This is a health systems course. It deals with illness care, individual health, and health insurance. It will take a comparative and historical approach. We will look at the genesis of Canadian healthcare, our benefits and those other countries provide (e.g., pharmacare, dental care). We will look at indirect contributors like childcare and basic income. We will examine the public-private debate. We will also take some novel approaches. One is that the university has an expanded role in the 21st century, one that involves public outreach, a role that includes healthcare. Recent academic literature on healthcare notes that it is nation-building. We will look at why. We will examine some cutting-edge ideas, like integrated care, the learning health system, the concept of customer-owners. We will explore whether our healthcare system needs to be anchored by ‘institutions of excellence’ and identify these. Restricted to first-year students. Not eligible for CR/NCR option.