Many students are inspired to pursue a career in global health when introduced to the impact the field has on large populations. There are three main areas one might research when looking into pursuing career in global health.
First, is the education aspect, second, the hands on learning one acquires through internships and volunteering, and finally, actual career opportunities available. Although one may get their feet wet and interest peaked in an introductory global health course, the road that ends with a career in global health requires more education and may even require a master’s degree, such as a master’s degree in Public Health (MPH). As in most careers, earning a master’s degree offers a competitive edge over other professionals through their advanced understanding of how nutrition, education, and access to health care can all affect the health and well being of a society. Schools that offer graduate programs can be found all over, however some of the top graduate programs in the country are Johns Hopkins, the University of North Carolina, Harvard, and the University of Washington. In 2011, US News published a list of top graduate programs in public health. However, for those wanting to stay local, Portland State University (PSU) offers an Oregon Masters of Public Health. This comprehensive program utilizes the integrated expertise and resources of PSU, Oregon State University, and Oregon Health and Science University. Each institution introduces unique qualities to the overall educational experience, while providing a wide variety of specialty programs to suit many public health career interests. Regardless of what school a student chooses, the focused study of public health and an advanced degree are minimum requirements for entry into the field.
Another aspect of education is volunteering and internships; depending on your availability, your major, and level of educational completion there are an array of great opportunities ranging from; donating a few hours of your time each week or dedicating a summer, or even longer. These opportunities are available locally in Portland, within the U.S. and Globally, and focus on a wide range of health issues such as basic health needs to combating HIV/AIDs, Malaria, and TB. The requirements differ per program; some on the internships require two years of college, for others one must be a senior, while others require the applicant to already be a graduate. USAID offers global internships, which cover a range of global health issues and locations around the world. The Global Fund offers internships in the fields of HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and Malaria. These internships are primarily located in Geneva, Switzerland. PSU also has a very long list of undergraduate internships, most of which are local, but cover a wide variety of areas. Another local organization that uses volunteers to reach out to the community is Hands on Greater Portland. Through them one can find a variety of short and long-term volunteer opportunities. This list is short and definitely not exhaustive, but is a good start when looking at gathering experience for a career in global health.
Now that you have your education and some experience through internships or volunteer work, you’re ready for a career in global health. A career in global health is one that focuses on improving public health in both developing and developed countries. One side of the global health career spectrum focuses on treatment of infectious/tropical diseases, maternal/child health, chronic/non-infectious diseases, mental illness, and the health consequences of traumatic events/situations. While, the other side works with the organizations, logistics, financing, and management of health service systems. The latter is crucial for developing countries to establish and implement a health care system that is effective and efficient. Employing organizations for global health include non-governmental organizations (ex. BRAC), governmental agencies (ex. USAID), and multi-lateral agencies (ex. WHO). These agencies work with treating health issues by traveling to developing countries to work with patients one-on-one, which require skills in intercultural communication. Others work with improvement of systems, but need a different skill set such as knowledge and abilities in business, financing, and advertisement. Explore Health Careers, students with an MPH can fill positions such as, in-country field consultants, researchers in health organizations, and financial advisors in lending agencies. The need in the global health field is great, so please take some time to look through these schools, internship opportunities and career links to see if you can find a place that would be a perfect for you.
Brought to you by:
Group 6 - Joseph Conner, Angela Grenier, Roxane Lang,
Elle Magnus, Michelle Robertson, and Brooke Thomson
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