Resort Life

After what seemed liked an endless car ride, we finally made it to Thawarawadi Resort.  It’s elephant decor is authentic to Thailand.  We are all very happy to have the opportunity to relax after a busy week of site visits.

Tawa Ravadee Resort

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While at the Tawa Ravadee Resort, we are enjoying a much needed pool day.  This area of Thailand is rural and serves as a great escape from the fast pace of Bangkok.  Glad to have a day to recharge and get ready for more educational adventures to come.

Hospice visit

Today's site was such a surreal visit. The set up was nothing like I have seen back home in the states. One thing specifically that struck a cord with me was the effort put into education of the disease state.

Below you could see the 109 plus steps leading to the temple. We met and befriended a few monkeys on the way too!

Another interesting site were the mummified patients. I never expected to see this but I surely won't forget this day.

Mummified HIV/AIDS Patients

While visiting the Wat Pra Bhat Nam Put AIDS Hospice we had the opportunity to examine the mummified bodies of HIV/AIDS patients.  It was very interesting to see the level of care taken to preserve the bodies, as well as learning about the history of AIDS/HIV in Thailand.  There is still a huge stigma associated with those infected with the disease.  At this hospice they do a great job educating the public and helping those in need. 

Trip to the HIV/AIDS Hospice

This morning we left early to visit a very unique community for people living with HIV/AIDS. While there we learned about the challenges that people living in Thailand with HIV face and what some of the resources are made available to them. Amongst many other things seen, you could see large groups of children being led around. We learned that children are educated about HIV/AIDS, it’s transmission, and ways to prevent it starting from a very young age. It was a very humbling visit this morning.

Hospital for Tropical Diseases

Today we traveled a short distance to the Hospital for Tropical Diseases where we had the opportunity to talk with physicians about how patients with malaria, typhoid fever, and rabies are managed. We learned there are many similarities but also differences in the drug treatments used for these diseases between the U.S. and Thailand. Afterwards we went on a tour of the hospital which included stopping at the pharmacy as well as seeing where patients who initially present with persistent fevers are triaged by the medical staff to identify and diagnose any of the tropical diseases.

BIDI Visit

Today our class went to visit the extremely hospitable Bamrasnaradura Infectious Disease Institute (BIDI).  We had a lecture on HIV and TB management within the institute and several patient cases were discussed.  The speakers also made a point to highlight differences in treatment options in comparison to the United States, either due to cost or governmental approval.

We were also provided a delicious lunch and several snacks throughout the day.  A memorable snack was the pineapple pie from McDonald's.  This is not available in the U.S. and was a first-try for all of us.  Most of us really enjoyed it!

Look at the size of these pills! the pen is there for size comparison.
These 1 gram tablets are Para-aminosalicylic acid (PAS) which is used as a second-line treatment for Tuberculosis. It was fascinating to see the use of different medications not sold in the U.S.

BIDI Pharmacy

While at the Bamrasnaradura Infectious Diseases Institute (BIDI), we had the opportunity to interact with pharmacists and gain a better understanding of their daily operations.  They showed us around their pharmacy, explained ways they minimize drug-drug interactions, and described how their computer software addresses contraindications.  Everyone was very friendly and accommodating, making for a great learning environment.

                              

Getting Around the City Fast!

Since we had arrived this week we quickly learned that there is almost always very heavy traffic in the streets of Bangkok! Tonight some of us decided to head to the enormous MBK mall in the city which boasts 8 floors of stores large and small. You can find both familiar brands and brands you haven't heard of in there. To beat the traffic we took the public transport Skytrain to get there. It was easy, quick, clean, and got us to the mall for a bit of shopping tonight!

Leprosy Patient's

After our morning lecture and a delicious lunch, we joined the international medical students from the Institute of Dermatology and sat in on several leprosy patient visits.  We viewed and discussed many patient cases and their reason for follow-up. A few students were able to gain some hands-on experience and palpated a patient’s nerve to have a better understanding of leprosy and its effect.  The hands-on experience was very useful as leprosy is not common in the United States, making this a rare and excellent opportunity.

Institute of Dermatology

Today we visited the Institute of Dermatology where we had a chance to learn about leprosy, its diagnosis, and treatment options.  Dr. Kowit Kampirapap provided us with a great presentation regarding drug-drug interactions, proper dosing, antifungals, and adverse reactions. 

Virus storage room

During our awesome tour around Mahidol University with Sutee Yoksan, we were able to see where and how some viral samples were being stored.

Electrolyte beverage

Cannot forget to stay hydrated! It has been a wonderful time roaming around the city, but being in such hot and humid weather it has been essential to replenish fluids and electrolytes.

Thai Market

After visiting Mahidol University we stopped to have a tasty Thai lunch and then took a stroll through a Thai market.  The market had everything from spices, vegetables, prepared meals, and desserts, to lottery tickets and childrens toys.  We all had the opportunity to try jackfruit for the first time.  It had a chewy, almost meaty texture, but was still very sweet.  We all appreciated the chance to try a new treat.  

 

Learning at the Vaccine Development Center

Today we had the opportunity to travel to Mahidol University where Sutee Yoksan spoke to us about Dengue Fever and the challenges that have faced researchers in creating new and efficacious vaccines. We learned about different techniques being used to create and modify the vaccine so as to try to provide the best immune response possible. Afterwards Sutee gave us a tour of the vaccine research center and the labs within!

Roaming the Temples

While roaming the beautiful temples in Bangkok, we were able to learn about the intricate stories that were painted throughout the temples. The paintings were so detailed and beautiful!

Our First Dinner Together!

Last night we were able to all sit down together and have our first Thai dinner as a group. Eating family style, we each enjoyed a variety of different and delicious dishes. We can't wait to see what other fantastic meals we will be able to have throughout the trip!