The most important qualifications for global health service are a willing spirit and selfless attitude. Very few persons become wealthy or famous in this challenging field. But for those motivated out of genuine humane concern, the rewards are potentially bountiful. Global health colleagues are often some of the most exemplary and inspiring of individuals. Some global health career tracts include:
- One-on-one patient care, especially in times of humanitarian crisis when local healthcare infrastructure is compromised
- Public health leadership, usually to address larger scale logistics of disease prevention, treatment and rehabilitation
- Research into long-term solutions for diseases prevention and control, such as ongoing efforts to develop effective vaccines against malaria in tuberculosis
- Teaching and skill development among local healthcare professionals, that their vision and capacity for service become enhanced
- Policy development on national and international levels, with the aim of directing attention and resources toward global health concerns
Some global health professionals combine multiple elements of service. One remarkable example is Dennis Burkitt, a British general practice physician caring for patients in Uganda in the 1950s and 1960s. An inquisitive individual, he noticed multiple children with similar tumors of the face and neck. Dr. Burkitt launched the initial clinical investigations which later defined Burkitt’s lymphoma. Dr. Burkitt also composed influential literature regarding medical and spiritual themes.
A global health career, unlike most health professions careers, does not have a well defined track. While this may be disconcerting to some, others find the opportunities for creativity and innovation to be exhilarating.