The PHI/GHFP-II Employers' Study: The Hidden Barriers Between Domestic and Global Health Careers and Crucial Competencies for Success.
An ongoing discussion in global health in the United States centers on the future of the US-trained global health workforce and how best to prepare professionals for this career path. The Public Health Institute, through its Global Health Fellows Program (I and II), has been in a unique position to identify the shifting employment dynamic in global health.



The purpose of the survey was to gather information on global health employers' hiring practices and insights into the importance of nonclinical skills in contributing to successful professional work; preparedness of graduates with needed nonclinical skills; and the value of domestic work experience for global health careers. The focus was on individuals primarily raised in the United States who studied global health in either graduate or undergraduate settings.



A web-based survey and telephone interviews were conducted in early 2015. Overall, 49 project directors from 32 organizations participated.



Key findings included: CONCLUSIONS: The process of preparing professionals for global health work has fallen behind emerging realities, including globalization, ever-evolving technologies, and advances in health care. Universities must provide an increased curricular emphasis on nonclinical skills, both interpersonal and business related, as well as the international experience that is valued in the global health workplace.
Public Health Institute, Global Heath Fellows Program - II, Oakland, CA. Electronic address: srudy@ghfp.net.
Sharon
S
Rudy
Independent Consultant, Brooklyn, New York.
Natasha
N
Wanchek
Public Health Institute, Global Heath Fellows Program - II, Oakland, CA.
David
D
Godsted
Management Systems International, Arlington, VA.
Morgan
M
Blackburn
Public Health Institute, Global Heath Fellows Program - II, Oakland, CA.
Elise
E
Mann
D002321:Career Choice; D004651:Employment; D014943:Global Health; D006801:Humans; D010560:Personnel Selection; D011361:Professional Competence; D013334:Students; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States; D017132:Workplace
GHFP; PHI; academia; graduates; hiring; nonclinical; skills