Aidan Herrera
At Creighton, I’m not just earning a degree, I’m following my passion. In my biological anthropology research, I’m working at the intersection of health sciences and the human spirit. And I can do it because I’m a Bluejay.
Medical Anthropology, College of Arts and Sciences
Coming to Omaha from San Bruno, California was a big adjustment. But I’m not the kind of person who likes unstructured time. So, I jumped in with both feet and made friends quickly. Now, as a junior, I balance a long list of extracurriculars with my biological anthropology research.
I love studying the intersection of medical and social sciences. I want to understand medicine in its cultural and social context. What does healthcare look like in different societies? How does our current system produce inequalities between different social groups? And how can healthcare providers treat patients in such a way that takes those social factors into account?
Now, I’m working with Professor Erin Blankenship-Sefczek, examining the skeletal remains of individuals who died during the Late Classic Maya Period between 200 and 950 AD. My project is focused on infants and sub-adults, looking at how age and sickness affected how they were buried, and drawing conclusions about what that information says about the Mayan culture of the time. My goal is to continue the research over the summer and eventually publish a paper on my findings.
After graduating with my degree in medical anthropology, I plan to attend medical school and become a physician anthropologist. Long term, I’d like to enter residency education and teach doctors how to approach medicine through a public health lens. I’m so grateful to Creighton for showing me that this path exists. When I graduate, I know I’ll leave with a more complete understanding of healthcare and the issues facing it today.
