Time for Thailand!

I honestly can’t believe this is finally happening. In a little over a week, we’ll be making our way to Thailand. While there, we’ll be learning about how their pharmacy practice and education differs from ours, and we’ll also have some time to explore the country. There’s so much to look forward to, I can’t even think about it all clearly. I should probably read the itinerary (sorry Dr. Katz…).

My first experience with international pharmacy was at my grandmother’s pharmacy in the Philippines. I visited the pharmacy many times when I was younger and they were well known for compounding topical creams, but other than that, I never paid attention to details like how patients obtained medications or the types of medications that were dispensed. Now that I’m studying pharmacy, I’m definitely curious to see how it’s practiced in other parts of the world. I’m also interested in the different therapies and drugs used. Any time I run into a relative or an exchange student carrying a medication that isn’t approved in America, I’m immediately on my phone trying to look up more information about it, so I think it’ll be cool to see what kind of unique pharmacological or non-pharmacological treatments are available in Thailand.

Other than that, I’m excited to explore and learn more about Thailand. As one of the student exchange liaisons for our IPSF chapter, I’m looking forward to meeting with pharmacy students at Chulalongkorn University. Along with meeting people, I’m hoping to experience Thai culture, learn some of the language, and of course, eat A LOT of the food. I’ll be updating regularly throughout the trip, so expect a large number of (potentially food-related) entries and pictures in the future.