What made you apply to the JPO programme/what is your motivation to work at the World Health Organization? It is a great honor for a public health professional to work for WHO and take the lead on tackling the global health problems for the most vulnerable people in the world. 

What are the main activities/tasks you are working on? What is a day at the office/in the field like? 

I partake in the adaptation of WHO guidance for child health and development to humanitarian emergencies, generation of primary evidence for early life growth trajectory among refugee children, and advocacy for children’s long-term health and development over the life-course through nurturing care even in the challenges of humanitarian emergencies. On a daily basis, it comes down to a lot of research, development, and coordination activities.

 In your day-to-day work, what SDG(s) are you helping to implement?

 SDG 3: Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages. 

What is the most challenging project that you have worked on/are working on?

In my current role, the most challenging project has been the development of a clinical decision support system for newborn and child illness and health for frontline health workers to use in humanitarian emergencies. The development process brings together expertise in neonatology, paediatrics, clinical nutrition, disaster medicine, evidence-based task shifting (e.g. IMCI), and information technology across multiple departments within WHO and requires engagement with multiple partners external to WHO at the same time. Our goal is to create a WHO reference mobile application, which operational partners can easily pick up and modify to their operational contexts for implementation, so that even in acute and protracted humanitarian emergencies, we can ensure a high level of quality of care for newborns and children. In a nutshell, we are making the next generation of WHO guideline and guidance products in a more practical format, because the future is digital

What has been the most rewarding experience to date for you at your duty station? (work and/or non-work related)

Over the past two years, I have been able to clarify where I want my career to progress through the wide work portfolio I’ve managed. I think it’s common for an early career professional to be interested in so many things, and feel lost about what to focus on for the long-term future. So, in that regard, the JPO assignment has been very rewarding for my future aspirations.

 What set of skills have you developed most throughout your assignment?

I’ve come to appreciate the nuances and complexities of providing clinical care for newborns and young children in low-resource settings through evidence-based task shifting, such as the Integrated Management of Childhood Illnesses (IMCI). Furthermore, I’ve come to appreciate that we need more than health and nutrition to ensure children’s full development over the life course. Children need responsive care in a safe and secure environment, where they receive early learning through play from infancy. As many have said, if we change the beginning of the story, we change the whole story.

What piece of advice would you give to those who are considering applying to the JPO Programme?

Even before you apply, I advise all aspiring applicants to have a serious think about how you want to shape your career paths for the betterment of humanity. Joining the UN through the JPO Programme is not only a great opportunity to boost your own career, but also a tremendous privilege because it comes with limited eligibility based on your nationality. So, start thinking early about how to make the most of the JPO Programme as a learning opportunity for serving the greater good for the world.

How do you feel your JPO assignment will influence your career choices/opportunities within the UN?

While having been a JPO can provide a foundation for career opportunities within the UN system, I don’t think this type of a short-term* experience alone is sufficient for my career to advance through the UN system. I would continue to develop a technical expertise, based on my JPO experience and experience prior to being a JPO, through my own professional development outside the UN system.
*Republic of Korea JPOs serve only for two years without extension for the 3rd year.

If you had to summarize your JPO experience into a couple of brief sentences or less, what you would say?

How to keep adapting to changes outside my control, and still achieve results. My first year as a JPO at WHO was filled with the WHO Transformation, and my second year as a JPO was filled with the pandemic. I had to learn how to achieve results while coping with constant change of priorities and circumstances, and subsequent uncertainties.