CAREER PLANNING

Find your pathway to impact
to help solve the
world’s most pressing problems

Join the next Career Planning Course

Deadline for applications is October 4.
Next course starts the week of November 2, 2026.

Apply for the Career Planning Course

Our Hi-Med Career Planning Course is for doctors and medical students who worry about the big health problems in the world and want to do more to help, but are unsure of their best next steps. It’s a 6-week online programme of weekly small group sessions with a facilitator.

Talk it through 1:1

Have an initial discussion with a Hi-Med advisor about planning your high impact career.

Request a 1:1 Career Advice Call

1:1 Career Advice Calls introduce you to the Hi-Med approach to career planning, career pathways that might be relevant, and organizations and people that may interest you.

Course outline

The Hi-Med Career Planning Course is unlike any other medical career advice you have received in the past…

  • Receive orientation to the course, meet and get to now your group members.

    Identify your personal values that guide your decisions.

    Understand what we mean by “impact”.

  • Learn about career planning frameworks, including cause areas, personal strengths, aptitudes, career capital.

    Start identifying ways that medics can make a difference, and listing your thoughts on longer-term career paths.

  • Reduce your “long list” of options to a “short list”.

    Present your ideas and dIscuss your key areas of uncertainty.

  • Learn about the ranking of your short list through our Weighted Factor Model.

  • Understand when to keep exploring, when to make your decision. Start planning your next steps and co-work on your long-term path with your group.

    Interact with a visiting speaker, a doctor who is succeeding in having impact.

  • Understand how to mitigate the risks of procrastination, clarify your goals and start acting on your next steps. 

  • Celebrate your success and receive your certificate!

    Access 1:1 mentoring calls with your facilitator or other Hi-Med staff.

    Maintain momentum with follow-up meetings with your group at 3 months and 6 months.

What do our previous course participants say?

"The course helped me to find lots of new possibilities and opened the door to lots of new avenues that I had never considered, through tools that I had never learned to use. "

Dr. Bo Bi (Australia) describes her experience on the Hi-Med Career Planning Course.

"It really changed how I see things, and gave me a different perspective on what I want to do…"

Dr. Fauwzia Sanusi (Nigeria), participant in the Hi-Med Career Planning Course.

Not sure if the course is right for you?

Request a 1:1 call with a Hi-Med representative to discuss the details of your situation

Request a call

How much does it cost?

Hi-Med is a non-profit organization. We ask course participants to contribute US$ 150 to cover our costs.

Partial and full scholarships are available for those in low- and middle-income countries or with financial limitations for other reasons. You can request a scholarship when completing the application form.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • The course is targeted to medical students and doctors who are worried about the big health problems in the world, want to do more to help, but are unsure of their best next steps.

    Our course participants want to have impactful careers, and are prepared to spend time thinking and discussing how to achieve this most effectively.

  • This in an online course, with small group meetings occurring in Zoom or other similar platforms.

  • You will need to commit 1.5 hours each week for the online group session.

    In addition, you will want to spend between 1 and 2 hours each week on course readings, online modules, and worksheets.

  • Yes. Unfortunately, we do not have enough space to accept everyone who applies. Participants are selected based on the following criteria:

    • Commitment to improving global health and/or biosecurity

    • Potential for a future impactful career

    • Understanding of, and engagement with the principles of effective altruism (e.g., cost-effectiveness, evidence, impartiality)

    • Openness to critical thinking and impact-oriented decision-making

    • Likelihood of benefiting from the program.

    We welcome applicants from all countries in the world. Applicants from equity-deserving groups and/or from groups that are under-represented in global health and biosecurity work are especially encouraged to apply.

  • Hi-Med is a non-profit organization. We ask course participants to contribute US$ 150 to cover our costs. Partial and full scholarships are available for those in low- and middle-income countries or with financial limitations for other reasons. You can request a scholarship when completing the application form.

  • Yes. As a non-profit organization, High Impact Medicine asks participants to contribute US$ 150 to cover the costs of the course.

    We have partial and full scholarships available for anyone who is unable to pay this amount (e.g. those living in low income countries, or who have challenging financial circumstances for other reasons). Let us know when you complete the application form.

    Your ability to pay for the course is not considered when evaluating whether or not to accept your application.

  • We put together groups carefully so that participants benefit from interactions with a mix of peers who can share useful perspectives for everyone’s benefit.

    We take into account the career stage of participants, aiming to ensure that your group includes some people at a similar stage in their career journey as you.

    We also have to account for the time zones where participants live, to enable appropriate timing of the group sessions.

  • Before the course starts, your facilitator will send an online poll to the group participants to identify the day and time that works best for everyone.

  • Yes. Your group facilitator is available for a 1:1 call during the 6 weeks of the course to discuss any individual issues that you are not able to address during the group sessions.

  • Yes. A certificate confirming completion of the course is provided to all participants who participate in the weekly sessions and complete their worksheets.

  • Send an email to info@highimpactmedicine.org and we will be happy to help address your questions.

Apply now to join the next Hi-Med Career Planning Course.

The closing date for applications is October 4, 2026

(course starts the week of November 2, 2026)

Apply for the Hi-Med Career Planning Course

Because millions die from preventable diseases and face biosecurity threats,
we work globally with medical students and doctors
to guide them to career changes and effective giving decisions,
in order to maximize their impact on solving the world’s most pressing health problems