Part Three of Choosing One of Three Main Career Paths in Global Health: The Global Health Implementer
- Dr. Sharon Rudy
- May 21
- 3 min read
Hey, Movers, Shakers, and Global Health Career Strategists! 💪
If research is the brain (InfoBlast # 11) and direct service (InfoBlast # 12) is the heart of global health, then implementation is undoubtedly the hands—the doers, the builders, and the fixers. These are the folks who bring ideas to life. They take meticulously crafted plans off the page and launch them into action, turning blueprints into life-saving interventions. Think of implementers as the MacGyvers of global health (but, let’s hope, with fewer duct tapes and more sustainable tools). 🛠️
Implementers are the champions of action. They don’t just think—they do. They don’t just plan—they make it happen. Whether you’re influencing policymakers, educating young mothers, training medical providers, or designing interventions for adolescents, your mission as an implementer is clear: to spark change—how people think, what they know, how they feel, and how they behave.
But here’s the kicker: it’s not just about doing. Implementation is about strategic doing—navigating complexities, balancing budgets, wrangling stakeholders, and rallying everyone from skeptical donors to overburdened community leaders. It’s about finding ways to ensure every voice is heard (even the quiet one sipping tea in the back corner).
Why Implementation Matters
Behind every successful health program lies a team of implementers who have turned an idea into a reality. It’s a role that’s equal parts exhilarating, messy, and vital.
RESEARCH --> PLANNING --> EXECUTION --> REAL WORLD IMPACT
These are the people who connect the dots between research and real-world change, often working under tight deadlines, in resource-limited settings, and against challenging odds. Even health systems interventions—the ones that seem purely structural—are framed around one ultimate goal: behavior change and improved health outcomes. Without that, why bother?
Implementation isn't just about hard work—it's an art and a science. Good program design, project management, monitoring, and evaluation are all skills that are often not taught in school but are critical to the work. If you are early in your career and want to be an implementer, do what is necessary to get the training, even certification, to increase your employability.
Whether you're a project manager, field coordinator, or an implementation scientist, mastering human-centered practices will be your not-so-secret weapon. Locally led development isn't just a buzzword-it's the way forward. And let's face it: sharing power isn't easy, but it's the key to meaningful and sustainable change. Whether you're setting up a health clinic in a remote village or scaling up a national immunization program one thing's for sure: the future of implementation is local.
The Grand Finale of The Global Health Career Trilogy
And that’s a wrap! Over these three InfoBlasts, we’ve explored the head (research), heart (direct service), and hands (implementation) of global health. Of course, we use our whole selves in whatever we do but you get my meaning, right? Each path offers unique challenges, rewards, and opportunities to make an impact.
So, which path will you choose?
If you are ready to create and execute your career strategy,
go to "SERVICES" and....... Let's GOOOOOO!!!!!
What else do you want to hear about??? Let me know at sharon@drsharonrudy.com. Feedback is welcome – Email me your questions and concerns.
THE GLOBAL HEALTH CAREER
A Practical Guide to Finding and Sustaining Your Place in a Changing Field
An essential guide to navigating global health careers with strategies for planning, networking, skill mastery, and achieving personal and professional goals.
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