Health Diplomat is founded, written and produced by Dr. Karina Descartin.

Portrait by Gerry Manacsa

She is a global health specialist, freelance mission doctor/disaster responder/humanitarian medic, epidemiologist, preventionist, educator, lecturer, healthcare quality professional, and health data analytics geek.

She is a Fellow at the Royal Society for Public Health (FRSPH) in the UK. She completed her undergraduate (BS-Bachelor of Science) in Public Health, doctorate (MD-Doctor of Medicine) in General Medicine, and postgraduate rotating medical internship (PGI) at the University of the Philippines Manila, the Gullas College of Medicine-University of the Visayas, and the Silliman University Medical Center, respectively, in her native Philippines. She went on to obtain advanced training and degrees in Aerospace Medicine (MS-Master of Science) with a thesis in fatigue countermeasures in long duration space flight and Global Health (MPH-Master of Public Health) with a thesis in diabetes burden in LMIC Southeast Asia at Wright State University-Boonshoft School of Medicine in Dayton, OH. She also completed training in international medicine and public health with a professional diploma (DIMPH) focusing on diseases of poverty, remote and low-resource medicine, tropical medicine, community health, disaster response, and leadership at the Institute for International Medicine in Kansas City, MO.

The content on this site is for information purposes only and should never replace medical advice and care by your personal physician. For emergency, please call your country’s hotline or head to the nearest care center available.

Any opinions expressed on this site are those of the author and do not represent the author’s employers (past or present), clients, partners, or associated organizations.