The Thailand APPE experience was a chance of a lifetime. During this rotation, I was given the chance to learn about a very different healthcare system in a developing country. Being able to see firsthand how a different society lives is an eye opening experience. For example, Thailand has universal healthcare coverage that applies to the majority of its people and sometimes migrant workers from other countries. This coverage covers medications, hospital stays, herbal medications, and various other practices, like massages and acupuncture. Practitioners here try to combine western medicine with traditional practices for the betterment of their patients. While this seems like an amazing thing at first, Thailand also deals with overcrowding and the overuse of systems. Watching how integrated the pharmacists are in the hospitals and how they deal with this less than perfect system is truly amazing. They are very resilient and are making the best of the situation as well as trying to improve it in any small way they can.
During this time, I was able to interact with pharmacists and students alike and learn about the culture here in Thailand. It was amazing to communicate with your peers and compare what you know to what occurs in a different country. Additionally, we were often given the chance to see how they interact with their patients. I was able to see leprosy patients who were cured or dealing with relapses, patients who had HIV/AIDS living in a hospice area, and young children who had dengue. A group of us even got a chance to go to a NICU.
Overall, I had a great time here and truly enjoyed it. I think the lessons I learned here will carry on with me throughout my practice as a pharmacist. I would highly recommend this rotation.
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