Adrienne Strong
Associate Professor
Areas of Interest/Research
I am a medical anthropologist working primarily in Tanzania. My research interests coalesce around the conditions and dynamics of care in biomedical health facilities. This started as an interest in maternal mortality in hospital settings and has come to include scholarly interests in obstetric violence, gendered dynamics in the nursing profession and care provision in biomedical settings, health system financing in ethnographic perspective, accountability, pain management practices, as well as care theories and empirical/everyday ethics. Since 2020, I have also been working with physicians at UF Shands on projects related to patient experiences and access to health care, further extending my interests in health inequities, patient-provider interactions, and the dynamics of healthcare in biomedical settings. I have just received a new National Science Foundation grant for a project examining pain care practices across various settings in Tanzania. This project will run from June 2022 through May 2025 and will have a number of opportunities for undergraduate involvement. Please contact me if you’re interested in learning more about this project.
My interests in hospital ethnography also include efforts to generate dialogue around best practices in the conduct of hospital ethnography in diverse settings, particularly in regards to ethical and methodological issues. Together with students I am creating an online resource for developing these best practices. Follow our work here.
For Undergrads
Are you an undergrad interested in getting involved in research in medical anthropology? Send me an email to ask about Medical Anthropology Lab, a one credit experience for learning more about research methods in anthropology, getting involved in research, and connecting with your peers! This course is not offered every semester so be sure to check with me about when I will offer it next. You will get the most out of this course if you have taken ANT 2464 but it is open to anyone with an interest in pursuing medical anthropology beyond the classroom. It is also required if you are working with me on an undergrad honors thesis project.
Study Abroad: UF in Tanzania-Culture & Healthcare
For the second time, I will be leading a study abroad to Tanzania during the 2025 Summer B term. We spend approximately four weeks in Tanzania learning basic medical anthropological concepts and ethnographic field methods while spending our days in two different hospitals. There are also a number of excursions, including a safari to Ruaha National Park and several days in Zanzibar at the end of the trip. To find out more and apply please visit the UFIC website. Deadline to apply is March 1st but we hope to fill the program sooner. We plan to take 15 students. Honors students and Anthro majors have priority so, apply today! The trip is ideal for pre-health and anthropology students. There will also be a 1-credit course in Spring 2025 to prepare those planning on joining the trip. Contact me for help enrolling in this course or with questions about the program.
For Prospective Graduate Students
Are you a prospective grad student interested in applying to our Ph.D. program and wanting to work with me? I’d love to hear from you and learn more about your research interests! I take students interested in studying reproductive health broadly construed, hospital ethnography, theories of care, health in Africa, and other related topics. Please get in touch to find out if we might be a good fit. I will only be taking one to two students for the 2024-2025 application cycle.
Office Hours Fall Semester 2024
I am on sabbatical and not available for meetings. I’m happy to reconnect starting in January!
Personal Website
Contact Information
Email: adrienne.strong@ufl.edu
Phone: +1-352-392-4490
Office: 441 Grinter Hall
Mailing Address:
Department of Anthropology
University of Florida
P.O. Box 117305
Gainesville, FL 32611-7305