Unforeseen Moments: A Career-Changing Encounter
I had the privilege of photographing Ranit Mishori, MD, MHS, MSc, FAAFP who recently began a new role as the Director of the Health and Safety Directorate at The World Bank Group.
In her previous position as Vice President and Chief Public Health Officer of Georgetown University, she led the strategic and operational response to COVID-19 and other public health emergencies. She shared some of her journey.
“In the past 20+ years, I’ve worked on global health in various roles, including as an educator, clinician, and Senior Medical Advisor with Physicians for Human Rights, an international non-governmental organization. My focus areas involved human rights violations: sexual violence, torture, and health in the context of detention.
I was exposed to issues related to human rights early on. Both sets of my grandparents were refugees, my maternal grandparents fled Nazi Germany, and my paternal grandparents fled Pogroms in Ukraine.
Two events changed the trajectory of my life. The first happened when I was a young journalist. My first week on the job was during the Palestinian Intifada. Incidents I covered during that uprising shocked me to the core increasing my interest in human rights. Seeing it up close and personal was jarring.
The second event was also related to war. As a journalist, I covered different conflicts, sometimes following the work of physicians on humanitarian missions.
One night on assignment in Bosnia, during a rocket attack, I was stuck in the basement of a hospital taking cover. I found myself talking to a volunteer Australian doctor and said, ‘I’m interested in going to med school, but worried that I am too old being in my late 20s.’ He paused and said, ‘Why not?’ Those two words changed my life! Why not, indeed?
Soon, I left journalism and went back to school, first to do a post-baccalaureate pre-med program, then get a master’s degree in public health while waiting to hear back from medical schools, and following med school, a residency in Family Medicine.
Being a generalist in a world that glorifies specialization is not easy. But I am proud to be a generalist. We tend to see the big picture and connect the dots.
When you know what makes you tick and how you are engaging with the world, you will find people who appreciate your skills, embrace your perspective, and celebrate you.
My advice is don’t shy away from creating a unique, non-traditional, and varied portfolio. Careers are not just ladders going up but like trees with many branches.
When I booked the time with Alissa, I worried about feeling at ease in front of the camera. I called my daughter and she said, ‘You always told me to get out of my comfort zone and walk the walk.’ So, I did.
Alissa was great and made me feel at ease despite how awkward I felt. It helped that the room was dark. Alissa said, ‘Let’s put some music on.’ The setting was geared towards making me comfortable and confident. It was a great experience.”