title: Cuckoo in the nest: some comments on the role of sociology in the undergraduate medical curriculum.
abstract: Despite the enormous strides that it has made over the past decade the position of sociology within the medical school remains precarious. Its problems are compounded by a failure to develop a coherent defence of its contribution to the education of doctors. In this paper three approaches to the teaching of sociology are identified: the human relations approach; the basic science approach; and the applied science approach. The limitations of each are discussed. It is argued that they offer a distorted version of sociology and represent competing approaches to medical education. It is further argued that sociology must curb its imperialistic tendencies, re-establish the connection between research and teaching, and through its approach both to teaching and the practice of medicine seek to provide a liberating influence in the undergraduate curriculum.
mesh_terms: D003479:Curriculum; D004504:Education, Medical, Undergraduate; D012961:Sociology / Q000193:education*; D013663:Teaching / Q000379:methods; D006113:United Kingdom