Hello all, I am new to this forum..so excuse me if I am posting in the incorrect area. First of all, I would like to introduce myself. I am a 4th year student double majoring in Anthropology and biology, and I wish to become a medical anthropologist studying infectious disease. I am 20 years old. The thing I am worried about is that I feel like I am never going to graduate. I am 3/4 of my way to an anthropology degree. And so far I have completed bio1 plus lab, bio2 plus lab, chem 1 plus lab, chem 2 plus lab, orgo1 plus lab(next semester I am planning on taking biochem and calc). My question is...should I finish my anth degree and just start a postbac program afterwards or should I finish the full biology degree? I am very worried that my financial aid is going to run out. I am also at a university that cannot give me much guidance into getting into medical school(no real med adviser), so I thought a postbac could maybe help me through the application process. I have also NO IDEA how to find a shadowing position...do you just call a doctors office and ask? No one at my university could help me with this. At this point I feel like I am going to be in school forever and I'm really afraid i'm doing this all wrong. Any advice?
I'm very nervous i'm doing something wrong
- Thread starter Awedelay
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What is a medical anthropologist? Do you need an M.D. to do that? 😵
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You don't have to finish the second Bio degree, especially if finances are tight. I'd just do the Anthro degree, while also finishing the med school pre reqs (and you're already more than halfways done with those).
For shadowing, you can cold call, or ask some doctors that you may know. Another option is volunteering at a hospital, and asking some docs around there.
For shadowing, you can cold call, or ask some doctors that you may know. Another option is volunteering at a hospital, and asking some docs around there.
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It can't hurt to call a few doctor's offices and ask if they wouldn't mind having a premed student around for a few weeks. It helps if you have some kind of connection, and if you can express some interest in that specialty. Just explain that you would love to get some experience in a clinical setting. The worst that can happen is the doc says no. Maybe you could make some connections if you volunteered at a local hospital.
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Jinx you owe me a coke
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Perhaps you don't realize that medical anthropology is taught as a doctoral program within a department of anthropology; not a degree within a medical school.
See: http://www.medanth.org/programs.htm
In all likelihood, you need only complete the anthropology degree. Write something impressive as some schools will want a writing sample along with your applicaiton (for example, a 20 page research paper).
Different programs have different areas of specialization based on the faculty members interests so you may have to dig around and find schools that are working in infectious disease research in the context of medical anthropology.
No doctor shadowing needed if you choose this route.
See: http://www.medanth.org/programs.htm
In all likelihood, you need only complete the anthropology degree. Write something impressive as some schools will want a writing sample along with your applicaiton (for example, a 20 page research paper).
Different programs have different areas of specialization based on the faculty members interests so you may have to dig around and find schools that are working in infectious disease research in the context of medical anthropology.
No doctor shadowing needed if you choose this route.
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No, one of my professor last semester is a medical anthropologist, he had an psychology degree for undergrad and then got a PhD in medical anthropology.
OP, if you want to be a medical anthropologist, you certainly don't need to become a MD. However, many MD who have s background in anthropology end up doing something along the lined of medical anthropology--this is quite interesting I have to say. I also don't think that the Biology major is [somewhat] necessary since you will learn a lot of Biology in med school. So, if you are desperate to get out of school, unto med school or a PhD program for medical anthropology, just finish the anthropology degree and maybe minor in Biology since you have already taken many of the classes. Good luck
