Medical Sociology (minor)

Trinity offers Medical Sociology as a concentration for Sociology majors and a 15-credit minor to all other major programs through the College of Arts and Sciences. The multi-disciplinary field draws on theories and methods from sociology, anthropology, medicine and public health. The sociology minor is based on the growing recognition that health cannot be understood simply as a biological phenomenon, but also a social phenomenon, which means considering how social, cultural, political and economic factors influence individual and group health outcomes.

As a subfield of Sociology, research topics of medical sociology include:

• Social factors that influence health, such as poverty, inequality, discrimination, and lack of access to health care.
• Health disparities among groups based on race, ethnicity, gender and socioeconomic status
• The role of social institutions and its affects on health and wellbeing
• The ethics of health care in patient-provider relationships

A minor in medical sociology is ideal for individuals who wish to improve the health care system, advocate for social justice in healthcare, and promote health lifestyles. Students pursuing this minor are challenged to explore the intricate relationship between social structure and health, including how the organization of various social institutions may differentially influence individual and group health outcomes.  This understanding is critical for the creation of an equitable healthcare system. Students pursuing the Medical Sociology minor should be well placed to pursue an interrogation of the social determinants of health and the broader structural factors that shape organizational structures used by health care providers; knowledge that is pertinent for the improvement of health care delivery and the development of community outreach programs.