The Growth and Development of Behavioural Science in Medical Educations

Abstract

For several years medical educators have expressed, vaguely, a belief that there are cachets of knowledge and expertise seques tered in the disciplines known as social or behavioural sciences which are of relevance and value to the education of the physician. This has led to the appearance of courses, programs, systems, divisions or departments termed 'behavioural science' in all medical schools in Canada and in most in the United States. At present, while many of these new courses are being nurtured in embryo, some have emerged as departments and more seem to be evolving in that direction. What follows are random observations of the efforts of others by one with an avuncular interest in development. 581 582

Goals in the teaching of behavioural science to medical students

“…Ruff (1970) includes in his objectives of teaching, a training in research method for the investigation of behaviour, and for the critical evaluation of behavioural concepts and data. Chalke's (1970) emphasis, as he puts it, is on behavioural science ‐ the explanation, understanding, and prediction of behaviour, with a reliance on the canons of science and rational empiricism and the exclusion of an intuitive, pragmatic approach.…”