Medical Anthropology? Please read. Need advice.

[WindyRoad]

Hi Everyone.  I majored in Anthropology in undergrad but went into nursing which I disliked and then went into a different healthcare field from which I am currently taking a break.  I do well in the classroom but the professors seem to be concerned with how well I can do in clinicals.  I'm starting to think that medical anthro may be what I'm meant to do.  I want to utilize everything I have learned and I have probably taken five semesters of Anatomy & Physiology as well as other healthcare related courses.  However, I graduated with my BA in 2009 and it is now 2013.  My GPA was 3.4 with C's in Chemistry and little better in Biology.  I do not remember anything from my statistical analysis courses, or anything from my classes at all really from that time.  I took my GRE in 2008 and my score was pretty high but I do not think grad schools really accept 5 or 6 year old scores.  All I know is that I am afflicted with wanderlust, interested in different cultures, learning about people, and have a siginificant amount of healthcare under my belt.  I guess my question is, do you believe there are any graduate programs that may accept me?  Preferably fully funded?  What kind of jobs would be available?  Do you think I may have to retake some courses?  I apologize for the scattered nature of this post.  Any advice would definitely be appreciated.

[La_Di_Da]

Hi Everyone.  I majored in Anthropology in undergrad but went into nursing which I disliked and then went into a different healthcare field from which I am currently taking a break.  I do well in the classroom but the professors seem to be concerned with how well I can do in clinicals.  I'm starting to think that medical anthro may be what I'm meant to do.  I want to utilize everything I have learned and I have probably taken five semesters of Anatomy & Physiology as well as other healthcare related courses.  However, I graduated with my BA in 2009 and it is now 2013.  My GPA was 3.4 with C's in Chemistry and little better in Biology.  I do not remember anything from my statistical analysis courses, or anything from my classes at all really from that time.  I took my GRE in 2008 and my score was pretty high but I do not think grad schools really accept 5 or 6 year old scores.  All I know is that I am afflicted with wanderlust, interested in different cultures, learning about people, and have a siginificant amount of healthcare under my belt.  I guess my question is, do you believe there are any graduate programs that may accept me?  Preferably fully funded?  What kind of jobs would be available?  Do you think I may have to retake some courses?  I apologize for the scattered nature of this post.  Any advice would definitely be appreciated.

I have a friend who switched from nursing to anthro (medical/gender related research) in her forties. Her nursing background positioned her perfectly for admission to a medical anthro program. She is now in a tenure track position at a top university on the East Coast. Without question, it can be done. Familiarize yourself with the research, if you haven't already, and begin contacting faculty at programs you feel would be a good fit. Try UT-Austin. I'd write more, but am at work. Feel free to PM me.

[pears]

some takeaway thoughts: you'd almost certainly have to take the GRE again, but it sounds like you'll compensate for any "weak" points in your GPA/coursework with a great SoP. i would start talking to at least one professor who understands your "wanderlust" etc. well, who can also speak to your healthcare experience, for an LoR. also, start contacting professors at programs you're interested in sooner rather than later; the only flat-out rejection i got was from a school where i hadn't talked to any professors, so it seems to help. i had a low GPA, thanks to my ultra-slacker status during my first two years of undergrad, but i made up for it with everything else (SoP, LoRs, GRE scores, writing sample). 

[coffeeandmilk]

I think the main thing is that you need a research project, and you need to be able to explain how your unique background makes you a very qualified person to do research in that specific field / thing. The catch is that you also need to do this while demonstrating that you are open and flexible to learn new things etc. I wrote a quite specific proposal and things turned out quite well for me...

GRE is not that important for anthro, but it doesn't hurt to have a great score. study for it.