Who was Albert Schweitzer? Philosopher, Theologian, Musician, Medical Doctor, winner of the Nobel Prize. But why do we include him here under medical anthropology? Because at the age of thirty-three, after having obtained his medical degree with specialties in tropical medicine, Dr. Albert Schweitzer embarked upon a passionate quest to establish a jungle hospital in Equatorial French Africa to “give back” in some way to the African negro who had suffered so much and for so long under the yoke of white colonialism. As you peruse these materials, you will encounter a person who had to adapt his European cultural training to a set of very different cultural circumstances and challenges in order to be successful in treating his native patients, much in the same way contemporary medical anthropologists must adapt their thinking and project to the needs of the community whom they wish to serve. Thus, I encourage you to watch this series of videos titled “Albert Schweitzer; My Life is My Argument” published by the Chapman Schweitzer Institute and learn how you, too, might be inspired to use your medical training, or special skills, in the service of humanity in whatever manner you may feel called to do and in the name of “Reverence For Life.”
I also encourage readers to visit the Albert Schweitzer Institute web page at Chapman University. You will find a treasure trove of information about Schweitzer and his ethic of Reverence For Life.
I completed my Peace Corps Virtual Service Pilot Project with the Philippines Science High School! I played an instrumental role in evaluating and revising STEM Curriculum documents, undertaking a SWOT Analysis of selected curriculum offerings, and conducting a science and ethics workshop. My service engagement lasted from October 12, 2022, to March 17, 2023, and I learned new skills and developed new friendships and professional connections. One fruitful result is my invitation to speak to the Philippine Science High School System (PSHSS) academic staff for the opening of the school year 2023–2024 with a topic of "Global Competitiveness in Education," for which I am now busy preparing.
I also just completed a short-term contract with the University of New England College of Professional Studies as Subject Matter Expert in Cultural Anthropology, creating both 6-and 8-week Accelerated Cultural Anthropology courses for the UNE Online Post-Bacc Pre-Health Certificate Program. UNE Online's Post-Baccalaureate Pre-Health Certificate is an 18-30 credit program. It is designed for students who want to pursue an advanced degree in healthcare or medicine but have yet to complete the required health science courses for admission into health or medical school.
Along with my wife Ana María, I recently completed nearly three years of Peace Corps service as a Community Health Activist, teaching nutritional science classes and developing the TiNi (Tierra de Niños, Niñas y Jovenes Para el Buen Vivir) UNESCO Program in the public schools of Cuenca, Ecuador. I have over 20 years of experience teaching higher education courses in anthropology, philosophy, and religious studies. I also have extensive experience teaching ESL courses to Latin American populations in the United States and native Spanish speakers in Nicaragua and Colombia.
I maintain a blog at https://andersonsethnographicnotes.com centered on "Reflections from the Realm of Anthropology."
I offer tutoring and academic coaching at https://www.apprentus.com. Contact me, and let us see what learning project we can accomplish together!
