What is an example of the medical model of illness?

September 29, 2025 •

5 min read

The medical model, a foundational approach in healthcare, frames illness as a biological malfunction requiring medical intervention. Understanding what is an example of the medical model of illness is crucial for seeing how this perspective influences diagnosis and treatment in the modern healthcare system.

Quick Summary

A classic example of the medical model of illness is a bacterial infection, like strep throat. The doctor identifies the specific pathogen, diagnoses it as a disease, and prescribes antibiotics to target and eliminate the biological cause.

Key Points

Broken Bone Example: A broken bone is a clear example of the medical model because it involves objective diagnosis via X-ray and a physical intervention like a cast to fix a biological problem.
Focus on Pathology: The medical model primarily focuses on identifying the underlying biological pathology, or physical abnormality, responsible for illness.
Role of the Doctor and Patient: In this model, the doctor acts as the expert, diagnosing and prescribing treatment, while the patient's role is largely passive and involves complying with the doctor's advice.
Strengths and Weaknesses: The model is highly effective for acute physical illnesses but is less comprehensive for chronic conditions or mental health issues, which have complex psychological and social components.
Contrast with Other Models: The medical model is contrasted with more holistic perspectives, such as the biopsychosocial model, which integrates biological, psychological, and social factors.

Understanding the Medical Model

The medical model, often synonymous with the biomedical model, is a traditional and highly influential framework in healthcare that views disease as a deviation from normal biological functioning. It operates on the core assumption that illness can be explained and treated through objective, scientific methods. This means focusing on observable signs and symptoms, identifying an underlying biological abnormality (pathology), and using medical interventions to correct the issue. The patient's role is typically to comply with the treatment prescribed by the healthcare professional. While highly effective for acute, physically based conditions, it often falls short when addressing more complex health issues that involve psychological or social factors.

The Case of a Broken Bone

One of the clearest and most straightforward illustrations of what is an example of the medical model of illness is a broken bone, or fracture. The entire process perfectly encapsulates the model's principles:

Complaint: The patient presents to the emergency room with severe pain, swelling, and an inability to move a limb after an injury.
History: The doctor asks about how the injury occurred and the patient's symptoms.
Physical Examination: A doctor assesses the injured limb for signs like swelling, deformity, and tenderness.
Ancillary Tests: An X-ray is ordered, a key diagnostic tool that provides an objective image of the biological pathology—the broken bone.
Diagnosis: The doctor uses the test results to confirm the specific type and location of the fracture.
Treatment: An intervention is prescribed, such as resetting the bone and applying a cast or performing surgery, to physically correct the biological problem.
Prognosis: The doctor can provide a timeline for healing based on the severity of the fracture and the treatment plan.

This example is a perfect fit because the cause is purely biological (a bone breaking under excessive force), the diagnosis is confirmed with objective technology, and the treatment is a direct physical action to fix the physical problem. The patient's psychological state or social situation are not considered central to the treatment of the fracture itself, although they may influence recovery.

The Medical Model vs. the Biopsychosocial Model

To further understand the medical model, it is helpful to contrast it with the biopsychosocial model, which offers a more holistic view of health.


Aspect	Medical Model	Biopsychosocial Model
Focus	Primarily on biological and pathological factors.	Considers biological, psychological, and social factors in an integrated way.
Illness Definition	Illness is seen as a disease—a physical or organic problem within the body.	Illness is the individual's subjective experience of a health problem, influenced by multiple factors.
Cause of Illness	Originates from internal biological factors, such as genes, biochemistry, or injury.	Results from the complex interplay of biology, thoughts and emotions, and social environment.
Treatment Approach	Correcting the underlying biological pathology, often through medication or surgery.	Addressing the patient on multiple levels—biologically, psychologically (e.g., therapy), and socially (e.g., support groups).
Patient's Role	Primarily passive, complying with the expert's treatment plan.	Active participant in their own care, with their subjective experience valued.
Example	Administering antibiotics to eradicate a bacterial infection.	Managing a chronic illness like diabetes by focusing on medication, stress management, and access to healthy food.

Application to Chronic and Mental Illnesses

While highly successful for acute issues, the medical model’s limitations become apparent when applied to chronic conditions or mental illnesses.

Chronic Illness: A condition like chronic pain or arthritis illustrates the model's shortcomings. While a doctor can diagnose tissue damage (pathology) and manage symptoms with medication, this doesn't address all aspects of the patient's experience. Pain and quality of life are also influenced by psychological factors like coping mechanisms and social support, which the medical model often overlooks.
Mental Illness: The medical model views mental health conditions, such as major depressive disorder, as a result of biological abnormalities, often a “chemical imbalance” in the brain. This can lead to a sole reliance on medication for treatment, potentially neglecting the significant impact of a person's life experiences, stressors, and social environment. Criticisms have noted that exclusively using this model for mental health can lead to stigmatization and an overemphasis on medication.

Strengths and Weaknesses of the Medical Model

Strengths

Effectiveness for Acute Conditions: For conditions with a clear biological cause, like infections, injuries, or surgical needs, the medical model is exceptionally effective.
Scientific Basis: It is grounded in scientific inquiry and measurable, objective facts, which allows for consistent, evidence-based treatments.
Efficient for High Volume: In busy clinical settings, the quick diagnosis-and-treatment cycle of the medical model allows healthcare professionals to efficiently manage a high number of patients, especially in urgent situations.
Research Advancements: It drives medical research into the biological underpinnings of disease, leading to major breakthroughs in areas like antibiotics, vaccines, and surgical techniques.

Weaknesses

Reductionist Approach: By focusing narrowly on biology, it can reduce a complex person to their pathology, overlooking psychological, social, and environmental influences on their health.
Limited for Chronic and Mental Health Issues: It can be less effective for conditions that lack a simple biological explanation, potentially neglecting critical factors for long-term health and wellness.
Patient Passivity: The paternalistic nature of the model can diminish the patient's agency and involvement in their own healthcare decisions.
Stigmatization: When applied to certain conditions like mental illness or disability, its focus on internal deficit can contribute to societal stigma.

Conclusion

In conclusion, understanding what is an example of the medical model of illness—like the treatment of a broken bone—provides a clear window into its primary focus: identifying and correcting a biological problem. The model's strength lies in its effectiveness for acute physical conditions, relying on scientific diagnosis and direct treatment. However, its limitations become apparent when dealing with chronic diseases or mental health, where psychological and social factors play a larger, often overlooked, role. This awareness has paved the way for more integrated approaches, such as the biopsychosocial model, that aim to provide more comprehensive and patient-centered care.

For more information on the principles and procedures of the medical model, you can consult sources like the Wikipedia page on the Medical Model.

Frequently Asked Questions

The medical model is a framework that views illness as a disease, which is a malfunction in a person's biological and physiological systems. It focuses on identifying the underlying pathology and using objective, scientific methods to treat or cure it.

A medical model approach to a bacterial infection, like strep throat, involves using tests to identify the specific bacteria (the pathology), diagnosing it as a disease, and then prescribing a targeted antibiotic (the treatment) to eliminate the cause.

While the medical model is often used for mental health issues by suggesting a biological basis (like a chemical imbalance), critics argue that relying exclusively on this model can be incomplete and neglect important psychological and social factors.

The main limitations include a tendency to neglect psychological and social factors, a reductionist view of health that focuses only on biology, and a potential for stigmatizing individuals with chronic illnesses or disabilities.

The medical model is more narrow, focusing mainly on the biological aspects of illness. In contrast, the biopsychosocial model takes a holistic approach, considering the interaction of biological, psychological, and social factors in determining health outcomes.

Yes, the medical model does emphasize preventive measures, but primarily in the context of physical health. Examples include vaccinations, regular screenings, and lifestyle modifications aimed at preventing biological disease.

In the medical model of disability, a person with a physical impairment, such as a wheelchair user, is seen as having a personal problem that needs to be fixed. It frames the disability as the issue, rather than viewing societal barriers (like a lack of ramps) as the disabling factor.