The Clendening Summer Fellowship provides support for eight to ten medical students to pursue independent research between the first and second years of medical school. Successful fellows gain the opportunity to grow personally and professionally through individually created projects that explore the social, moral and historical dimensions of medicine and healing. With mentorship from faculty in the Department of History and Philosophy of Medicine and financial support from the program, students can choose to pursue their research either internationally or in the U.S. To apply for a fellowship, students submit a formal proposal that includes a description of the project and its goals and methods, as well as a detailed budget and bibliography. In the methods section, students will describe the primary source material (be it archival, ethnographic interviews, or a data set, etc.) required to complete their project and their current ability to access or generate the material. Applications are due each year in February. Questions about the fellowship should be addressed to Dr. Tarris Rosell, 913-588-3066, trosell@kumc.edu or Dr. Jason Glenn 913-588-0076, jglenn4@kumc.edu, co-directors of the Clendening Summer Fellowship Program. The Wichita coordinator is Dr. K. James Kallail, kkallail@kumc.edu. Prerequisite: To apply for a fellowship, students submit a formal proposal that includes a description of the project and its goals and methods, as well as a detailed budget and bibliography. In the methods section, students will describe the primary source material (be it archival, ethnographic interviews, or a data set, etc.) required to complete their project and their current ability to access or generate the material.

Guided readings in an area chosen by the student after consultation. Weekly individual tutorials and group seminars.

Guided readings and discussion of one or more social or ethical problems currently facing medicine. Examples: Homosexuality, abortion, contraception, medical education, medicine as a social instrument, etc.

Medicine has always been a practical enterprise; its fundamental aim to heal and to restore health. Despite its practical commitments in both the lab and clinic, modern Western medicine proceeds on several theoretical and conceptual assumptions. This course will explore some of the major themes in the philosophy of medicine that speak to its ontological (e.g., what is disease?) and epistemological (e.g., how does medicine know?) foundations. Topics are chosen in consultation with the instructor in accordance with student interest. The course is comprised of four weekly 90 to 120-minute sessions. Each session focuses on a set of readings addressing a particular theme or problem. Topics include: “What is disease?” “What is health?” “Is Medicine a Science?” “The Experience of Illness” “Models in Medicine” etc. The course will culminate with a 10-12-page reflective essay. Prerequisite: M4 standing.