First off, I want to say that this experience has surpassed anything I could have ever imagined. When you think of doing a rotation in Thailand, you imagine seeing some herbal medicine and having a ton of fun. Yes, that did happen but it was so much more than that.
I specifically requested the November trip to get the opportunity to meet other students from another program, but I didn’t realize I would end up developing such wonderful relationships with such amazing individuals. These past four weeks, I have laughed, cried, and enjoyed the beautiful country of Thailand with some of the most extraordinary people I have ever met. I have had the chance to get to know some of my classmates who I hadn’t really spent that much time with and share some amazing moments with a few of my closest friends. I wholeheartedly believe that this trip was as amazing as it was because of the people on this trip.
As for the rest of the trip, seeing another healthcare system has made me realize how lucky I have it, and learned several techniques to better serve my future patients. I realized how America does some things exactly the same way as other countries, some things we are more advanced on, and several things that we are behind on. It was extremely interesting to see how each of the different hospitals did processes differently, and how they make up for what they lack in ways such as funding and technology. Learning about universal healthcare here opened my eyes to issues that I didn’t really notice at home, yet also made me appreciate different aspects of our healthcare system I have always taken for granted, such as choosing which hospital and doctors office you want to go to. Lastly, learning about the alternative medicine and seeing the research that is going into it makes me feel more competent in recommending certain techniques to patients who may benefit from it.
Overall, I would say choosing to do an APPE in Thailand was one of the best decisions of my life and I would choose to do it all over again.
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