Human experiences of sickness and suffering are universal, yet also profoundly shaped by their cultural and historical contexts. Medical anthropology seeks to understand cultural and biological diversity in sickness, health and healing. Its varied approaches include meaning-centered investigations of disrupted well-being, considerations of how biological and cultural factors interact to promote health or produce sickness, analyses of political-economic causes of health inequalities, and applied research to improve health research and services in a globalizing world.

Medical anthropology faculty at the University of Iowa work both inside and outside of the Department of Anthropology, in a campus-wide network. Key faculty hold joint degrees in anthropology and a health or social service profession (e.g., public health, nursing, social work). The Department of Anthropology cross-lists its medical anthropology courses in Department of Community and Behavioral Health within the College of Public Health, and also in the Global Health Studies Program, attracting students from a wide range of disciplines and professions who are developing future careers in health and human services. A number of anthropology graduate students have completed joint PhD/MPH degrees.

Faculty research interests incorporate a diverse range of geographical and topical specializations. In settings ranging from North America to Latin America, southern Africa, the Pacific, and beyond, our research examines health and healing in localized contexts from a global and comparative perspective. Key topics include the health-related dimensions of social inequalities, the ways in which personhood and identity are implicated in both sickness and well-being, and evolutionary perspectives on infectious disease in humans. We specifically explore health in relation to gender, sexuality, race and ethnicity; and examine the cultural politics of producing medical knowledge, as well as the bioethical and moral dimensions of medical and caregiving practices.