Multicultural

Course Overview & Experience

In the Fall 2025 semester, I took ABS 394: Medicine & Culture with the goal of learning more about the history of medicine and expanding my knowledge about healthcare from different cultures and ethnic groups to become more culturally competent. I was enthusiastic to gain further insights into the evolution of medicine and the impact history and culture have had on modern, mainstream allopathic medicine. I was able to delve into these concepts through a structured coursework spanning discussion posts, weekly readings from the book 'A History of Medicine' by Lois M. Magner, quizzes, case analyses, and final reports. I got introduced to historic medical belief systems in Paleopathology, ancient Mesopotamian and Eqyptian civilizations, Greeco-Roman medicine, Native American civilizations, and Unorthodox and Alternative Medicine. In these contexts, I explored topics like alternative medical practices, cultural beliefs, medical treatments, role of women in medicine, quackery, and public health policies and guidelines.

I was curious about medicine in the Middle Ages due to my prior knowledge of the time's prevalent diseases/illnesses from high school coursework. I was able to learn and apply technical knowledge in identifying the bacteria (Yersinia pestis) and causes of the rapid spread of the bubonic plague while also understanding the impact of the plague on European culture in the 1300s. One of the nteresting results of the plague that stood out to me was the approach to medical treatments by the regulatory bodies. By the fifteenth century, Venice, Florence, and Italian cities developed public health measures to control the spread of the plague; this was a shift from early attempts wherein the secular and clerical authorities arranged prayer meetings and massacre of dogs and cats. This demonstrated a shift from religious remedies to practical approaches for controlling the outbreak.  This signifies a crucial step in the advancement of medicine and an extension to alternative medical beliefs, indicating a step closer to the current modern medical practices. 

Furthermore, I was especially interested in learning more about the role of women in medicine to understand the evolution of their struggle against societal biases and beliefs that prevented them from not only participating as healthcare providers, but also attaining the healthcare that they required. In the Middle Ages, women were still prevented from attaining formal medical education, making it difficult to find female practitioners. Their illnesses were not considered as important and as a result, they were not provided female practitioners for discussing sensitive topics like pregnancy and fertility. These practices elaborated on the social state of society in the Middle Ages: it was still very male-dominated, pushing women into minor roles. An aspect in the Epic of Giglamesh that stood out to me was the role of women in Asclepius's. While the daughters of Greek gods were names goddesses (like Hygeia being named the goddess of health), they weren't allowed to give birth in the grounds of the temple. However, many infertile women claimed to be able to give birth when having entered the temple. This provides a contrast between the social aspects of the Greek society in addition to supernatural beliefs, as understood by modern medicine.

Relation to Grand Challenges Theme: Health

This course directly connects to my Grand Challenges to my Grand Challenges Theme of Health since it taught me that innovating patient-centric technologies facilitates more efficient, accessible and inclusive care. By tracking the evolution of medical practices, I gained insights into how historical events, diseases, epidemics and plagues, public health measures, and social norms shaped the way medicine was approached and implemented in ancient civilizations. This also helps illustrate how modern practices are influenced by the geographical and cultural descendants of those civilizations, allowing for a more comprehensive understanding of contemporary healthcare practices. 

I truly enjoyed expanding my knowledge of historic medical practices across various civilizations and gaining insight into the origins of modern medicine and the factors that shaped it. This course also deepened my appreciation for the scope and complexity of medicine, particularly through learning about the challenges faced by women and the diverse belief systems that influenced healthcare practices across cultures.

Value Created

In recent times, there has been an increasing demand for human centered engineering, wherein the needs of the users are at the center of engineering innovations. In biomedical engineering, I believe it is essentially important to understand the origins of the needs, historical backgrounds and evolution of healthcare practices to design enhanced, affordable, and accurate healthcare products. This course broadened my perspective on the evolution of medicine from different cultures, civilizations, and regions of the world; this has made me more confident in my cultural knowledge and awareness, allowing me to become more mindful of the innovations that I choose to work on. 

Additionally, as someone who actively multidisciplinary learning, I was excited to make connections between the content of this course and of HCR 230, where the concept of culturally competent care was introduced. As an aspiring healthcare provider, I am keen on broadening my understanding of different cultures with regard to their belief systems, rituals, and historical challenges to better connect with the patients and physicians that I work with.

Final Report