A tropical disease expert is a health care expert who specializes in infectious diseases that originate from areas located near the equator. These places are generally hot, humid and poorly developed. Because the number of tropical disease epidemics is increasing, so is the growing interest in clinical tropical medicine, according to the National Institute for Health.
What is a Tropical Disease Specialist?
A tropical disease expert is a health care specialist who diagnoses and treats tropical infectious diseases. Many of these health care professionals become experts in certain subtropical areas or specific diseases. Like other disease experts, they provide diagnostic and treatment services to patients. However, tropical disease experts are often called upon to join rapid response teams that travel to exotic locations in order to minimize and deal with local outbreaks. They are also expected to work with local public health officials to evaluate and identify potential infectious disease outbreak scenarios in order to prevent them. Some tropical disease experts work as independent consultants with a wide range of health care and government organizations.
Entry-Level Tropical Disease Physician
Many tropical disease experts start their career through a hospital exchange program or the Foreign Service program. An entry-level tropical disease physician will provide primary and preventive health care services to patients. This includes obtaining patient history, performing physical assessments, analyzes diagnostic tests and prescribing travel and routine vaccinations. Beginner tropical disease physicians will coordinate inpatient care, monitoring and meticulous health care documentation. Tropical disease physicians must complete medical school and an advanced program that focuses on infectious diseases. Students will earn a doctoral degree in their field and then complete a residency that takes up to six years. This will be followed by a two to three year fellowship program and advanced certification in their tropical disease specialty.
Tropical Disease Expert
Once they have accumulated enough experience and credibility, tropical disease doctors become experts and administrators in their field. They coordinate emergency medical responses to national or international pandemic incidents. They provide medical leadership during these crises and oversee emergency medical care. Thus, they manage personnel, supplies and resources. They also set budget priorities and exercises fiscal responsibilities. They also are in charge of training local health care officials and service providers. Tropical disease experts must also perform diplomatic duties as they collaborate with embassies, international experts and local health care officials. They will evaluate local labs, hospitals, health care providers and standards of care to ensure quality and safety.
Required Skills and Qualifications
Tropical disease experts tend to have certain personality traits and strengths that enhance their work. Tropical disease experts should have good problem solving skills that employ strong logic and creativity. A tropical disease expert must be flexible and comfortable working in multiple environments, such as a field office or temporary medical center in a remote jungle. They must also have an excellent grasp of math, data and statistics. Tropical disease experts should have excellent presentation and organizational skills. They should know how to diplomatically communicate about sensitive matters.
Related Resource: Master of Public Health in Infectious Disease
A tropical disease expert is a health care professional who has exclusive training and knowledge with certain tropical diseases, such as malaria, dysentery and tuberculosis.