Careers Ideas

March 7, 2005 by admin

Alma Mata aims to bring you information and ideas concerning careers in International Health. The website will have the lowdown on jobs, courses and the paths taken by those already working in global health. In a feature interview Nancy Bostock talks to Dr Catherine Bateman about her career in International Health so far…

How did you become involved in International Health? Spending a year in South Africa in 1991 opened my eyes to international issues and led me to attend an IFMSA meeting in Egypt. I was overwhelmed by the amazing work they were doing, so I got together with others interested in International Health and we spent years trying to set up Medsin in Britain.

Who has influenced your career? The amazing people of South Africa, or more recently East Timor. Prof Yudkin gave me a lot of support and confidence, but I will also never forget a surgical consultant who gave me a job despite my strange path because he was interested in it. That gave me a lot of confidence early on that I could go my own way and still be respected.

What projects have you been involved with? I co-founded Medsin; I worked with Prof Yudkin in setting up the International Health and Medical Education Centre at UCL; I worked in a research unit looking at the mental health of asylum seekers in detention centres in Australia; I managed an epidemiological research project looking at mental health in East Timor.

What advice would you give? and what is the best piece of advice that you have received? Just totally go for it. A medical career can be so flexible and liberating. There will be things you need to do to avoid limiting options, but you will always find a way to do what you believe, and people who will support you. I was advised to give all I can to each part of the journey, even if it’s not where you ultimately want to be.

 

What has been your biggest challenge? Keeping hold of a sense of all that is possible in the future. It’s easy to lose perspective when working in busy hospital jobs, but I think that’s where something like Alma Mata can be so valuable.

What sacrifices have you made to work in International Health? I’ve never had any money! But freedom to do the things that really motivate and interest me is more important. Spending large chunks of time abroad can be hard because you feel like you miss out on parts of your friend’s lives, but its great catching up when you get back.

If you could choose another career, what would it be? Marine Biology.

What is your passion? The sea.

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