This week features a question I have been asked a couple of times in the last month by a few individuals that will be in the upcoming January MP class. Specifically one asked “now that you have been working abroad for a few months, do you actually like it?”

I think based on the content and tone of my previous posts, it’s fairly obvious I really like the day to day job. I wrote an AMA a while back about the negatives you can find here, but overall the job has been really great.

To be more specific, I really enjoy the freedom and latitude to mold the Health Unit of my embassy into what I want it to be. While there are definitely some standardized aspects of every health unit around the world, each one is it’s own unique kingdom, featuring a wide array of capabilities and equipment. You might be wondering why they might be so different, and the answer is each country is really different. For example, in Nouakchott I have a very stocked pharmacy because many medications can’t be found in the open market. Other countries with more robust healthcare systems don’t need to rely as much on their health unit for these things.

I also really like being a cog in the wheel of the day to day work at an embassy. In general, I find diplomacy fascinating, and have closely followed world events long before I joined the foreign service. Now, I get to be sitting in the room while the sausage gets made, and for me personally it is really cool sitting around high ranking diplomats discussing important regional and world issues. Being able to advise front office staff like our Ambassador on local and global health trends is pretty badass.

Building on that, I also really enjoy getting to do diplomatic work myself. One part of my job is touring and checking out host country medical facilities in case we might have to utilize them. For my very first site visit, it required a lengthy written back and forth with the military commander of the largest military hospital in Mauritania, with official stamps and seals, and ultimately a little reception was had for me when I did my visit. It was pretty cool to be sharing a coke with a Mauritanian Brigadier General and discussing his facilities trauma capabilities.

Lastly, I really like the medical aspects of this job. You really do wear every hat possible as a provider in an embassy. At one moment, I’ll be doing a primary care wellness visit for a 5 year old, and right after that visit I might need to suture up a locally employed staffer that cut his hand open at work. I have to be prepared for worst case scenarios, but I’m also a community health professional, running vaccines clinics and advising the community about region specific seasonal issues like the Harmattan. It’s a lot of responsibility, but it’s really interesting work.

In the end, I’m still very green to this world, but so far I love this job. Compared to the private sector, I don’t find it as stressful and love that it isn’t 100% about profits. I find the work-life balance to be great. The halo of work around you is fascinating. The autonomy is unparalleled. The travel opportunities are fantastic. Top to bottom, the experiences that come with the job are something I would have never imagined having when I got into healthcare.

Hopefully I was able to articulate why I enjoy the job. I can see how some of the things I like might not be everyone’s cup of tea, but I think the variety the job entails keeps it very fresh and interesting. Until next time… -Nick