| Course | MED 300 Historical and Contemporary Issues in Health |
|---|---|
| Module | Module 2 |
| Paper type | Reflection paper |
| Length | About 286 words, 4 pages |
| Format | APA 7 student paper |
| School | Arizona State University |
| Program | BS in Medical Studies |
| Updated | October 2026 |
Free sample paper for MED 300 Module 2
The Report That Built and Narrowed American Medicine: A Reflection on Flexner
Student Name
BS in Medical Studies, Arizona State University
MED 300: Historical and Contemporary Issues in Health
Instructor Name
Month Day, Year
The Report That Built and Narrowed American Medicine: A Reflection on Flexner
How did this experience challenge my assumptions?
I assumed that the Flexner Report was simply a story of progress: a reformer exposed weak, profit-driven schools and replaced them with rigorous, science-based training (Flexner, 1910). The readings showed that the reforms did strengthen medical education, but the same standards closed five of the seven Black medical schools that existed at the time, leaving only Howard and Meharry. One study estimated that if those five schools had stayed open, they might have trained between about 28,000 and 35,000 additional graduates by 2019 (Campbell et al., 2020). I had never connected the shortage of Black physicians today to decisions made a century ago.
What do I want to know more about?
I want to know whether the same pattern, raising standards in ways that exclude under-resourced institutions, appears in health professions education today, including physician assistant programs. I also want to learn more about how medical education is changing a century later, since reviewers have called for training that individualizes learning and builds professional identity rather than only science (Cooke et al., 2006).
How will this influence me as a professional?
This module made me think about who gets to become a clinician and why it matters. Patients often benefit from clinicians who share their background, and the history I read explains part of why that is still rare. As a future physician assistant, I want to support pipeline programs and mentor students from communities that the Flexner era shut out.
Other Thoughts
Progress in medicine often has hidden costs. Asking who is left out of a reform is now part of how I read health policy.
References
Campbell, K. M., Corral, I., Infante Linares, J. L., & Tumin, D. (2020). Projected estimates of African American medical graduates of closed historically Black medical schools. JAMA Network Open, 3(8), e2015220. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2020.15220
Cooke, M., Irby, D. M., Sullivan, W., & Ludmerer, K. M. (2006). American medical education 100 years after the Flexner report. New England Journal of Medicine, 355(13), 1339-1344. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMra055445
Flexner, A. (1910). Medical education in the United States and Canada (Bulletin No. 4). Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching.
What the MED 300 Module 2 instructions ask for
The Module 2 Reflection Activity in MED 300 is one of five weekly reflections, each worth 20 points and together 30% of the course grade. Respond to the module's readings, discussions and materials by answering the syllabus's three questions: how the experience challenged your assumptions, understanding or knowledge of a topic; what you want to know more about; and how it will influence you as a professional. You may add other thoughts. The body is one double-spaced page in 12-point Times New Roman, set in APA style with its own title and reference pages, and it needs at least two professional references. Late reflections lose a full letter grade within 24 hours and receive no credit after that.
Inside the MED 300 Module 2 example
The sample uses the three required questions as headings, plus a short section for other thoughts. The first answer names the student's starting assumption and the evidence that changed it, with a specific estimate from a published study. The second names two concrete things to learn, one linked to a reading on modern medical education. The third connects the history to the student's own career plans, and the closing thought states a lasting lesson. The reflection stays personal, using first person, but every factual claim carries a citation, which is the balance the syllabus asks for. The student's career plan gives the professional answer a concrete direction.
Where the marks sit in the MED 300 Module 2 rubric
Each reflection is worth 20 points. Instructors reward honest thinking over retelling, specific connections to the module's readings, answers to all three questions, at least two professional references and correct APA format within one page. Marks drop for reflections that retell the readings, for vague statements such as "this was interesting," for missing references or title and reference pages and for late submission, which costs a full grade within a day. Graders also notice whether the student engages with the module's specific readings, here the Flexner Report itself and a centennial review, rather than general knowledge about history. A thoughtful "want to know more" question often signals the depth of reflection instructors reward.
MED 300 Module 2 help with common mistakes
Start by writing the assumption you held before the module, in one sentence. Find the single reading or fact that challenged it. Make your "want to know more" answer a real question you could research. Tie the professional answer to the career you plan. Use first person, but support claims with sources. Keep the body to one page. If reflective writing feels unfamiliar, the desk can help you find your angle. Read the original report's introduction if you can; primary sources make reflections more vivid. Note the date and context of any historical source you cite. Save the reflection as a document with an APA title page from the start.
Write yours, or have the desk draft it
This paper is an original model document written by our desk, not a submitted student paper and not an official Arizona State University document. Read it for the moves, then write your own to the instructions in your classroom. If you want one built to your exact prompt and rubric, the first custom sample is free and arrives in 24 to 48 hours.
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MED 300 Module 2 questions, answered
Where can I find a free MED 300 Module 2 sample paper?
The full reflection on the Flexner Report and its legacy is on this page.
What questions does the MED 300 reflection answer?
How the experience challenged your assumptions, what you want to know more about and how it will influence you as a professional.
How long is a MED 300 reflection?
One double-spaced page, plus APA title and reference pages, with at least two professional references.
What was the Flexner Report?
A 1910 report on medical education that led to scientific standards and the closure of many schools.
How many Black medical schools closed after the Flexner Report?
Five of seven, leaving Howard and Meharry.