This course provides an introduction to medical anthropology, as well as a critical anthropological analysis of "mainstream Western medicine" and its role within contemporary society. Focus is on the culture of conventional medicine, including a historical and epistemological overview of its paradigms and its dynamics, and the cultural aspects of surgical and clinical practice (as part of socioeconomic systems) vis-à-vis the public health and preventive medicine perspectives. Possible avenues to improve health at the community level are explored, using the discussed topics as sources for heuristic modelling. (lec 3) cr 3 Students may not retain credit for both ANTR 3086 and ANTR 3085.