Global health professionals address the health concerns of people living in low- and middle- income areas. Health concerns in these populations can include infectious diseases, age-related illnesses, mental illness, trauma as well as other conditions caused by disaster, gender-based violence, structural violence, complex emergencies, war, forced migration, water crises, drought, flooding, displacement, humanitarian calamaties, or social inequality. Some global health professionals may study large-scale epidemics, as well as vaccines, treatments, and other ways to mitigate the spread of epidemics. Other global health professionals collaborate with healers, community leaders, government agencies, and international agencies, civil society institutions, community-based and nonprofit organizations, and relief organizations to promote inclusive health policies, social justice awareness, equity, and healthy living.
As we are growing more aware of the global and planetary dimension of health and health challenges, the field of global health is expanding. So are opportunities for students to get involved and make a difference. Global health professionals identify the main health and medical issues that impact vulnerable populations on global, regional, national, and local scales. They work to improve the well-being of communities throughout the world through education, policymaking, and research. Jobs include research and policy in public or private organizations and think tanks, government agencies, foundations and international organizations. Global health professionals are often funded through government agencies, multilateral and private institutions (National Institutes of Health, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the US Agency for International Development, the United Nations, World Bank, World Health Organization, the Rockefeller Foundation, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundations, among others). Global health professionals are called upon to conduct health assessments, monitoring and evaluation of social and health programs, healthcare provisions, research and policy, program development and management for local and national health departments as well as community-based and nonprofit organizations.
Job Titles:
- Policy Analyst
- Epidemiologist
- Medical Officer
- Program Management & Advising
- Health Scientist
- Public Health Advisor
- Field Consultant
- Disaster Relief Support Technician
- Global Health Educator
- NGO Aid Worker
Global Health Employers:
- Research & Academic Institutions
- International Organizations (such as the WHO)
- Immigrant/Refugee Health Organizations
- Non-Governmental Agencies (NGOs)
- Lending or Financing Agencies (such as the World Bank)
- Multi-Lateral Agencies
- Governmental Agencies
- Faith-based Charitable Groups (such as World Vision)
- International Charitable Foundations (such as the Gates Foundation)
