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Health Studies

While health studies complements most any major, it's particularly great preparation for students interested in medical school.

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Health Studies Minor

How We Work

  1. We look at health in a different way. We don't approach it from an exclusively scientific perspective, but instead analyze the biological, psychological, cultural, spiritual, economic, and ethical factors that impact the health of individuals and society as a whole. That makes us pretty unique.
  2. We bring people from different backgrounds and interests together to discuss big issues. Like agriculture. How has government policy (political science), which encourages larger, more intensive farm operations (economics) impacted the growth of antibiotic-resistant bacteria (biology) and contamination of waterways (environmental studies)? Bringing people from all of these different majors together to talk about the issues affecting health today makes for a more well-rounded experience, and, often, surprising insights.
  3. Our students get out of the classroom. The best way to fully understand what we're learning is to take it out into the world. Students get that opportunity through a capstone internship at a local hospice, daycare, health department, or other nonprofit or business. Students also find internships (often with the help of the Center for Career Success) at locations across the country. Neha Motwani gained real-world experience in the medical field through the Summer Health Professions Education Program at the University of Nebraska Medical Center.
  4. Knox takes a wider world view. We offer more than 50 programs around the world.
  5. Our grads find success. As a Knox student, Jocelyn Perez participated in various pre-medical shadowing, clinical, immersion and internship opportunities locally and in the Chicagoland area, California, and Argentina. She is now working as a research associate at the Institute of Minority Health Research, Department of Medicine, at the University of Illinois at Chicago.

Minor in Health Studies

Requirements Courses

Preparation for Medical School

While health studies complements most any major, it's particularly great preparation for students interested in medical school.

Many of the leading causes of illness and mortality are caused by behavioral and environmental determinants of health, like smoking and drug use, diet and exercise, and inequities in care due to socioeconomic status. Increasing diversity and the aging of the population has led to an increased focus in medical schools on cultural sensitivity.

On top of all of these factors, the roles of physicians and patients, of inpatient and outpatient treatment, of insurance and compensation, and of preventative care and health maintenance, have changed significantly in recent years.

Recognizing the importance of socio-cultural and behavioral determinants of health, the MCAT was updated in 2015 to include social science and psychology, stressing the importance of the social sciences in addition to the natural and physical sciences to future physicians.

Is Knox for you?

Contact us to find out more about our comprehensive majors, minors, and programs.

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