Medieval caregivers
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can explain the different types of medical care which were available to people in medieval Britain.
Key learning points
- Physicians observed their patients to diagnose their illnesses.
- Physicians were university-educated but were taught to accept many incorrect theories.
- Apothecaries made and sold medicines and barber-surgeons performed surgical procedures.
- Medieval hospitals cared for the sick but did not try to cure their patients' illnesses.
- Most medical care was accessed within local communities from family members and wise people.
Keywords
Diagnose - to say what is wrong with someone who is sick
Prescribe - to say what medical treatment someone needs
Monasteries - groups of buildings that are a home for religious men or women who live separately from other people
Common misconception
There was limited access to medical care in medieval Britain.
Although few people were able to afford physicians, most people were able to turn to other sources of care such as that offered by hospitals, wise people or members of their own family.
Teacher tip
Get pupils to study the image on slide 20. Ask them to identify two ways in which the image suggests religion was an important part of medieval medical care. They may identify the crucifix shown in the middle and the people shown praying below.
Content guidance
Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering
Depiction or discussion of sensitive content
Depiction or discussion of mental health issues
Supervision
Adult supervision required
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Surgeries are considered because they involve cutting into the body.
Q2.Who performed medieval surgeries?
Q3.Which of the following was not a major problem of medieval surgery?
Q4.Trepanning involved drilling a hole into which part of the body?
Q5.Which major problem of surgery was cauterisation used to try and manage?
Q6.Why was opium not used more commonly as a medieval anaesthetic?
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.What word means 'to say what is wrong with someone who is sick'?
Q2.Match each of the medieval caregivers to the correct description of their work.
made and sold medicines
performed procedures such as bloodletting
often observed the urine of their patients
Q3.Write the missing number. Over hospitals were founded in England between 1000 and 1500.
Q4. houses were hospitals for lepers.
Q5.How were most medieval physicians trained at university?
Q6.Which statement is most accurate?
To help you plan your 10 history lesson on: Medieval caregivers, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 10 history lesson on: Medieval caregivers, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 4 history lessons from the Medicine in Britain, c1250–present unit, dive into the full secondary history curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.