Infectious diseases: career preparation.

The human resources for the discipline of Infectious Diseases are inadequate in many countries. There is no global definition of "Infectious Diseases" physicians and cover competency. Preparation for a career in this speciality varies greatly. In large populations in Asia and Africa, few individuals exist who have been trained to be Infectious Disease Clinicians. There is a great need by national and international societies to embrace this speciality and address the global deficiencies in this discipline by directing funding agencies as well as training institutions to redirect resources to strengthen the capacity of health professionals to deal with infectious diseases adequately throughout the world.