The New Blackwell Companion to Medical Sociology is a book edited by William C. Cockerham, a professor of sociology at the University of Alabama at Birmingham1. It is a reference to the key concepts and most important traditional and contemporary issues in medical sociology, a sub-discipline of sociology that studies the social causes and consequences of health and illness2. The book contains 35 chapters by recognized experts in the field, both established and rising young scholars, covering topics such as the history and development of medical sociology, the social construction of health and illness, the social determinants of health inequalities, the social organization of health care, the social implications of biotechnology, bioethics, and bioterrorism, and the future directions of medical sociology12. The book is part of the Blackwell Companions to Sociology series, which provide introductions to emerging topics and theoretical orientations in sociology as well as presenting the scope and quality of the discipline as it is currently configured2. The book is available in hardcover, paperback, e-book, and online formats13. If you are interested in learning more about medical sociology, this book might be a good resource for you.