Unique Nurse Practitioner Job Opportunity- Is This Adventure for You?

My husband owns a business so our living situation is not so mobile these days.  We have put down roots in the great city of Nashville, TN for the time being.  Unfortunately, these roots exclude me from pursing my ultimate dream job…for now.  So, I will let you in on this amazing, unique nurse practitioner opportunity in case you are interested.

Combining my loves of medicine and international travel are a dream.  I had a taste of international medicine while volunteering in Kenya for two summers and am dying to return.  Fortunately, I have discovered a potential employment opportunity for my future that could mimic this experience.  There is a little known job opportunity for NP’s abroad working for the U.S. Department of State working as a Foreign Service Health Practitioner.

Where Can You Work as a Foreign Service Health Practitioner?

Foreign Service Health Practitioners work in countries across the globe- from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia to Beijing, China or Quito, Ecuador there are endless locations where this career will land you.  The U.S. Department of State warns that as a Foreign Practitioner you may work in small or remote countries, harsh climates and in environments where American-style amenities and the latest technological advances are often unavailable.  If you are like me, this is actually a job endorsement rather than deterrent and international service might just be the exciting opportunity you have been seeking.

What Will You Do as a Foreign Service Health Practitioner?

It seems that as a Foreign Health Practitioner you will be a ‘jack-of-all-trades’.  Responsibilities of this position include providing primary health care services, managing preventative medicine programs such as ensuring safe drinking water, coordinating emergency medical response and evaluating local medical resources.

Am I Qualified to Become a Foreign Service Health Practitioner?

To become a Foreign Health Practitioner, you must be at least a master’s (MSN) prepared Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) or physician assistant with at least four years of clinical experience within the past six years.  Additional qualifications such as U.S. citizenship and the ability to receive top level security clearance are also required.

Sounds amazing, I know!  Hopefully in the (very) distant future I will be applying for one of these positions myself.  Working as a nurse practitioner internationally for the U.S. Department of State sounds like an excellent career opportunity for the NP with an adventurous spirit.