UCCI Course Description

To gain a broader perspective of the ethical issues in healthcare, students will:

1. Read a case study or excerpt of an ethical issue in healthcare, such as universal health care, insurance, genetic testing, stem cell research, or euthanasia. Write a persuasive essay that paraphrases the authors’ argument and identifies points of view within the ethical issue (2 pages - Formative).]

2. Create a multimedia presentation that summarizes a key ethical issue and then form a persuasive argument for one side of that issue. Engage in small group discussions and debates of issues, citing evidence and support for their views (Summative Presentation).

To lay the foundation for ethical decision making, students will:

1. Learn the concept of rationalism: In order to begin to justify their opinion on what actions need to be taken for appropriate health care to be administered in a given situation, students will read excerpt from Philosophy, Book 1, Descartes’ “Meditations.”  Evaluate the argument for validity and rationalism. Write an expository summary about excerpt (1 page - Formative).

2. Learn the concepts of ethics, morality, and values: Read excerpts from Philosophy, Book 1, Plato’s “Hippias Minor.” Students will discuss how Plato’s belief of the sick and medicine impact current trends in health care and analyze and evaluate their arguments for validity and understanding. Student will write a composition that compares and contrasts Descartes’ argument to Plato’s (2 pages - Formative).  

3. Understand the concept of Kant’s deontological (act – oriented) approach from Philosophy, Book 1.  Read excerpts from Kant’s “Theory of Categorical Imperative.” Consider the notions of good will, duty, and maxims. Discuss in a group how this approach can affect decisions made in health care.

4. Formulate an ethical decision:  Read excerpt from Philosophy, Book 1, James Christian’s “Philosophy: An Introduction to the Art of Wondering,” to examine a systematic approach in answering ethical questions by analyzing the theories of formalism, relativism, and contextualism. Evaluate how this form of reasoning could be applied to the student’s case study in Unit 1. Students will write a revision to their persuasive essay (from assignment 1) that reflects the insertion of the new philosophical approaches to decision making. Students must cite the philosopher and their method of thought (3 pages - Formative).

5. Read Mountains Beyond Mountains: The Quest of Dr. Paul Farmer, a Man Who Would Cure the World by Tracy Kidder. Explore world religions:  Create a matrix to show characteristics, similarities, and differences of Christianity, Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, and Judaism. Include in the matrix how Dr. Farmer would have been able to treat patients with the same illnesses as described in the novel based on their beliefs (Graphic Organizer: 1 page per religion).

6. Analyze central themes and ideas of the text, the development of Dr. Farmer’s organization, Partners in Health, and how individuals and events interact in a collaborative effort to improve health care and culture. Students write narratives to explain Dr. Paul Farmer’s experiences, struggles, and accomplishments in a well–structured sequence of events (10 pages - Summative).

7. Read non–fiction informational text from medical journals, domestic policy speeches, and statements in the following areas: genetic engineering, euthanasia, stem cell research, AIDS/HIV, Third World access to health care, nutrition, media and advertising; to analyze a complex set of ideas or sequence of events to justify how decisions are made considering ethical, religious, and cultural values. Write expository piece on findings (2 pages - Formative).

8. Define the four fundamental principles of medical ethics: Nonmaleficence, beneficence, autonomy and justice.   (Formative).

9. Jigsaw The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat and Other Clinical Tales by Oliver Sacks.  The case studies in this text will be analyzed to address the ethical dilemmas, rationale of treatments, and effectiveness of outcome.  Using prior knowledge of philosophical methods of reasoning, rationale, and validity, create an alternative outcome; presented orally or written (5 pages - Summative).

10. Introductory research into a healthcare case study which prominently features a cultural or religious issue - read the case study to extrapolate key elements in order to write an informative report that introduces the topic clearly and provides concrete details and citation where appropriate to thoroughly explain the case.  Then, the report will transition so the students support their claim of support or opposition to the course of action that was taken (7 pages - Summative).

Essential Question: What aspects of health care are crucial to a society?

This unit of Advanced English and Public Health will address the societal and global issues of healthcare and its significance to any community. Students gain an understanding of how the economy, culture, technology, and sociological and psychological processes influence modern healthcare. Students will research medical insurance, access to healthcare, quality of care and delivery, and policy changes. Students will analyze and evaluate the effectiveness of the structure an author uses in developing healthcare policy; students will determine if the policy is clear, convincing and engaging. Students will delineate and evaluate health care laws and policies through the use of reasoning and utilizing the knowledge of the previous unit. Students will use technology to produce, publish, and revise hypothetical health care policies in response to articles found in medical journals, newspaper articles, speeches and statements, and conference presentations addressing current issues within the healthcare system. Students will begin to investigate global healthcare and how actions and choices can have far-reaching consequences for our own and others' health. Students will inspect societal and policy issues and filter for bias.  Students will read a thematically-related novel, such as Jodi Picoult’s Change of Heart, My Sister’s Keeper, Chris Crutcher’s Deadline, or John Gunther’s Death Be Not Proud. They will trace and evaluate themes and character development throughout the novel and draw connections to current issues in healthcare that may impact their community.

To explore social issues, current events, and trends in healthcare today, students will:

1. Overview of general health care topics: Using Internet and print sources, students will research current topics in health care.  They will evaluate a variety of informational texts and media, such as medical journals, newspaper articles, speeches, conference presentations, or policy statements to determine central issues in healthcare today. They will write objective summaries of the issues, cite their sources, and present their findings to their peers (2-3 pages - Formative).

2. Detailed Personal Research and Response: Through a point/counterpoint response journal, students will follow current issues in healthcare as they are presented in a variety of informational texts and media, such as medical journals, newspaper articles, speeches, conference presentations, or policy statements. Students will read and analyze viewpoints and arguments on current issues, responding to them in a critical as well as personal way. In this process, they will read a variety of viewpoints, paraphrase the authors’ arguments, compare and contrast, and interpret and respond to issues in their journal. Students will engage in small and large group discussions and debates of issues, citing evidence, and support for their views (Journal Length 10-15 pages - Formative).

3. Thematic Connections in Literature: Students will read a thematically-related novel, such as Jodi Picoult’s Change of Heart, My Sister’s Keeper, Chris Crutcher’s Deadline, or John Gunther’s Death Be Not Proud.  They will trace and evaluate themes and character development throughout the novel and draw connections to current issues in healthcare. They will also analyze and evaluate the effectiveness of the structure the author uses (Literature-Based Paper, 4-8 pages - Summative).

4. Real World Project and Application: Using research from the overview of general health care topics, students will reformat information to present to an audience of the general public in the form of a patient education pamphlet or a Public Service Announcement (PSA).

5. In-depth Viewpoints Project: Students will develop an in-depth analysis of one particular healthcare issue. They will look closely at essential questions surrounding the issue using a database, such as the SIRS Knowledge Source, www.proquestk12.com, to find essential questions and suitable texts.  Students will summarize the issues, paraphrase the arguments involved, cite evidence in support of each position, compare and contrast the opposing viewpoints, and develop a response based on their research.  Students will present their conclusions in a multimedia format (Summative Presentation).

Essential Question: How does geographical location and socioeconomic status affect the experience of health, disease, and prevention?

This unit of Advanced English and Public Health will address how geographic location and socioeconomic status affect the experience of health, disease, and prevention at a global and a personal level. To understand the ramifications and implications of global pandemics and the umbrella organizations responsible for aid and assistance at local and global levels, students will gather relevant information from multiple authoritative sources such as the World Health Organization (WHO), UNICEF, Center for Disease Control (CDC), United Nations, the World Bank, The Global Fund, United States Army Medical Research Institute for Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID), and the Red Cross.  Preventive policies and public health decisions on immunizations, vaccinations, and medical aid during outbreaks will be evaluated, analyzed, and critiqued using case study scenarios.

To begin, it is necessary for students to comprehend how Public Health is a primary concern and responsibility for government entities. As a public health provider or consumer it is essential to understand the mechanics of contagion that occur during a pandemic and the protections presently in place to prevent and, if necessary, treat an outbreak. Disease pandemics have become of major concern to the world.  In the 21st century, plagues have the potential of spreading across the world in a period of 24 hours and can often recur in specific geographical areas. Through literature, both fiction and nonfiction, students will learn the sequence of events, from vector exposure to pandemic, and connect to the scientific process of handling a pandemic and the careers associated with that field.

Through analysis of nonfiction and fictional sources in literature and film, students will create a portfolio exploring the understanding of contagion through the lens of the public health official. First, by using a variety of writing and mapping techniques to coherently sequence the events in explaining a pandemic/epidemic while maintaining a consistent tone, students will analyze the sequence of events in the movie Outbreak - a fictional account of an Ebola-like virus - to understand the rudimentary aspects of vectors, contagion, and the various governmental agencies called upon in the United States to respond to such an event. Next, the students will view the first episode of Stephen King’s The Stand from the TV miniseries. Through event mapping, analysis, and an essay comparing and contrasting the sequence of events, students will develop an understanding of the events of contagion and the possible consequences in large populations that have to be addressed by medical professionals. Secondly, the students will read Richard Preston’s The Hot Zone and chronicle the nonfictional events in the book, recording the government agencies interactions, the medical professionals involved, and the threat levels of epidemic comparing and contrasting to Outbreak and The Stand. In summation, the students will research newspaper and magazine articles chronicling the last few outbreaks of Ebola virus in the world and analyzing the steps taken to keep it from becoming a pandemic. Students will analyze the sequence of these events and explain how specific individuals and ideas interact and develop over the course of the event citing strong, thorough textual evidence to support their analysis. These assignments will comprise the first section of the portfolio: Anatomy of a Pandemic.

Understanding the roles given to medical practitioners based in a government context requires a deeper understanding of the organizations and their philosophies for handling possible or actual pandemics. Emphasis is placed on the United Nations and the Center for Disease Control. This is the second section of their portfolio: Understanding Who’s the Boss During Pandemics. Students will explore and define the various global agencies and their responsibilities for public health on a global scale. Finally, students will apply what they have learned about disease pandemics to real-world applications of specific diseases by creating a multimedia presentation synthesizing the first two parts of their portfolio. The project will comprise the third section of the portfolio. They will be required to select, research, and report on a specific disease from its historical perspective and how it was addressed by the agencies we have studied. This project will encourage analysis of various health care policies from different organizations in which grasping the point of view requires distinguishing what is directly stated versus what is really meant. Students will demonstrate knowledge of how two or more policies from the same period treat similar themes or topics related to disease prevention. Given a specific pandemic/epidemic, students will present information, findings, and supporting evidence conveying a clear and distinct perspective so listeners can follow a line of reasoning, and understand opposing perspectives.

Prevention is generally the better alternative to loss of life due to disease and an important aspect of Public Health. Currently there is a raging debate as to the efficacy or harm that vaccinations provide for the public. As a global citizen living in the United States, each family chooses whether to safeguard their family from preventable diseases through vaccinations or to not participate and rely on “herd immunity” for protection. Currently herd immunity is becoming challenged as a viable means of prevention because more families are opting out of participating in the vaccination programs. Fears that vaccinations can cause other disease states or medical conditions, such as autism, can result in children dying unnecessarily. In this lesson students will practice their research and analysis skills by reading and recording the various arguments for and against the practice of vaccination using standard debate protocols. Students will take sides, research, and argue the merits of the situation. They will also develop and practice the skill of discerning high-quality reliable and valid information as published on the Internet versus unreliable information. As a possible extension, the ethical debate over immunization for the flu as required by the government (to prevent a possible outbreak and protect national security) from a health practitioner perspective versus that of a private citizen can be explored. The debate and supporting evidence constitutes the final section of the portfolio: Is An Ounce of Prevention Worth a Pound of Cure? At the conclusion of the debate, students will be asked to write a two-page position paper elucidating their feelings about the topics from a personal and from a medical practitioner’s perspective.

To complete the first section of the portfolio, Anatomy of a Pandemic, students will:

1. View both the film Outbreak and the first episode of Stephen King’s The Stand. Using a Venn diagram, students will compare and contrast the viewings (Formative).

2. Read the novel Hot Zone by Richard Presto and create a plot diagram that traces the sequence of events that occur in the first chapters of Hot Zone, which reflect how a pandemic can spread rapidly (Formative).

3. Create a timeline behind the outbreak of Ebola in Africa from Hot Zone and compare with events from all viewings.

4. Compare the Ebola outbreak from Hot Zone with recent outbreaks of Ebola in Central Africa using the CDC website. Students will write an essay that compares and contrasts the portrayal of events in the fictional and nonfictional sources (3 page - Summative).

To complete the second section of the portfolio, Understanding Who’s the Boss During Pandemics, students will:

1. Understand global actions of organizations with pandemics. Students will create a matrix that summarizes the mission statements and identifies the decision-makers/policy holders from various global organizations such as WHO, CDC, UN, UNICEF, World Bank, Global Fund, and USAMRIID (Formative).

2. View the pandemic map, Outbreaks Global Incident Map. Students will learn the locations of Third World countries. Students will analyze the pandemic map and correlate disease and their prominence in Third World countries. After studying these facts, students will match diseases to locations of third world countries on an objective assessment (Summative).

3. Pandemics in our world today - Students will read the two articles listed below on pandemics and answer document based questions to understand the difference in approaches over time between two organizations (Formative).

   1. Article 1: Global Pandemics and Human Security: Strategies for Today and Tomorrow

   2. Article 2: Slowing the Next Pandemic: Survey of Community Mitigation Strategies 

4. Summarize the philosophies of the UN and CDC regarding pandemics. Compare and contrast the differences in philosophy of the UN and CDC regarding pandemics. Compare and contrast how the UN and CDC prepare the world for future occurrences (2 pages - Formative).

To complete the third section of the portfolio, students will:

1. In groups, create a multimedia presentation (PowerPoint) and/or a written research report (4 pages) that incorporates a comprehensive genesis and history of disease within a country and the course of action taken by the responding global organization. Students will include their opinions using evidence from previous assignments. This summative report will follow MLA guidelines. Groups will be assigned one of the following categories:

   1. Haiti or South America and Cholera

   2. Pakistan and Malaria

   3. China and SARS

   4. Mexico and the World and H1N1

   5. Africa and Tuberculosis

   6. US and Hantavirus

   7. Africa and HIV/AIDS

   8. Panama and Yellow Fevers

To complete the fourth section of the portfolio, Is an Ounce of Prevention Worth a Pound, students will:

1. Prepare for a class debate on the efficacy of childhood vaccinations. Students will pick or be assigned roles representing a variety of viewpoints on infant and childhood vaccinations and debate the controversy of vaccinations and immunizations based on prior information studied in the unit using the following assignments for preparation (Formative)

2. Explore and analyze the CDC website for background information on vaccinations and immunizations, emphasizing the vocabulary related to the science of vaccination, immunity, herd immunity, vector, etc. at Center for Disease Control and Prevention - Vaccines and Immunizations Page and Healing Arts - Children’s Vaccines: Research the Risks for Children and Possible Neurological Consequences: 

3. Students will use the relevant vocabulary to fill in and annotate a blank immunization card (Formative).

4. View RX for Survival: A Global Health Care Challenge, Episode 3 “Delivering the Goods” and complete accompanying worksheet.   

5. As an extension, students can debate the choice of government to mandate immunizations in the name of national defense taking on the perspective of a medical practitioner compared to a private citizen.

6. Complete their portfolio on disease by writing a position paper discussing their feelings about vaccinations as a private citizen and as a medical practitioner using evidence from their experience to support their conclusions (2 pages - Formative).

Essential Question: How do I gather, analyze, and respond to incoming global medical information to effectively communicate with others in the healthcare industry?

This unit of Advanced English and Public Health will focus on the career technical requirements of the medical profession and teaches how one gathers, analyzes, and responds to incoming global medical information to effectively communicate with others in the health science and medical technology industry. Students will read current event articles (see assignments section for more details) and respond by keeping journals, writing letters to editors, and practicing good communication skills. Students will be expected to cite evidence that supports an analysis of what the given medical terminology says explicitly and to analyze medical journals and articles to form an objective summary of the text.

This unit will focus on reading with precise and accurate interpretation of texts using medical journals, files, online articles, and related literature. Students will incorporate experienced reading strategies, such as utilizing prefixes and context to understand meaning, and develop appropriate applications of terminology and language from the healthcare field while focusing on the format and housing of health and medical records.

In this unit, students will write and establish a formal style and objective tone in analysis about a given text. Gathering relevant information from multiple print and digital sources, students will assess strengths and limitations of sources in terms of task, purpose, and audience. They will integrate appropriate information into the text selectively to maintain the flow of ideas, avoid plagiarism, and overreliance on any one source, and then present through discussion and multimedia presentations their interpretations utilizing peer evaluation to validate their process. In this way, the multitude of safety regulations, current trends in medicine, and current appropriate legislation and legal issues will be analyzed and learned for application in the medical context. Emphasis will be on the debate over health care delivery, its stakeholders, and inherent issues at the government, local, provider, family, and individual levels.

Students are required to maintain specific high-level standards of record-keeping. By understanding and completing electronic records students will gain applied knowledge of the healthcare field which will help them communicate with other professionals and their patients in the future. Students will broaden their scope of understanding and evaluate and critique current trends in healthcare communications. They will give oral reports

on articles, health and medical journals, and online resources, conveying a clear and distinct perspective so listeners can follow a line of reasoning, opposing perspectives and style. Students will review and debate current laws, policies, and regulations in the health science and medical technology field, including sexual harassment. Sexual harassment is particularly important for students working in the medical field because of the sensitive nature in dealing with patients.

To learn how to effectively communicate with others in the healthcare industry, students will:

1. Write a letter to the editor. Students pick a highly debated topic to write to an editor and write a persuasive response in their own voice and with their own opinion. They must take a firm stance on the issue and give specific details and examples in the letter (1 page, min. 250 words).

2. Keep journals and “quick-write” reflections on various articles read throughout unit. Students will read weekly current event articles that are relevant to the healthcare field and write a response. At the end of the unit, the students will select at least three of their best quick-write reflections and responses to turn into a complete portfolio (min. 2 paragraphs, 250-300 words – Formative).

To illustrate the current trends in electronic records, students will:

1. Fill out several different electronic records and explore the local medical technology communication systems by visiting health care providers. By understanding and completing these electronic records students will get applied knowledge of the healthcare field which will help them communicate with other professionals and their patients in the future (Formative).

2. Argue the pros and cons of medical electronic records. In developing their argument, they will consider and include their experiential observation with additional online research. After research and observations, students will select a pro or con side of electronic medical records and present their arguments through in-class oral debates. Students will be able to gather and use the terminology taught in this unit and with this assignment with other professionals in the healthcare field (Summative).

To understand sexual harassment and OSHA regulations, students will:

1. Produce skits or multimedia presentations on sexual harassment and OSHA regulations. Students will be assessed on these laws, policies, and regulations to comply with CTE guidelines. Sexual harassment is all about communication: verbal, nonverbal, and visual. When students enter the workforce it is important they understand what sexual harassment is and the legal ramifications of their actions and actions of others. It is extremely important working in the medical field because of the sensitive nature in dealing with patients (Summative Presentation).

Essential Questions: What do I need to consider and research when preparing for a career in the health industry, and how can I showcase what I have learned in this course in employment applications and interviews?

In this unit of Advanced English and Public Health, students hypothesize and reflect on the question, “What do I need to consider and research when preparing for a career in the health science and medical technology industry?”  Students will adapt speech and writing to a variety of contexts and tasks, demonstrating what they have learned throughout the course about formal English writing.

This unit will focus on labor market analysis of health careers, non-traditional medical careers, and economic access to those careers. Additionally, medical industry soft skills such as critical thinking, ethics, integrity, professional behavior, and confidentiality will be addressed.

In this unit, students will research and present career trends in health care by utilizing the Department of Labor web site and US Bureau of Labor Statistics. Students will develop medical industry workability skills, such as work ethics, problem solving, responsibility, and professional behaviors. Students will develop career portfolios using a formal tone of oral and written English to convey a vivid picture of the candidate. The portfolios will contain one page resumes, college and work applications, cover letters, and awards. Students will practice interview skills through mock interviews in which they demonstrate an ability to answer interview questions in part using the extensive knowledge they have built up throughout the course Re: medical ethics, rights to healthcare, and other concepts studied throughout the course.

To prepare for a career in the health care and medical industry, students will:

1. Create a digital and hard copy career portfolio that contains a cover letter, one-page resume, college application, work application, frequently asked interview questions, thank you note, certificates and awards, two letters of recommendation, and three references.

2. Present their portfolios during a mock interview to industry partners invited by the teacher.

3. Participate in two mock phone interviews.

4. Take notes and respond to guest speakers from the medical industry by writing reflections and personal narratives that incorporate what they have learned in Advanced English for Public Health.

5. May participate in a college and career fair.

6. Write a research paper on the career of their choice including roles and responsibilities of that career, what education is needed, what the labor market demand is for that career, and if it is a non-traditional career for that student (2 pages – Formative).

7. Read excerpts from What Color is Your Parachute? to better understand what career choices may fit the student’s style. The outcome of this assignment will be a personal essay in which they use what they have read in the novel to generate three career choices in which they are interested. They will explain the three career choices and use details from the novel to describe how these three choices are relevant to them (min. 5 paragraphs – Formative).

8. Go online using US Bureau of Labor Statistics: www.bls.gov and Job Search: www.jobs.ca.gov to research job statistics.