropriate compensatory measures. The request must be submitted to the professor at least 15 days before the exam date. The professor will assess the suitability of the proposed measures in relation to the course's learning objectives.

Teaching tools

The slides and scientific articles presented in class will be made available to students on the university's online platform Virtuale, along with other selected teaching materials.

Office hours

See the website of Ludovica De Panfilis