Description

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  Broaden Your Clinical Scope: Try and gain experience in areas often neglected in high-income settings but critical in humanitarian contexts. Just because you may deploy as a GP you may have to step into other situations. Hareen has gained skills over his career. Some of these can be obtained free or paid. Consider using your GP training study budget.  
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  Emergency Medicine: ACLS, PALS certifications - paid for by CADUS 
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  Trauma Care: Even basic trauma stabilisation 
  • Have a look at cheap/free courses organised by a UK chairty called CitizenAid that have a free app to download. 

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  Mental Health: Basic psychological first aid (PFA) and recognition/referral of common mental health conditions. 
  • There are websites such as Coursera that offer free certification in PFA

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  Procedural Skills: Minor surgery, suturing, wound care, basic fracture management, IV insertion.
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  Resource-Limited Settings: Consider volunteering locally within the UK using your skills. Crisis at Christmas is where he started volunteering and then locally in homeless healthcare clinic in Doncaster. The UK Government website has a database of opportunities. 

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  Research Organisations: There are so many organisations that you could work with. Each has their own individual identity. CADUS is different to other organisations Hareen has worked with. When you interview for a position, make sure your personal values line up with those of the organisation. 
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  Humanitarian Principles: Stress the importance of understanding and committing to the core humanitarian principles: humanity, impartiality, neutrality, and independence.
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  Contextual Awareness: Stay informed about global crises, geopolitical situations, and the specific health challenges in different regions. ReliefWeb has a jobs board and collates information from all around the world. 
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  Networking: Connect with doctors already working in the field. LinkedIn, professional associations, and humanitarian aid conferences are good avenues. Hareen is happy to take on mentees via RCGP Mentoring. 
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  Realistic Expectations: Prepare for challenging conditions, long hours, emotional toll, and potential ethical dilemmas. This work is not for those with a saviour complex. 

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  Specific Humanitarian Training: 
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    Pre-Deployment Courses: There are plenty of free online resources to help you understand the basics. DisasterReady is a free online resource which Hareen uses every year to increase his knowledge. 
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    Tropical Medicine/Public Health Diplomas: These are highly relevant and often required or preferred by some organisations. But think about the financial impact on yourself before paying for courses. Will it help you get a volunteer position or a paid job. 

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  Language Skills: Proficiency in languages other than English (especially French, Spanish, Arabic) can be a significant asset and sometimes a requirement for specific deployments. Even just having a few phrases will help to generate rapport with beneficiaries of the project. 
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  Security Training: Consider something like a HEAT (Hostile Environment Awareness Training) Course. CADUS offers a free course. The United Nations also has a free course called BSAFE 

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  Initial Deployments: Your first deployment might not be your "dream" assignment. Starting with shorter deployments or less complex contexts can be a good way to gain experience. Be warned that the smaller organisations may ask you to cover your travel and accomodation costs. Please do not be exploited for voluntourism type projects. 
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  Application Process: Be prepared for a rigorous application process, including interviews, assessments, and background checks.
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  Financial Planning: Humanitarian work, especially early on, may not be highly paid. it is advisable to have some financial stability or savings.
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  Health & Wellness: Stress the importance of maintaining their own physical and mental health during and between deployments.
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  Long lasting effects: Hareen has deployed to multiple conflict zones and now has  to apply for visas to travel to countries as a tourist. He also holds two passports to avoid questions at the border - one for work and one for tourism. Consider where you want to travel in the future as some countries do not allow travel if you have been to another country. 

• You may realise it is not for you, and that is fine. Within the UK we have so many health inequalities and this is how Dr De Silva's humanitarian career started. Consider joining the RCGP Health Equity SIG working group and contribute locally.