The Many Forks in the Road: A Nontraditional Journey as a Medical Anthropologist

Abstract

Abstract As a medical anthropologist and health disparities researcher, my work focuses on cancer health disparities, health beliefs and behavior, health systems, and preventative care in underserved communities, particularly among immigrants and refugees. Throughout my career path to this current identity, I faced many forks in the road. From undergraduate studies including fieldwork abroad, to medical research in underserved communities, to hospital administration while completing my doctorate, each fork in the road led me closer to becoming an applied anthropologist. I recently became a full-time research faculty member at an academic oncology center, in part due to skills learned in each previous opportunity. It did not happen on its own; it took hard work, persistence, and, most importantly, a vision. Each experience provided a unique set of cross-disciplinary skills that allowed me to accomplish my goals. This paper focuses on this nontraditional journey to lend insight to divergent approaches to applied medical anthropology.