St George’s, University of London
Global warming, conflict zones and unfair healthcare provision are among the most urgent health challenges facing the population over the next decade. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), solving them will require a coordinated effort from the global health sector, policymakers, international agencies and communities. Could you be part of that solution?
Significant socioeconomic and environmental changes, such as economic barriers to healthcare and climate change, have created a fresh set of global health challenges which pose significant risk to lives and livelihoods, and have exacerbated existing health inequalities and inequities – from the rapid spread of new infectious diseases like Covid to the global financial burden of non-communicable diseases.
The World Economic Forum has estimated that just five of the chronic diseases – diabetes, mental illness, cancer, chronic respiratory and heart disease – will cost over $47 trillion by 2030. However, strong international commitment, coupled with new scientific and technological advances, presents a genuine opportunity to reduce the impact of these and other challenges, making now more than ever an exciting time to work in global health policy or practice.
Global health is a fascinating, broad and multidisciplinary field that is underpinned by the desire to improve people’s health worldwide, reduce inequality and protect communities from global threats, such as conflict, economic crises or preventable diseases which, as coronavirus has demonstrated, do not respect national borders.
Core compulsory and elective modules, common to each pathway, will give you the skills and knowledge necessary to understand, interpret and help solve critical global health challenges, and prepare you to conduct a high-calibre research project in your chosen specialism.
Past research projects have covered the full spectrum of the discipline – from a clinical project to examine correlation between COVID and HIV conducted here in the UK, for example, to assessment of mental health care provision in rural South Africa and an analysis of the narratives of women imprisoned in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Careers
Careers in global health are often divided into clinical and non-clinical with opportunities in both addressing issues of public or global health, or working in leadership, consultancy or research roles in either government or the private sector, as well as national and international agencies, such as WHO, Unicef or Save the Children, for example.
Career options include policy development, advocacy, health systems administration and management, education, research, community outreach, community healthcare planning, infectious disease management, programme planning and evaluation.
Depending on your interests and chosen specialism, you will also be able to target the countries, individuals, initiatives or challenges you feel most passionately about. On completion, you will also be equipped with practical research-based training and skills putting you in a good position to apply for a PhD, which some of our students choose to do.
Entry requirements
Applicants who do not have an undergraduate degree but are current medical students who have successfully completed 360 credits (or equivalent) including at least 120 credits at Level 6 (or equivalent) of their medical degree are eligible to apply.
Closing date
Applications typically open in November and close in July. Early applications are recommended.