Global Health Jobs - What Are They and How to Get One

Global health is a field of medicine focused on the international spread of disease and the methods and techniques to prevent it. Contagious diseases do not recognize national borders or other arbitrary constraints, so limiting the spread of problems like the Ebola virus requires international efforts. Most global health organizations focus on supporting health around the world, which includes educating the public, providing vaccines, dealing with logistical limitations, and supporting prevention-based services. With a job in this field, you may conduct research, help improve worldwide acceptance of treatments, create strategies for dealing with epidemics, and support efforts to write a plan for meeting global health needs.

The primary qualifications for working in this field are a college degree and a commitment to improving global health. Other requirements vary by position and are generally in line with their field. Senior-level positions frequently require several years of experience with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, project management, and working in foreign countries. Fulfilling the duties and responsibilities of these positions may require reading, writing, and speaking a second language, business development skills, and a willingness to receive vaccines. Employers prefer senior applicants who have a master's degree or doctorate that supports epidemiology or global health education, both of which are at the core of this industry.

Careers in global health are diverse and focus on everything from providing treatment as a doctor or nurse to educating foreign government officials or conducting research. Global health activities frequently have a philanthropic element to them, so executives often spend a lot of time acquiring donations and grants. Many of the services you provide in this field are free or low-cost to the people benefitting from them, so global health organizations have to find other ways of raising money. The variety of needs in global health means that workers in areas like transportation, marketing, and construction are necessary, so it's possible to support global health efforts even if you didn't study medicine. Many careers in this field involve a significant amount of worldwide travel and months or even years spent away from home.