Tożsamość socjologów medycyny — próba analizy i wyzwania na przyszłość
Identity of Sociologists of Medicine — an Attempt at Analysis and Future Challenges

Summary/Abstract: Sociology of medicine has been treated as a sub-discipline of sociology for a long time. It concerns broadly defined problems of health and illness in social groups and individuals, as well as the relations between them. It can be claimed that a sociologist of medicine is a profession determined by the area of their own professional activity. The subject of the study is a theoretical analysis of the professional role of sociologists of medicine and their careers, mainly in science and didactics, prevailingly at medical universities. Moreover, their education and knowledge are useful in research project implementation, in the field of healthcare economy, and in studies concerning the services offered by medical professionals. In sociology of medicine, health stands for a relatively new paradigm, whose analyses result in research into pro-health attitudes. Therefore, the sociologists of medicine can be members of health education groups. Besides, they constitute a group of specialists who can participate in public debates about health and illness issues. The areas of professional practice mentioned in this paper are only examples of potential activity within the sociology of medicine, which are realized by professionals such as economists, nurses, doctors, assessors, psychologists, and sociologists. That is why we should ask ourselves a question whether practicing sociology of medicine in Polish conditions is a separate profession or a sub-discipline of sociology. Sociology of medicine does not exist as a separate profession yet, but it has features which may allow it to become one in the future.

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