I can remember sitting in class P1 year and hearing about the Thailand APPE that would be offered to us a few years down the road. P2 and P3 year, although stressful, they flew by and APPE year came sooner than expected. I was fortunate enough to be selected to go on the Thailand rotation I dreamed about for years, I have to say that it has been one of the best experiences of my life. I have learned so much, from both an educational and cultural standpoint.
Being able to learn about dengue, leprosy, and HIV in an area with higher incidence rates than the United States has been a true privilege. Not many students back home can say they have interacted with leprosy patients, seen the varying stages and had the opportunity to palpate their nerves. Not many students have gone to a dengue specialized hospital to see and discuss real patient cases, treatments, and outcomes. And not many students have visited an HIV/AIDs specialized community and hospice center. For these reasons and many more, I feel that the Thailand APPE is unique and educational in ways that no other APPE has to offer. I have seen first hand that the health system does their best to help its people. We can definitely benefit from taking a few tips from the Thai Health System.
Aside from the lectures, hospitals, and clinic visits, it has been fun visiting the many different temples, taking a Thai cooking class, bathing, feeding and playing with elephants, and having the opportunity to immerse ourselves in Thai culture. I have learned several Thai words/phrases. I have enjoyed eating a wide variety of Thai dishes. I have no complaints from my trip, other than I wish it wasn't over so quickly.
To my classmates and friends, thank you so much for making this trip such an amazing experience! To the future classes coming on this trip, you won't regret it!
-Jeannette Ramirez
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