A medical degree is not always necessary to build a career in global health. Behind front-line operations are a myriad of professionals, from scientists researching cures to administrators managing programs.
International assistance of health causes rose from $5.1 billion in 1990 to $21.8 billion in 2007, according to a June 2009 study published in the Lancet medical journal. The report suggests that resources have been moving away from traditional governing institutions toward non-governmental organizations. The percentage flowing through NGOs grew from 13.1 percent in 1990 to 24.9 percent in 2006.
Such funding trends could translate into more career opportunities with a diverse array of organizations, tackling a variety of global health challenges from reproductive health to child survival, infectious diseases to HIV/AIDS, and mental health to nutrition, water and sanitation.