Misaki Sudo (3rd year, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy *at the time)

In this training program, I was able to learn about the behind-the-scenes of pharmacies, medical activities, and the educational system in Thailand. In addition, I was able to experience its unique culture, interact with local people, and experience and learn many things. I am grateful for the opportunity to participate in such a training program.

I had little experience traveling abroad and wanted to go overseas. Also, I was attracted by the opportunity to interact with people from other countries through the study of pharmacy, which I am currently pursuing, so I decided to participate in this program. As I belong to the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, there was much I did not know about the medical system. However, through preliminary studies, I learned that pharmacy education in Thailand is very dedicated and that the role of pharmacists in Thailand is significant. When I actually went there, the local people kindly taught me many things through English.

What left a particularly strong impression on me was visiting a hospital pharmacy and seeing it in person. Since I had never been to a pharmacy in Japan, I learned a great deal. For example, I was able to see firsthand that a system was in place to deliver medication to many patients without error. On the other hand, it was also a good learning experience to be able to perceive the differences between the two types of hospitals in Thailand: public and private. I was also able to realize the deep-rooted nature of traditional Thai medicine. It was a refreshing sight, unlike anything in Japan, to see treatments based on traditional Thai medicine being administered in hospitals and used by many patients. By seeing various sites, I realized that the reality of medical activities and the role of pharmacy in Thailand are different from those in Japan. I also found Thailand's curriculum, with its emphasis on practical education, to be appealing, and I felt that it would be good for Japanese pharmacy education to also adapt more flexibly.

I was also greatly inspired by Thai culture. I was able to visit many places, and everywhere I went, snacks and other refreshments were prepared for us. The instructors were friendly and kindly answered our questions, and I was able to experience the hospitality of the Thai people firsthand.

I feel that the appeal of this training program is the opportunity to experience Thai culture and interact with Thai people through pharmacy, something that can only be felt by actually going there. It was also a valuable experience to be able to connect across borders with people who are studying pharmacy just like me.