88-262 Rationality and Irrationality in Medicine

9 units, Carnegie Mellon University

How do clinicians make decisions about what tests to order, what treatments to prescribe, and how to explain risks to patients? How do patients make decisions about whether to get vaccinated, whether to undergo cancer screening, and what end of life care they would want? Why do people engage in behavior that harms health (like smoking or unprotected sex) and fail to engage in behavior that enhances health (such as exercise or taking prescribed medication), and what can be done about that? This course uses the field of Decision Science to address these questions and by considering both rational and behavioral approaches to decision making by clinicians and patients.

Prerequisites: none listed

Offered: Spring 2026

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