In search of new approaches of placing sociology into education of medicine: theoretical review

It has been considered recently that medicine sociology must become more applied in order to cope with a set of complicated challenges in health care systems in a highly globalized world. Precise social diagnostics and analysis of social patterns concerning health and illness issues are expected both from sociologists and young physicians. However, the question of implementing sociological knowledge in medical practice still remains only partly answered. The above mentioned aim also includes searching for renewed methods and approaches of teaching of medical sociology. In terms of this paper, analysis of theoretical sources and studies is offered to establish a kind of methodological framework for its further processing and adaption into studies. Methodological materials, results of different studies as well as experience stories were included into the sample and analyzed using qualitative approach of the content analysis. Within the framework of individualized medical sociology, there are several ideas in teaching sociological issues for students. One of the theoretical and practical solutions here is so called problem-based learning (PBL). It involves practical usage of a set of theoretical knowledge, research findings and realistic scenarios or individual cases. It implies the application of sociological knowledge to an individual case and the development of possible scenarios. Also, experiential learning and a necessity to develop critical approach are described in literature as well as importance of innovative problem-based, community-based and technologies-based learning initiatives. All in all, several approaches and methods have been developed in order to erase the border between separate theoretical and practical branches in medical sociology. To generalize, they represent the attempt to extinguish borders between well-known approaches “sociology of medicine” and “sociology in medicine” establishing the ground for flourishing of “sociology with medicine” approach.