Medical AnthropologyIntroduction and Description:My topic, Medical Anthropology, is a field of study that uses culture, religion, education, economics/infrastructure, history, and the environment as a means to evaluate and understand "cross-cultural perspectives, components and interpretations of the concept of health" (Society for Medical Anthropology, page 1). To further introduce medical anthropology, I will reiterate highlights from my previous presentations. Early on in Türkiye, I asked each person in our program the following question: “I would like you to tell me about health and what it means to you?” The answers to this question are very varied, making it difficult to define a global concept of health. By analyzing the responses, I established the following five components of health: • Nutritional patterns and lifestyle habits. • Environment and living conditions. • Access and quality of healthcare provided. • Interrelationships between patients, healthcare professionals, friends and family. .• Causes and consequences of the disease. Furthermore, the concept of health can be seen from two different perspectives. First of all as a tool, meaning the value of health as a form of wealth not to be taken for granted. Second, health as a product or goal that people strive to achieve and maintain. The four objectives of my project were: 1) Develop a global concept of health. 2) Gain a basic understanding of each country's healthcare system and its individual health philosophy. healing.3) Determine what treatments a culture values, rejects, and the extent to which its people use alternative medicine.• Compare and contrast my findings in each country with those of other countries... middle of paper... . Ionic techniques. Furthermore, the research for this project allowed me to identify five essential elements for acquiring intercultural competences that I will use as guidelines in resolving conflicts in my future occupation: • Valuing diversity • Having the ability for cultural self-evaluation • Being aware of the inherent dynamics to the interaction of cultures • Have institutionalized cultural knowledge • Have developed adaptations to service delivery that reflect an understanding of cultural diversity In summary, this independent project has just begun my study of medical anthropology and has established a solid background to foster my progress towards achieving one of my professional goals: being a collaborative healthcare provider. This goal will be further developed when I begin the nursing program at St. Olaf's College next fall.