ABSTRACT
Motivations explain, in part, why people hunger to do something or why they engage in certain actions and thoughts. The motivations voiced by the individuals largely include desires to learn about tropical medicine and infectious disease, develop cultural sensitivity, learn a foreign language, learn about healthcare in low income countries, provide meaningful service, and conduct research. The travellers whose motives are most likely to be congruent with the goals of global health are the experienced professionals who commit to working in low-resource settings for substantial periods of time, from months to years. In short, having the right motivation is an important dimension of ethical behaviour. But even if an individual's motives are unclear, misguided, or misplaced, if he or she is committed to upholding ethical principles of respect, responsibility and accountability, much effective service in the interests of global health may sometimes be achieved. Motivations thus matter for individuals, for host communities, and for the future of global health.
