Global Pulse Blog

A few days ago, word spread that Dr. Jim Yong Kim was named the next president of Dartmouth. Dr. Kim is a heavy weight in the field of global health.  He is the chair of the department of Global Health and Social Medicine at Harvard and is part mastermind of the Global Health Delivery Project, an endeavor that serves to implement effective global health delivery systems and create a dynamic online community of practitioners. A few other achievements of the Harvard MD/PhD physician and activist include: cofounder–along with Dr. Paul Farmer–of Partners In Health, expert on international tuberculosis policy, director of the World Health Organization’s HIV/AIDS department from 2004 to 2006, recipient of the MacArthur genius grant in 2003, and one of 100 most influential men in 2006 as named by Times Magazine. Dr. Kim’s success may be the manifestation of a time where change and progress are held in its due place. He is the first man of asian-american ethnic background to become president of an ivy league institution. His academic background and appointment to this post suggests universities may be taking global health more seriously. Is this news flash a forethought of the widespread incorporation of a global health curriculum (or snippets of one) in schools? Will Dr. Kim’s new title provide some clout the cause needs to swiftly and surely implement better and new ways of health care delivery, sooner rather than later? There’s always more to be said.  But for now, Congratulations Dr. Kim! We’ll be seeing you very soon at the AMSA National Convention in DC, where you’re key note speaker March 12th!