Medical Sociology: Individual Reflection

Ker Soon Peng, Kelvin

Class: T11 , P21, L03 Student No.: S10118132 Date: 06/02/2012 HP No.: 900219465

Medical Sociology: Individual Reflection Different Cultures and Medical Practices In different culture comes with different practices of their own medicine and health treatments. Back in the past, western medicine was not well known and recognized globally. In the different cultures such as the Chinese, which they practice using herbs to create their medications for treatment. The Indians, which practice using spices to create their medications for treatments. As time passed, countries are developing and the western medicine became the mainstream treatments in the healthcare industry. Traditional Chinese Medicine became a sub-culture and spiritual healings become the micro culture. Challenges facing someone outside of the mainstream culture are the doubts they have as sub-culture treatments such as Traditional Chinese Medicine have always believed and practiced in their own stream of beliefs. On this topic, Culture and Alternative Medicine, I have learnt the definition of culture which is the shared understanding of what people share with others such as the types of music, movies, books, fictional characters, political views, religious views and moral views. In a culture consist of ideas, norms and values. In these people follow which brings them together as an accepted group in society of their culture. The typology of culture can be split into three different groups such as, mainstream, sub-culture and micro culture. The world of medicine is classified into different groups. For an example, western medicine falls into the mainstream group, Traditional Chinese Medicine falls into the sub-culture group and spiritual healings fall into the micro culture group. Despite I am educated in western medicine and its practices, there are at times I seek Traditional Chinese Medicine treatment. A good living example is when I am having diarrhea and the only medicine I have at home for it is the TCM. Although I may not know its possible side effects but it has been a practice from generation of my elders. So it is somewhat trusted and not questioned of its potential ability and side effects. Another event was when I went for acupuncture for my neck pain. After my session of it and I felt much better. I did not believe that it would work as I have always been on the mainstream of medicine and treatment until that day which I went for it and it changed my mindset of how TCM works and its effectiveness. Growing up and falling sick, it happens to everyone. Falling sick is inevitable for everyone. Every once in a while we will fall sick as certain factors of our wellbeing is affected. Each one of us plays a role in our life. In school, I play the role of a student. At work, I play the role of a nurse. In my family, I play the role as an elder brother. The list goes on and these factors apply on everyone else. But when we fall sick, we do not exit our

Ker Soon Peng Kelvin (T11, P21, L03) S10118132H 06/02/2012

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Medical Sociology: Individual Reflection normal roles and enter into a social vacuum. Instead we enter into a new role, which is the sick role On this topic, Illness Behaviour & Ageing, I have learnt more about a person being sick. It is more than just it seems of a person being sick, consulting a doctor and resting. Well, sickness is a type of deviant behavior as the individual is dysfunctional to the family as the sick individual puts aside his responsibility and other members have to take up that individual responsibility which causes them to become overburdened. To the society, normal roles are not met and the balance in society is disrupted. An example based on personal experience is that in a hospital ward, when a nurse on duty assumes the sick role, she have to give up her responsibilities and the other nurses have to take up her responsibilities which gives them more pressure and stress hence workload have become heavier and the balance of workflow have to be readjusted to compensate the lack of manpower. As an individual takes up the sick role, medical professionals act as a control over the sick and sick role to prevent people from remaining in the sick role. Taking up the sick role gives them privileges that society do not want them to abuse. With given privileges and exemptions are that they are temporary excused from normal social roles and they are not held responsible for the sickness. To be seen in favour, the sick individual must have the mindset of wanting to get well and seek medical help and co-operate with the medical professionals and medical treatment prescribed. For myself, when I was working at Raffles Hospital, the team of nurses in the ward was already shorthanded and I had a colleague who is in the junior team called in sick. Because of this I had to take on her responsibility which caused myself to be overburdened and my workload was so heavy that I had no time for lunch and the equilibrium of workflow was disrupted. Conclusion Learning this module Medical Sociology was intriguing and informative. It have expanded my knowledge and it have given me a better understanding of the medical sociology world.

Ker Soon Peng Kelvin (T11, P21, L03) S10118132H 06/02/2012

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