There are many ways to become a medical anthropologist, and the majority of them lead to doctoral or master’s degree programs at colleges that offer medical anthropology degrees. Studies prior to graduate school admission, which vary, are significantly more diverse. Most people enter this field with medical knowledge gained from a variety of sources, and everyone who completes graduate school has at least an undergraduate degree.
The ability to understand and interpret medical literature is one of the prerequisites for any type of graduate study in medical anthropology. If health conditions and their ramifications are not fully understood, understanding of human health problems from a cultural perspective may be limited. As a result, the majority of people who apply to medical anthropology programs have a background in medicine. Applicants to master’s and doctoral programs in medical anthropology must have practical training, such as a bachelor’s degree in registered nursing, unless they have studied public health or medical anthropology in undergraduate programs.
Another option for people interested in becoming medical anthropologists is to pursue an advanced degree in medicine, such as a nurse practitioner master’s or doctorate degree. Others study pre-medicine as an undergraduate major and then go on to medical school. Some medical schools may offer joint majors in medical anthropology that lead to an M.D. and a PhD. It’s clear that people come to this field from a variety of backgrounds, but they all have the ability to comprehend medical literature that they may study as students or as anthropologists.
When people decide to pursue a career as a medical anthropologist and meet the minimum requirements for graduate school, they must decide whether to pursue a master’s or doctoral degree. While a master’s degree can lead to job opportunities, a doctorate provides a higher level of education and the ability to claim expertise in a field. A doctorate is highly recommended if a person wants to do more than practice medical anthropology in the field, especially if he or she wants to teach.
It’s worth noting that some people who want to be a medical anthropologist will apply to schools that offer multiple degrees. Some programs, for example, combine a PhD in medical anthropology with an MPH in public health; these two fields of study are closely related. However, MPH students do not always refer to themselves as medical anthropologists, and a more anthropology-focused degree may be required.
Given the variety of degrees available and the growing number of graduate programs available in this field, people should take the time to research their options and choose the best program for them. It is recommended that you seek advice from a working medical anthropologist. Although the perception of various degrees varies region, it is a general rule that earning a doctorate leads to greater career flexibility. On the other hand, prior training, such as holding an M.D., may make a PhD unnecessary.