Medical Missionary: My Journey Through Global Health and Higher Education

by Dan Jones

In Medical My Journey Through Global Health and Higher Education, Dan Jones explores his personal journey as a spiritual pilgrim and the many surprising twists along the way. Providing readers with a lens to share in remarkable events, Jones reflects on the choices he made during an unexpected and winding path from rural Mississippi in the 1950s and 1960s to Korea in the 1980s and beyond. His professional life spans work as a physician, missionary, humanitarian, medical school dean, and university chancellor, and includes high-profile, and sometimes controversial, leadership positions.

Jones tells a compelling story that is hopeful despite struggles with cancer and professional setbacks, and always returns to his faith. His writing is an inspiration, especially for anyone seeking real purpose or who is simply frustrated with their life’s seeming lack of purpose. For readers who want to learn more about the world, Jones provides tangible examples of an American doing medical humanitarian work who sought and gained access to places few Americans have visited recently, including China, Iran, North Korea, and Russia.

His desire to ensure access to medical care for anyone anywhere led to surprising adventures full of excitement and risk and prepared him to face political pressure and intrigue upon his return to his home state. Direct and unsparing, Jones offers a personal account of the difficulties of having to choose between what is right and what is easy.

208 pages, Hardcover

Published May 22, 2026

About the author

Dan Jones is a NYT bestselling author and broadcaster. His books, which include The Templars, Henry V, The Plantagenets and Powers & Thrones, have sold more than 2 million copies and are published in 23 languages. He is the author of the Essex Dogs novel trilogy. Dan writes and hosts the popular weekly Sony Music Entertainment podcast This Is History. He has presented dozens of television documentaries, including the popular Netflix series Secrets of Great British Castles, and has executive produced and consulted on a number of films and television shows including Anne Boleyn (Channel 5/Sony Pictures Television) and Knightfall (A+E/History). His journalism has appeared in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal and Washington Post; for a decade he was a columnist for the London Evening Standard. He is a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society and in 2025 was appointed to the Board of Trustees of Historic Royal Palaces.

Reviews

[Martyn Beeny · Rating 5 out of 5]

Medical Missionary: My Journey Through Global Health and Higher Education is an inspiring memoir that blends faith, medicine, humanitarian service, and academic leadership into a compelling life story. Dan Jones reflects honestly on the challenges, risks, and ethical decisions that shaped his journey across cultures and continents.

His experiences offer valuable insights into global health, medical education, and servant leadership while reminding readers of the importance of purpose and perseverance. An engaging read for healthcare professionals, educators, students, and anyone interested in humanitarian work.

[Jacqui Patten · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fine example of living out your faith, making different and difficult choices and being courageous enough to write about them- the author is a different Dan Jones than Goodreads has assigned to this book , however!