A global infectious disease analyst tracks how a disease moves through a global population. A person working in this position might work primarily in an office or laboratory although the position might also include fieldwork that involved gathering data. This is a public health position, and jobs would probably be found with the federal government, with worldwide agencies such as the World Health Organization, or with nonprofits or non-governmental organizations.
What They Do
The job of a global infectious disease analyst would generally fall under the larger umbrella of epidemiologists, people who work in public health and study diseases within populations. Infectious diseases is one of a number of specialties within the field of epidemiology, and while some epidemiologists might focus on more local populations, the specifically global reach of this position means the person would also be involved in looking at ways to reduce the likelihood of a global pandemic. The analyst might collect data from interviews with people as well as physical samples. They might communicate findings to a number of different populations including medical professionals, the public and lawmakers. The analyst might deal with getting systems in place to prevent the spread of diseases globally as well as coming in if those systems fail to mitigate the severity of the spread.
Career Preparation
Generally, at least a master’s degree is needed to work in this field. It might be a Master’s in Public Health or a similar field. Some people might also go on to get a doctorate. The person might also be required to spend time in an internship after completing the master’s. A global infectious disease analyst would need to have strong skills in statistics and data analysis. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the field of epidemiology is expected to see average growth in the next decade, but it is generally a solid career field. Furthermore, a person with a focus on global diseases would also have the opportunity to work with international organizations.
Challenges
In an increasingly interconnected world in which air travel is common, there is rising concern about the degree to which diseases can be spread worldwide. Diseases can also be spread by military operations. In addition, there is concern about the possibility of bioterrorism. According to a workshop summary shared by the National Center for Biotechnology Information, part of the National Institutes of Health, one of those challenges is that many dangerous infectious diseases ranging from influenza to smallpox and more begin with nonspecific symptoms. This means that by the time a global infectious disease analysis is looking at the spread of a disease, it may already have infected a number of people. Getting effective early warning systems in place so a potentially infectious disease can be detected as early as possible is one concern of people working in this field.
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There are a number of exciting opportunities for people who are interested in analyzing and tracking disease worldwide. Becoming a global infectious disease analyst requires a great deal of education and training, but it offers the opportunity to be on the front lines of planning for and preventing the worldwide spread of dangerous diseases.