Orientation

The other morning I met about a hundred people all at once. I can't say I remember all of their names, but I was extremely impressed to be in that room in such company. A hundred people all with the drive to make a difference in the world by addressing and improving specific health concerns all over the world: in every race, class, age group and cirumstance.

One man works for an NGO in Delhi in social marketing for population control. Another a physican who works in the ER of a small hospital outside of Philly. Pediatricians, internists, oncologists. A woman who works for the Red Cross, another for CARE International. Others work in various African countries to help stop the AIDS epidemic. A research nurse, another clincial research coordinator like me. An employee of a pharmaceutical company. A lawyer, a lobbyist. Goverment workers employed in various agencies such as the National Institute of Health and the Environmental Protection Agency. Pathologists.

Mothers with grown children and mothers with babies. Young fathers and older ones. Singles in their late twenties, newlyweds. Military veterans, or the spouses of officers. One man traveled from Niger to support his wife. Others flew in from Singapore, India, Azerbaijan. Canada. New Mexico, New York, North Dakota. Botswana.

All with different backgrounds, different histories and environments. Different goals. Different reasons for coming together in the same room. But all with one purpose - to help people and peoples live, and live better. I don't know what I'm going to be learning in the next couple of years. I just know this is the first time I feel like I'm going to be a part of something that matters, and that it matters that I'll be a part of it. I know I'll be learning a lot from these people that I've described, and from others as well. And I sincerely hope that I'll be able to put all that into good use, for the improvement of public health.