What kinds of careers exist for those passionate about both medicine and politics/law?

Hi Jennifer,

What a great a background and interest area you have. I recently held a position in international government relations for a large healthcare organization before transitioning into executive search. Some things to consider:

-blending international relations and global health will likely take you to look at opportunities in DC, NYC, and San Francisco. In DC, you will discover the world of global development (e.g. USAID contracting/implementation). There are many organizations that do this work. A great resource is Devex.com

-There are also consulting opportunities in this space such as Dalberg, McKinsey, Booz Allen, etc.

-Another area to consider is working for a large healthcare organization in their government affairs/health policy department.

-In terms of graduate studies, I would consider grad school. It sounds like you are interested in a fairly specific area. For the most part, MPH degrees are going to be highly technical (think epidemiology). There are MS, MA, and MBA degrees that will focus on international affairs, business, and/or social impact with a global health angle. I believe Northwestern has a new MS Global Health program that is highly interdisciplinary. Others of course would be Hopkins SAIS, GW, Columbia, UT Austin, etc in their public affairs programs where you can concentrate in global health.

-Something else which requires a bit of effort but can often prove helpful is reaching out to folks who have the sort of job/experience you would be interested in potentially having to some degree. If they are the mindset of lift as they rise, they will respond to a kind note asking them to spend some time with you discussing their background and what advice they might have for someone looking to get into the field

Hope this is helpful. Happy to discuss more.

Hi Jennifer! You career goals are very noble and I am happy to offer my insight and wisdom. Briefly, I coach young adults and career changers on this, and other issues pertaining to career, education, and life value. To answer your question, I absolutely recommend grad school. Emory is not only a great school, but they have a direct relationship with the Center for Disease Control. I say an MPH is a good direction. Check for dual degree opportunities because Emory has a JD/MPH program. At this level, you are qualified to lead organizations, conduct research, practice law in an area connected to public health, and more. Don't limit yourself to Atlanta, there may be similar programs elsewhere that may peek your interest. The major thing is to do your due diligence, e.g. google, call, email the people and programs that align with your goals. Find professors and scholars that are engaged in research similar to your own interests. Regarding internships and job prospects, there is the CDC, Unicef, the National Institute of Health, GA Department of Public Health, the National Health Law Program, World Health Organization, the World Bank, and more. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to reach out.