Epidemiology: A Vehicle for Thinking Critically

Authors

  • Marjorie Murphy Cowan Miami University - Middletown Author

Abstract

Epidemiology, the study of disease in populations, is an ideal upper-level course for the undergraduate liberal arts curriculum. Traditionally a course for students of the health sciences, epidemiology offers an effective forum for learning and applying critical thinking skills, as well as many other skills deemed important for the liberally educated student. It requires analysis of the political, sociological, and demographic contexts in which disease distributes itself and can provide for relevant applications of higher order thinking skills. It can better prepare students for reasoned analysis of data and claims reported in the media and elsewhere. Also, bringing non-medically oriented and medically oriented students together in the classroom enriches the learning environment for both.

Published

2024-03-22