<p>Since I didn't have much luck in the medicine forum, I thought I'd try to get a response here.</p>
<p>I'm just a high school senior wondering what medical careers in non-profit organizations, such as MSF (Doctors w/o borders) or the Red Cross, are like. I know that I want to pursue med/pharmacy school and that I want my career to be helping people in other countries - particuarly China where I feel strongly about societal issues (I know that as a doctor it wouldn't be my job to voice my political opinion much less reform society, but I still like to hope that I can make a difference by just being a doctor there.)</p>
<p>So if anyone knows...
Is there even a need for me? (As in job market? I feel like there should be but I don't actually know; maybe US trained doctors aren't preferred in other countries...)
What does my career do? (I guess that depends on the situation, so my question is more like "what do people need me to do?")
What is the pay like? (in general, I don't care too much about making a lot of money, but I intend on going to med school...)</p>
<p>I always thought that most of these organizations used volunteers. The doctors have regular jobs, but will spend vacation time traveling in underserved areas. If you really want to help people, and want to save yourself some time (like 8 years), consider becoming a physician assistant or a nurse practitioner.</p>
<p>Most of these organizations do use volunteers.</p>
<p>Have you considered becoming a primary care physician and staying in the US to work with the low-income and underserved? There is a huge demand for primary care docs, and there are federal programs to help pay off med school.</p>
<p>Check out your local community heath center to learn what they do. Volunteer at a heath center. Your work is desperately needed here in the US!</p>
<p>Although it is not foreign, you could consider a career in the Indian Health Service. I have a cousin who made a career as a physician, then administrator in the IHS. And another (his sister) who was a nurse with the IHS for about 20 years.</p>
<p>They also have a loan repayment program to help pay off student loans, which sounds like a consideration for you. You could work for them for a period of time, then move to overseas work.</p>
<p>A lot of physicians (and other health care workers) do shorter stints in foreign countries as part of medical programs to help poor people in those countries. So they hold down regular medical jobs in the US, but take periods of time (several weeks as they get further in their careers) to travel and provide healthcare to poor people in other parts of the world.</p>
<p>I actually visited the IFRCs and MSFs websites which say they have job opportunities. I wanted to know more than whats given on the website (like, is there a significant language barrier? Can I make a living off of working for a non-profit organization alone? Is there anyone out there whos had experience that I can talk to?). I’m also just considering other relevant options since Ive got plenty of time to figure out later what I specifically want to do and where I want to work. Any more suggestions? (And thanks for the ones so far; this is already 3 more posts than I got in the medicine forum.)</p>
<p>Please take the time to talk to physicians at the Indian Health service or a community health center. They are always glad to chat about what the like and don’t like about their career.</p>
<p>(I used to work with community health centers, so I know what I am speaking about.)</p>
<p>Hi emptyspace. My husband and I have worked the past 6 years as physicians for a non-profit mission organization in Latin America. We worked 3 years in a rural medically underserved area and have been in an urban area the past 3 years. My husband currently teaches in a residency program and I am a pediatrician. We love what we do, although there are challenges. </p>
<p>To answer some of your questions: We receive a salary that would be considered poverty level in the U.S., but live very comfortably in the local economy. I’m not sure what the salaries are in other organizations.</p>
<p>Learning the language and culture of your patients is very important. My husband is a native spanish speaker and is currently learning one of the indigenous languages. </p>
<p>Career wise there are a lot of different directions you could consider depending on how your interests develop. We have experience in primary care and medical education. Surgical subspecialties are sought after especially on short-term volunteer trips. Another option would be infectious disease/public health (working with WHO, CDC, etc). </p>