Medical sociology in general practice. An evaluation of course content and course strategy.

The increasing role of general practitioners in the medical curriculum has been accompanied by a greater concern for those aspects of the medical course directed toward an understanding of human behaviour. Medical sociology is one of the new disciplines which provides an understanding of this behaviour. As with any other new discipline, two types of question stand out. Firstly, what are medical sociologists trying to teach? Secondly, how do students react to this content? Both these questions are addressed via an evaluation of two medical sociology courses at Queensland University. Students begin a medical sociology course with a somewhat negative stereotype of how relevant the subject is likely to be. Following the two courses, some of their previously held views are modified. The nature of the modification appears to depend upon the balance between practical or theoretical orientations in the course, and their reflection in specific components of the course content.