And now...a few words of advice from your Mentors
Dear Multipodian:
Here they are!
"You must be committed. The work can be physically and mentally demanding. It is important to be able to understand the circumstances of the people you are working with and to tailor your comments and any recommendations to their situation"
(SC, Canada)
"(Have) perseverance, coherence and empathy"
(CD, Belgium)
"There's so much out there, and you can do a lot to help improve the health and lives of many people around the world. Together, we will shape your path towards a very satisfying career in global health".
(KA, Mexico)
"1.Don't feel that your first (or next) job has to be in what you view as your Global Health career path.
2. Don't get discouraged if you are hitting roadblocks in getting hired.
3. Your graduate degree "major" doesn't necessarily have to drive your career path.
4. "You are the best person to tell your story."
5. You will need to use a range of ways to network in Global Health, importantly are virtual opportunities such as LinkedIn Groups.
6. Good for you for seeking a mentor!"
(SG, United States)
"Two keywords: networking and persistence."
(DM, Portugal)
"Get country level experience before entering the global arena. A good basis for your future work that is difficult to replace"
(EM, United Kingdom)
"An exciting field chosen. Lots to be learnt. Try and get a practicum placement in a developing country, which will give an idea of ground realities. Remember that respect has to be earned not bought from the people one works with"
(FM, India)
"Have multiple skills and flexibility to adapt to a rapidly changing world"
(AP, Panama)
"Listen and understand (based on research) the needs of communities/beneficiaries, and build/design programmes/projects/activities based on evidence and best practice"
(GP, Georgia)
"Make sure you understand what is actually done in the field. It is very stimulating and rewarding, but requires good navigation skills that are seldom learned in academia"
(HR, Chile)
"1) Be prepared! 2) Take risks, 3) Show respect, 4) Enjoy life, 5) Travel."
(RP, Suriname)
