There are currently limited positions for general doctors and nurses, unless they have significant experience in low-resource settings, and speak a second language, ideally French or Spanish.
A trend that started some years ago and was accelerated by the restrictions of the COVID-19 pandemic has seen more roles being filled by local professionals. So where professionals from Australia and New Zealand, Europe, and North America, would fly in to support health services and systems, now these roles are being filled by professionals within the countries we work across Africa, Latin America, and the Middle East. This means that there are fewer positions available for internationally hired staff.
Globally, we recognise this as a positive step. Recruiting locally enables communities to build sustainable capacity in medical and healthcare, it offers local people more job opportunities, and it reduces our carbon footprint. We are committed to placing the decision making power closer to the delivery of healthcare.
But for international recruitment, this means it is harder to secure a first or even second assignment than it used to be. Once you have gained experience, however, more opportunities open up. As you add to your knowledge and experience, you can build a career with MSF.