Dr. Karen Marie McNamara is a Program Director in the Division of Extramural Science Programs (DESP) at NINR. Before joining NINR, Dr. McNamara was an American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Science & Technology Policy Fellow in the Office of Health Services Research & Development at the Veterans Health Administration. Her work included supporting projects on Provider Burnout, Pandemic Disrupted Care, and Veteran Engagement in research.
Dr. McNamara received her PhD in anthropology with a specialization in medical anthropology from Syracuse University. She also completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the National University of Singapore and conducted research at a hospital in South India as a Fulbright-Nehru Senior Scholar. Her research in South and Southeast Asia, explored the social and structural determinants of health in relation to the practice of traditional medicine, the regional medical tourism industry, and equitable access to care. Her work has focused on understanding the lived experiences of patients and their caregivers as they navigate multiple health systems and policies, languages, health beliefs, and geographies of care.