The History and Philosophy of Evidence-Based Health Care

Why and how did evidence-based medicine arise, and why should you accept it?

The module will trace the historical development of evidence-based health care. Students will engage with researchers who have played key roles in defining the history, philosophy and actual practice of Evidence-Based Healthcare. Many famous medical doctors, including Galen, Descartes and Locke, were also philosophers, and recent evidence suggests that studying humanities improves clinical skills. Medical professionals will learn to think critically about the assumptions of their profession while philosophers and historians will learn about the empirical foundations of the science they contemplate. Many past students have published their assignments for the course in peer-reviewed journals.