The sociology of chronic illness: an experiential account of the benefits of a sociological perspective to students of medicine

This paper presents an experiential account of the benefits of a sociological perspective to students of medicine. The University of Limerick Graduate Medical curriculum requires its students to follow a chronically ill patient from the community for 2 years.Informal meetings are set-up to allow the student to understand the impact of illness on the person’s daily life. The sociology of chronic illness helps the student to understand the patient’s interactions with their environment. The literature provides illuminating sociological concepts such as, the reconstruction of self, resilience and compliance, isolation, religion and an understanding of the importance of patient narratives. The impact of a long list of illnesses on patients is analysed by sociology. Progressing further, external factors are also taken into consideration: the importance of family, the views of the medical profession. Through the sociology of chronic illness, medical students can get a much better understanding of the overall experience of the patient. This knowledge goes beyond the medical aspects and is extended to the place of a chronically ill person in society.