Skip to main content
South Asians at William & Mary and the Globalization of the U.S. Healthcare System
In 1952, Asghar Ali became the first South Asian student to attend William & Mary, but it was not until the late 1960s and on through the 1970s that South Asian students began to establish a greater presence at W&M. Most of the students that came during this period were international students and nearly half of them would go on to pursue careers in healthcare. Their stories highlight a broader trend in the globalization of medicine and show the impact of visa legislation on South Asian immigration to the United States. Through archival research and oral histories, this research sheds light on the globalization of healthcare and the role of South Asians in this process. In addition, this research illustrates the ways continuing globalization of medicine and medical labor impacts global inequalities in access to quality healthcare.
This research by Shravya Harish and Kara P. was first presented as part of the APIA Banh-Mi Brown Bag series in 2024. You can learn more about “South Asians and the Globalization of the U.S. Healthcare System” in the following presentation slides.