Final Reflections

Thailand has been a fantastic mix of educational, cultural, and personal experiences. I decided to pick this APPE because I've always been interested in seeing where medication comes from (herbals, traditional practices), and this APPE let me participate in my own learning.  None of the knowledge that I gained on this trip would have been possible from simply reading a textbook at home. Whether it was during a lecture, tour, or even receiving my own traditional Thai massage on my own time, every minute here was educational. If I were to step back a bit from all the details though, I think the most valuable lesson was learned through traversing through hospitals without knowing anything about Thai culture and language. America is a country with a continuous flow of immigrants, and as pharmacists we are bound to work with someone who doesn't speak an inch of English or know anything about insurance, our policies, etc (if we haven't met someone like that already). By placing myself in this situation, I feel like I can better understand the fear and overall confusion of trying to learn about a new diagnosis in an unfamiliar situation. I remember all the doctors here who took their time explaining presentations to us, all while doing their best to speak English. Even though their English was quite good for the most part, the language barrier did prove to be a challenge. Thailand taught me to be more empathetic and patient with immigrant populations, and ways that I may better take care of a foreign patient in my own practice. For these reasons, I am so glad to have participated in this unique experience. If any future applicants are reading this, I would say choose this APPE if you want to work in an urban or rural area, because you'll get both experiences. Choose this APPE if you're in Rho Chi or a workaholic, you'll be able to find a balance between academics and self growth here. And lastly, choose this APPE if you want to learn something that simply can't be taught in the country you were raised in. 

-Marina