Second-year undergraduate sociology students participated in a field class on Wednesday, April 15, as part of the course Sociology of Health and Illness. During this visit, they toured the Vrapče Hospital Museum, located within the Vrapče University Psychiatric Clinic.

The field class was led by teaching assistant Ana Marija Zagode, M.A. in Sociology, an external associate at the Department of Sociology.

The visit was organized as part of a teaching unit focused on public health issues from a sociological perspective. Under the expert guidance of Snježana Spitzmüller, M.Sc., students were introduced to the history of the hospital’s establishment, the development of approaches to treating psychiatric patients, and the evolution of treatment methods in relation to contemporary psychiatric practice.

Such forms of field teaching enable students to gain a deeper understanding of complex social issues through direct experience. In contemporary society, it is essential for sociologists to receive high-quality education on topics present in the public sphere, such as mental health and the development of healthcare institutions.

Understanding the history of psychiatric disorders and the institutional development of treatment in Croatia represents an important step in the education of future social professionals and researchers, equipping them for active participation in the analysis and resolution of issues of broader social importance.