The Thailand Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experience broadened my mind to both the healthcare and culture of Thailand. I was surprised to see all of the similarities and differences to our own healthcare back home in America. One of the biggest differences that we had encountered and learned about was the Universal Coverage Scheme (UCS). A majority of Thai people are covered under UCS meaning that they have to pay little to nothing for their medications and hospital visits. At a glance, it seems as if this system would work perfectly but there are definitely pros and cons to it. A majority of patients have great access because of UCS but they have to sacrifice their time with long waits at public hospitals and a more narrow selection of medications. I think it was great to get all different perspectives on universal coverage throughout our site visits because it is such a topic of debate back home. Most who are debating this topic in America have not experienced firsthand what universal coverage is like and by taking part in this experience I have opened my mind to the actual pros and cons of what it is. Unlike Western medicine, herbal supplements are much more widely accepted and integrated into care. Patients combine the use of western medicine and herbs as well as massages to help improve recovery. There are many clinical trials that have been/are being done that show the benefits of adding massage therapy post-pregnancy and post-surgery. Overall, I was amazed to see how resilient Thai people are. A majority of the people that we encountered had so little, but worked so hard. This was an amazing experience to be a part of and I would recommend this to any pharmacy student as it truly helps you to understand what patients may have to go through to receive care.
-Nick Raschilla
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