Farewell Thailand!

It has truly been an amazing month in Thailand, filled with unique educational and cultural experiences that have taught me so much. The Thai health care system is a great example of how universal health care can be utilized along with the pros and cons compared to a private payer system such as the U.S. Before traveling here, I did not expect Thai pharmacists to have as big of a role on the health care team as the U.S. I was quickly proven wrong as pharmacists have many of the same responsibilities, such as patient consultation at outpatient clinics and interprofessional collaboration with other health care professionals. Many medications in Thailand do not require a prescription and can be bought at a local pharmacy, such as antibiotics for an infection. Because of this, community pharmacists play a crucial role in drug selection and counseling to make sure the patient is being appropriately treated.

Throughout the trip we did many cultural activities and visited some amazing places. We visited several temples, traveled to the floating market, attended a Thai cultural show, and enjoyed a variety of delicious food. In addition to our planned activities, I spent a lot of time exploring the cities we were staying in, finding lots of markets and places to eat. One of the main takeaways I have from this trip is a sense of adventure and a willingness to go outside my comfort zone more. I hope to continue these traits in both my personal and professional lives upon my return to the U.S.

That's a wrap Thailand

As Thailand APPE comes to an end, I wanted to take the time to reflect on the last 4 weeks of this experience. I had a great opportunity to visit various hospital and clinics both in Bangkok and Chiang Mai. They were many modern and up to date hospitals in Thailand, but others made me feel so fortunate to live in the United States. Hospitals here in the US -- despite local have a certain standard. I am not only talking about standard of care, but the upkeep of the hospitals. We are very lucky to have hospitals were they are for the most part clean and tidy.

On a different note, I have learn that you do not need a lot to be happy. Some of the people that I have meet on this trip have so little, but yet are some of the happiest people I have ever seen. It is almost unfair how much we have back home while others have so little. This trip has taught me to be more thankful than ever for the life that I am fortunate enough to live. 

My Thailand Experience

Spending the past 4 weeks in Thailand has been one of the most incredible experiences of my life. I am so grateful to have had this opportunity and I will always remember this rotation as being one of the highlights of my entire time at UNE. This Thailand rotation has allowed me to learn a lot about the Thai healthcare system, Thai culture, my peers, and myself. This experience was truly amazing and a once in a lifetime opportunity to live in a different country for a month and have many academic and cultural experiences.

Throughout this rotation I was able to learn a lot about the Thai healthcare system and how they have universal health coverage. I also have a much better understanding about the similarities and differences between hospital and community pharmacies in the United States vs. Thailand. I really enjoyed being able to have these kinds of discussions with Thai pharmacists and pharmacy students, as well as being able to tour many different hospitals throughout Bangkok and Chiang Mai. I have also learned a lot about different diseases that are not as common in the United States, such as dengue fever, leprosy, or tuberculosis. It was a great opportunity to learn about these disease states and then observe the interaction between a doctor and a patient that had the disease.

I have also really enjoyed our cultural activities and I have learned a lot about Thai culture in general. Visiting the temples, going to the floating market, doing the cooking class, and trying many new foods has made this rotation not only academic but a cultural experience as well. Throughout this Thailand rotation, I have also learned a lot about myself. This trip has given me a lot more confidence and independence. I have realized how important it is to push myself and go outside of my comfort zone, and I am so glad I decided to do this rotation. I am very grateful and have a deeper appreciation for everything we have in the U.S. (the opportunities, technology, care, living, etc), and I truly believe this whole experience will positively affect how I work and care for patients when I become a pharmacist.

Thailand Summary

On this trip, I have learned a lot about different healthcare systems, tropical diseases, and culture. I have also learned a lot about traveling and exploring foreign places. We certainly spent a lot of time out of our comfort zone.

Since being here, I discovered I have a new favorite food, khao soi (a curry and noodle dish from northern Thailand). I have been thrilled with all of the food I have learned to love here.  It has been interesting to compare authentic Thai food to the Thai food sold in Maine. 

The most beneficial knowledge I gained from this trip is the knowledge of their healthcare system. Since Thailand has universal coverage for all Thai citizens, it was enlightening to see the benefits and challenges of it first hand. Since this is a pivotal time for healthcare in the US, this was convenient timing. With only 1/5 of the GDP of the US, Thailand makes universal healthcare work, although we saw many sacrifices that had to be made by the Thai people and healthcare providers. 

Although all of this taught me a lot, the most valuable experiences I have had in Thailand are those I experienced with my friends. We explored everywhere (including where we were advised not to) and laughed every step of the way. They made even  nights in so much fun and were always up for any adventure. I will look back at this trip fondly, missing the warm Thailand heat as we go back to the cold winter in Maine. 

What I Learned In Thailand

Before leaving for Thailand I was often asked what I was going to learn and what I’d be doing in terms of pharmacy. Though I had viewed the schedule and syllabus I wasn’t quite sure myself. Entering the 4th week of rotation I can say that I have learned a lot more than I thought I would both culturally and medically. 

First of all, I knew Thailand was poor but I didn’t know how poor. I have realized that there are some people that literally do not have any value and make a living from selling handmade gifts at the market. What really struck me was when my friend was trying to barter and the lady said “I need food, I can’t discount.” 

One particularly enjoyable day was sitting in on a Thai Pharmacy class at Chiang Mai University. We were given an

opportunity to present to the Thai students about pharmacy in the United States depending on the field we were interested in. Here's a photo of me giving a presentation on residency! 

We have visited many pharmacies in Thailand including primary, secondary and tertiary hospitals. Some of the primary care hospitals seem very outdated compared to America but the tertiary hospitals are very advanced and are actually a lot nicer than some hospitals I’ve been to in America. I have learned that the Thai pharmacists follow mostly the same guidelines as Americans with the exception of drug choice. 80% of Thai drugs are brand name because of the universal coverage system and theories of the patients. Furthermore, I have learned a lot about the universal coverage system allowing access to all patients no matter their financial status. This creates chaos in the hospitals which are almost always flooded with waiting patients.

ภาพสะท้อนของประเทศไทย

The time we spent in Thailand was a wonderful experience to learn from. While here we spent much time learning about their healthcare system and how in some ways it surpasses our own. With the implementation of universal healthcare, many people can get the care that they need without being stopped by the extravagant costs of treatment that many Americans face. Its implementation seems to have been well done and is something I hope to see implemented in the states within my lifetime. However, it was surprising to see that in most hospitals all patient records are in paper form as opposed to being electronic. Having seen this in practice, I feel that I've taken our use of electronic patient records for granted. 

I was also impressed by the large scale use of traditional medication in the healthcare setting, such as message, acupuncture, and cupping. Coming to Thailand I'd expected to see some traditional treatment in practice, for example as a specialized clinic like one we visited in Chiang Mai that was dedicated to this. However, I was surprised to learn that this was supported in major hospitals and by the universal healthcare. Coming from America, where there's such a push to immediately treat using medication, it was refreshing to see this as an accepted treatment option. 

 

Our Last Weekend:(

As our trip starts to come to an end, we have been able to kick back and relax on the nice Sai Kaew beach resort. Here, we have been soaking up the sun, playing pool, swimming, and so much more. It has been our weekend getaway after all of our hard work here in Thailand. The resort offers so many cool things to do and see along with providing great food and drinks to enjoy. Overall, it has been a great weekend with some great people to wrap up our trip here in Thailand.