By Page Murray, Postbac in the Mucosal Immunobiology Section of the Laboratory of Molecular Immunology
On Thursday, March 24, the NIAID Postbac Research Training and Development Series hosted a Global Health Career Panel. Panelists included
- Richard Benson, M.D., Ph.D., Director of the Office of Global Health and Health Disparities within NINDS
- D. Rebecca Prevots, Ph.D., M.P.H., Chief of the Epidemiology and Population Studies Unit within the Division of Intramural Research, NIAID
- Talia M. Quandelacy, Ph.D., Sc.M., M.P.H., Assistant Professor in the Department of Epidemiology at the Colorado School of Public Health
Global health is an interdisciplinary field focusing on improving health outcomes for people across the world. Read the latest edition of “Let’s Talk” where NIAID postbac Page Murray recaps the insights shared by the panelists and their career advice for NIAID postbacs.
The panelists began by sharing what inspired their global health careers. Dr. Benson, a vascular neurologist, spoke about noticing disparities in stroke incidence, care, and outcomes. Dr. Quandelacy recounted how witnessing an outbreak of a novel pathogen within her own community sparked her interest in health on a population level. When describing her research motivation, Dr. Prevots described her formative experiences in studying the early years of the epidemiology of HIV/AIDS in New York City and remarked, “Epidemiology is another path to discovery. You can’t study everything in the lab.”
Discussing how global health careers can work to address health issues outside of the scope of traditional science, Dr. Prevots mentioned the importance of building healthcare capacity by teaching and training. Dr. Quandelacy followed up by stressing the importance of cultural competency and working with community leaders. This may look like asking community leaders what type of analysis they find important or learning the local language. Dr. Benson recounted working toward policy changes to educate Nigerians on diets that would reduce their risk of stroke.
When asked for career advice, all three panelists emphasized to not be afraid of non-linear career paths. Panelists agreed that a specific degree is not necessary to conduct research and stressed that experience is key. Fellows were encouraged to take advantage of opportunities to conduct research abroad but were informed that global health opportunities exist within the United States, as well. Dr. Benson also emphasized the importance of networking and asking questions.
Postbac fellowships or graduate school programs that focus specifically on global health are a good place to gain experience for those early in their careers. NIAID postbacs who would like to learn more about global health opportunities can schedule a meeting with the NIAID postbac program coordinator, Jennifer West, Ph.D., to discuss career exploration resources.