Professor: Becker Course format: Lecture w/section Number of respondents: 26 Total Enrollment: 37 Class Composition: Froshs: 2 Sophs: 18 Jrs: 9 Srs: 8 Concs: 3 Non-Concs: 19 Don't Know: 2

Instructor Average: 1.88 Course Average: 1.74

Whether you are seriously considering being an Emergency Room doctor or you simply enjoy the Thursday night television show, Professor Becker’s “Emergency Medical Systems” is the class for you. The class seeks to introduce students to emergency medical systems from medical, cultural and sociological viewpoints. There are no pre-requisites, although students noted that an interest in medicine is helpful.

Reviewers overwhelmingly described Professor Becker as “engaging” and “dynamic”, nothing that he used a variety of techniques, such as PowerPoint, role plays, and guest lectures, to engage students. Many also greatly appreciated his sense of humor, but noted that classes were often a little disorganized. Thoughts on his ability to take individual needs into account were mixed, although most felt that he took their needs into account fairly well.

Most of the students said that they thoroughly enjoyed both the case studies and the assigned novels (particularly The Spirit Catches You), but found the ethics book quite dry. The coursework consisted of a midterm, a final paper and presentation, and weekly one page responses to the reading. The midterm and final involved creating an intervention plan for an emergency room, but many felt that the requirements were vague. Students also shadowed a general doctor, pediatrician, and a social worker in a real ER, and noted that the experience was very informative.

Overall students spent anywhere from two to five hours per week outside of class, more when the midterm and final paper were due. Students overwhelmingly said “take it”, and also said that it is a nice balance to an otherwise heavy course load.

View BC/0152 in the Brown Online Course Announcement.