1. How individuals make decisions about coping with an illness and the resources they draw upon for social support have been of great interest to medical sociologists. While theorists agree that social factors [age, gender, ethnicity, SES, race, education] affect how individuals define illness, use services, and engage in self-care systems, they disagree as to the types of coping strategies they use. Compare the works of Thoits and Pescosolido to discuss how individuals make health care decisions based upon social support systems.

2. Many sociologists believe understanding the history and dynamics of the restructuring of the American health care system requires an appreciation of the nature of social control and how it applies to the profession of medicine. Draw upon the works of Gallagher and Searle and Light, and discuss the linkages each author makes between social control and the health care system. Be sure to identify how each author uses the concept of social control (it’s definitions, functions, and consequences) through the use of examples.

3. The rising rates of women entering medical school have had a profound influence upon both the context and substance of the field of medicine. What are some of the consequences faced by medical school administrators in accommodating women into the general practice of medicine? Do you believe that the increased presence of women in medical schools will modify the norm of ‘upper middle class white male’ as both practitioner and patient? Why or why not? (Be sure to provide examples from the reading when presenting your opinion!)

4. The rapid restructuring of the American health care system has left researchers in disagreement over the future of medicine as a profession. Some argue that medicine is in the process of losing its professional dominance whereas others claim that despite major changes in the healthcare industry medicine has nothing to fear. Discuss how this debate originated by using the works of Freidson, McKinlay, and Haug.

5. The debate of professional dominance has recently progressed to include perspectives that incorporate the influence of both internal and external forces. These arguments, provided by Light, and Light and Hafferty, focus on the dynamic nature of medicine and the multidimensional changes it has undergone in recent years. Discuss what these forces are and the consequences they hold for the future of medicine as a profession.

6. Despite cost cutting efforts of this decade it is clear that health care is not affordable to the average citizen. Employers, hospitals, and other agencies continue to shift costs to the consumer and there exists a continued lack of equity in health care - as evidenced by the failure of Congress to enact health care reform. Despite these actions, there remains continued debate as to whether there is ‘crisis’ in our health care system. Drawing upon readings from Navarro, Donelan et al., Freund and McGuire, discuss a) why health care reform does not exist in the US and b) whether or not this constitutes a national crisis. Be SURE to include examples and statistics from the readings when presenting your position.