Reflection:
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Overall, all of the conceptual approaches in medical anthropology are extremely useful and can be applied in multiple medical and health related fields. Being an anthropology major interested in medical anthropology I knew a lot about the intersections of medicine and culture. Before taking this course I knew some of the theories and terminology used in medical anthropology, but I had never heard of some of the conceptual approaches or what they entailed. After this course I have gained an incredible understanding of the conceptual approaches in medical anthropology and how they can be used. The understanding of these approaches and their uses will most definitely help me in my future career.
I in particular, found the applied approach to most interesting, but overall thought all of the approaches to be useful in understanding illness academically/professionally as a future medical professional, and in my own experience with illness. With the applied approach in particular I enjoyed further exploring clinical anthropology since I would like to work in a hospital setting. Having knowledge of all the approaches though provides me with tools that I know I can apply in the future. Knowing more about the different approaches has also given me the opportunity to narrow in on ideas and techniques I have found interesting or useful. I really found the materials on the ethnomedical approach to be the most memorable. The videos we watched such as “Frontline: Sick around the World” and “The Horse Boy” were incredibly interesting. Learning about how other counties medical and healthcare systems operate offered insight into the programs that worked quite well and others that had their problems. “The Horse Boy” provided an outstanding illness narrative that truly captures the experience of the Isaacson family with Rowan’s autism. Week 4’s materials also struck accordance with me because the subject of shamanism in Hmong culture was brought up in a context I was already familiar with. The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down would be an excellent addition to the course, but would be difficult to fit in because of time constraints. I know I have referenced it multiple times in my writings throughout the course. It would fit in well with the articles regarding shamans being welcome in hospitals and how the understanding between doctors and patients in incredibly important. Medical anthropology is an invaluable field that can be applied in so many ways to other fields. Understanding the complex interactions between culture and illness is paramount in our ever globalizing world. Medical anthropology can bridge gaps in places where this understanding is lacking and help better the fields that deal with health and healthcare. |
Citations:
Fadiman, Anne, The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down: A Hmong Child, Her American Doctors, and the Collision of Two Cultures. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux; Later Printing edition (April 24,2012).
Sick Around the World, directed by Jon Palfreman. 2008. DVD.
The Horse Boy, directed by Michel Orion Scott. 2009. DVD.
Picture Citations:
“Betsy the Horse Helps Autistic Boy ‘Heal,’”PeoplePets, accessed August 13, 2014. http://img2-1.timeinc.net/people/i/2009/pets/migration/000526007.jpg
“Medical Anthroplogy and Global Health,” “Health on Earth,” accessed August 13, 2014. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EOUKYOQJ_Oo/UUiE5-zqXpI/AAAAAAAAAug/uev0fiHmPrc/s1600/Medical_Anthropology.gif
Banner Citation:
“Health topics: Epilepsy,” WHO, accessed August 5, 2014. http://www.who.int/topics/epilepsy/en/
Fadiman, Anne, The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down: A Hmong Child, Her American Doctors, and the Collision of Two Cultures. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux; Later Printing edition (April 24,2012).
Sick Around the World, directed by Jon Palfreman. 2008. DVD.
The Horse Boy, directed by Michel Orion Scott. 2009. DVD.
Picture Citations:
“Betsy the Horse Helps Autistic Boy ‘Heal,’”PeoplePets, accessed August 13, 2014. http://img2-1.timeinc.net/people/i/2009/pets/migration/000526007.jpg
“Medical Anthroplogy and Global Health,” “Health on Earth,” accessed August 13, 2014. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EOUKYOQJ_Oo/UUiE5-zqXpI/AAAAAAAAAug/uev0fiHmPrc/s1600/Medical_Anthropology.gif
Banner Citation:
“Health topics: Epilepsy,” WHO, accessed August 5, 2014. http://www.who.int/topics/epilepsy/en/