Program Overview
The Medical Anthropology program at [University Name] offers a comprehensive understanding of the interplay between biology, culture, and the environment in shaping human health. Through ethnographic engagement, students develop research skills to examine health disparities, healing practices, and health challenges. The program prepares graduates for careers in health care, public health, and related fields, providing a solid foundation for further study in medicine, nursing, and social work.
Program Outline
Degree Overview:
Overview:
Medical anthropology is the study of health, illness, and disease from an evolutionary, biocultural, cross-cultural, and historical perspective. It examines how biology, culture, and the environment intersect to shape human health and well-being through an evolutionary lens, while maintaining a biocultural perspective emphasizing the need for ethnographic engagement with diverse populations. Medical anthropologists use both biological and social science theories and methods to tackle pressing 21st-century health challenges and examine the complex ways in which social, political, and economic forces shape health, influence how people experience illness, and guide how health care services are provided and delivered.
Objectives:
The program aims to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of medical anthropology, enabling them to:
- Analyze the interplay between biology, culture, and the environment in shaping human health and well-being.
- Critically examine health disparities, healing practices, chronic and infectious diseases, and evolutionary medicine.
- Develop ethnographic research skills to engage with diverse populations and study health and illness experiences.
- Apply medical anthropological knowledge to address pressing health challenges and improve health outcomes.
Program Description:
The medical anthropology major offers two degree options:
- Bachelor of Science (BS): Designed for students pursuing careers in health care fields such as public health, occupational therapy, psychiatry, nursing, and allied health. It provides a solid foundation for graduate-level training in anthropology or related disciplines like health policy, medical sociology, and social work.
- Bachelor of Arts (BA): Prepares students for careers in health-related professions, including natural, social, and behavioral sciences, medicine, nursing, public health, health policy, and social work.
Outline:
Content:
The program covers a wide range of topics, including:
- Physical and cultural anthropology
- Statistics
- Medical anthropology
- Epidemiology
- Anthropological theory
- Research design
- Health disparities
- Healing practices
- Chronic and infectious diseases
- Evolutionary medicine
Structure:
- BS Option: Requires a minimum of 46 credit hours.
- BA Option: Requires a minimum of 43 credit hours.
Course Schedule:
- Prerequisite Courses: Physical and cultural anthropology, statistics.
- Core Courses: Medical anthropology, epidemiology, anthropological theory, research design.
- Electives: Students can choose from a variety of elective courses to tailor their program to their interests.
Individual Modules with Descriptions:
- Introduction to Physical Anthropology: Explores the biological and evolutionary aspects of human beings, including human evolution, genetics, and primate behavior.
- Peoples and Cultures: Examines the diversity of human cultures, their origins, and their adaptations to different environments.
- Medical Anthropology: Introduces the field of medical anthropology, its history, theories, and methods.
- Epidemiology: Studies the distribution and determinants of health-related states or events in specified populations.
- Anthropological Theory: Explores the major theoretical perspectives in anthropology, including structuralism, functionalism, and symbolic interactionism.
- Research Design: Provides training in qualitative and quantitative research methods used in medical anthropology.
Assessment:
Assessment Methods:
- Exams (midterms, finals)
- Quizzes
- Papers
- Presentations
- Research projects
Assessment Criteria:
- Knowledge of medical anthropology concepts and theories
- Critical thinking and analytical skills
- Research design and execution
- Communication and presentation skills
Teaching:
Teaching Methods:
- Lectures
- Discussions
- Fieldwork
- Laboratory work
- Guest speakers
Faculty:
The program is taught by experienced faculty with expertise in medical anthropology, including:
- Dr. [Faculty Name]
- Dr. [Faculty Name]
- Dr. [Faculty Name]
Unique Approaches:
- Emphasis on Ethnographic Engagement: Students are encouraged to engage with diverse populations through fieldwork and ethnographic research.
- Interdisciplinary Collaboration: The program collaborates with other departments and disciplines, such as public health, nursing, and medicine.
- Research Opportunities: Students have access to research opportunities in medical anthropology, including field experiences and laboratory work.
Careers:
Potential Career Paths:
- Administrators
- Analysts
- Researchers in health care settings
- Domestic and international nonprofit organizations (e.g., Doctors Without Borders, Partners in Health, RAND Corporation, World Health Organization)
- Think tanks (e.g., Economic Policy Institute, Kaiser Family Foundation, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Urban Institute)
- Medical device companies
- Insurance companies
- Social welfare programs (e.g., Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS, Office of Refugee Resettlement, WIC)
- Government agencies (e.g., Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institutes of Health, Veteran’s Affairs)
Opportunities:
- Strong foundation for post-graduate study in medicine, nursing, allied health fields, public health, social work, and health policy.
- Entry into the Peace Corps and AmeriCorps.
Outcomes:
- Graduates are well-prepared for careers in health-related fields and have a strong understanding of the social, cultural, and biological factors that influence health and well-being.