Working abroad
- Working in less developed countries
- Working outside the UK during training in public health
- Reports of trainees' experience overseas
- Process for approving overseas training places
- Overseas Regional Advisors
- Useful links
Welcome to the working abroad section of the Faculty's website. This section is written and updated by the International Committee.
Working in less developed countries
Time spent in other countries can broaden your understanding of many issues. The NHS Executive encourages its staff to take up opportunities to work in developing countries, as it appreciates that there are advantages both to the country visited and also to the NHS.
Further reading:
There are many opportunities to work in less developed countries. If you are inclined to do so, essential reading is the: Toolkit to Support Good Practice in International Humanitarian and Health Work [PDF] (July 2003).
Articles that may be of interest are:
- How to Work in a Developing Country by Paul Johnstone, Former Chair of the International Committee
- Integrating Overseas Work with an NHS Career by Nicholas Banatvala and Annie Macklow-Smith
- Bringing it Back to Blighty by Nicholas Banatvala & Annie Macklow-Smith
Another useful resource on finding overseas jobs is the Aid Workers Network website.
Working outside the UK during your training in public health
Information on working outside the UK during your training in public health is available in the training section of the website under out-of-programme experience.
View International Committee report on WHO Geneva as a training placement .
Sushma Aquila (acquilla [at] btconnect.com) is the International Faculty Adviser. She is willing to discuss possibilities if you are interested in an overseas attachment.
Read the letter to TPDs and Deans from the FPH President encouraging overseas training - March 2006
Reports of trainees' experience of working abroad
- Out of Programme Training experience at the WHO
Kathrin Thomas - Report on public health secondment, Good Shepherd Hospital, Swaziland, 2006/7
Ciarán Humphreys - Out of this World
Out of Programme Experience (OOPE) at the World Health Organization
Alasdair Reid - An SpR's experience in Swaziland, 2005
Iain Maclennan - An SpR's experience with the Stop TB Department WHO, Geneva
Sarah Anderson - Polio eradication in Ethiopia
Anna Jones - An SpR's experience of 6 months with the Global Alert Response (GAR) Team of WHO
Nima Asgari - HIV/AIDS in Honduras
Olaf Horstic - Out-of-Programme Research (OOPR) Report: Chinese University of Hong Kong
Gracia Fellmeth
Useful links
Aid Workers Network
This organisation links relief and development field staff to share support, ideas and best practice. It also provides guidance on finding jobs overseas.
Alertnet
Is a site giving news about disasters and emergencies run by Reuters and with some information about jobs.
Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF)
Work in some of the more difficult parts of the world.
Merlin
Is willing to take doctors without previous overseas experience and work in both emergency and more development situation.
The Department for International Development (DFID)
This has information on their work and information on jobs. They tend not to employ medical people without overseas experience. One of their resource centres has reports of work carried out in some countries. View these reports.
The International Health Exchange
Maintains a register of those interested in working abroad and produces a list of vacancies every two months.
The International Union for Health Promotion and Education
The IUHPE is a global NGO and principal professional association for health promotion and health education. From 2001-2007 its European Region Vice-President and Board od Trustees member is John Kenneth Davies (UK - International Health Development Research Centre, University of Brighton). Spencer Hagard (UK-LSHTM) and Maggie Davies(UK-HDA) remain members of its Board.
The World Health Organization (WHO)
Has useful information, including their publications and where they can be obtained.
United Nations website
With links to UNICEF, UNDP and the whole UN system - most of the sites have jobs advertised.
Voluntary Service Overseas
Is taking doctors for less than the previous minimum of two years.
