Established in 2005 and open to all UH undergraduates, the Medicine & Society minor offers a unique opportunity for students to better understand the many historical, economical and cultural factors that remain crucial to the practice of effective medicine today. Our merging of the arts and humanities with the social and life sciences plays a pivotal role in preparing students to be skilled communicators in the ongoing local, national and global conversations concerning health care — and an emphasis on critical analysis and reasoning skills reflects recent changes to the MCAT as well.

By utilizing the University of Houston’s membership in the Texas Medical Center — the world’s largest medical complex — along with a thriving biomedical research complex on campus, the Medicine & Society program seeks to:

1. Provide opportunities for students to interact with professionals and experts from a variety of medical fields via academic courses, research, fieldwork (including domestic travel and study abroad), student internships, public conferences and visiting speakers
2. Help students find a professional career path that best fits their interests and abilities
3. Improve the candidacies of students for placement in a school or program for health professions
4. Encourage a deeper, more practical understanding of what is required to build a successful career in a chosen profession
5. Effectively prepare students for both the challenges and opportunities awaiting them in whatever profession they ultimately pursue