Obstacles and Avenues for Medical Students Interested in Global Health Work

Abstract

In 2012, the Association of American Medical Colleges reported that nearly 30% of graduating medical students participated in a global health elective at some point during their training.1 In our current M1 class of 203 students, that is approximately 41 students who will potentially train abroad. But of those 41, how many will be able to pursue a career in global health? In a survey of medical graduates from global health–related programs, only 41% reported participating in global health work after graduation. Of these physicians, most spent less than 10% of their total professional time on global health.2 At Georgetown, that correlates to fewer than 4 students in the class of 2026 who will spend significant time practicing internationally. As someone whose primary pursuit in medicine is to work in global health, this discrepancy is distressing. While many of us have likely been inspired by Physician and medical anthropologist Paul Farmer, or participated in international service trips or medical missions, the pathway to establishing a long-term career in global health is not guaranteed. Thus, it is important to understand the obstacles in the way of pursuing a career in global health medicine and to consider recommendations for students interested in committing their careers to international health care.