Career opportunities in medical entomology are scare in the Americas. Malaria and other vector control activities within Ministries of Health are dominated by the medical profession. Consequently, there has been little emphasis in universities to provide adequate training in medical entomology. The philosophy that vector-borne diseases such as malaria or vectors such as Aedes aegypti can be eradicated, right or wrong, has influenced the amount and quality of research. Universities have tended to devote research to leishmaniasis and other disease not under eradication by Ministries. Factors relating both to the vector and to man have produced serious control problems, and diseases such as malaria are on the increase.