Bangkok, Thailand
Spring 2025
This year, GHP is excited to offer rotations at two leading hospitals in Bangkok, Thailand:
Siriraj Hospital Thammasat University Hospital Logistical Details
Siriraj Hospital
Description
GHP has established a strong relationship with Siriraj Hospital at Mahidol University in Bangkok, Thailand. Siriraj Hospital was established in 1888 as Thailand's first medical school and public hospital. It is now a 2,000-bed tertiary medical center and teaching hospital, providing exemplary medical services with interdisciplinary, comprehensive, and compassionate care.
Jyodi Mohole '22, Ayman Ullah '22, and Eviola Nakhla '22 share experiences from their MS4 global health clinical rotation at Siriraj Hospital in Bangkok, Thailand
In the spring of 2025, students can rotate at Siriraj Hospital. The first week of the rotation consists of exposure to traditional Thai medicine at Siriraj Hospital. Students may then choose to rotate in adult infectious diseases, where they may see inpatients with dengue fever, leptospirosis, TB, COVID-19, and opportunistic infections resulting from advanced HIV/AIDS. In adult ID, students spend time in the adult outpatient HIV and general ID clinics, and participate in microbiology rounds, lectures, and journal clubs. Some students will choose a rotation with the pediatric service where students have a combined experience on the general inpatient ward and in a variety of outpatient subspecialty clinics.
Opportunities include a busy infectious diseases clinic with a high volume of TB and HIV patients, a hematology clinic with a focus on the management of children with thalassemia, and a general pediatrics ambulatory experience. At their request, students may be able to participate in other subspecialties of internal medicine and surgery.
While in Bangkok, students are supervised by Thai attending physicians, and will work alongside Thai medical students and residents from Siriraj Hospital. While patients may not be able to communicate in English, many Thai physicians and medical students at Siriraj are comfortable speaking in both Thai and English. Ward rounds and select teaching conferences will be conducted in English and Thai.
Thammasat University Hospital
Description
Chulabhorn International College of Medicine (CICM) is a prestigious institution located in Rangsit, which is a suburb on the outskirts of Bangkok, Thailand. It is a part of Thammasat University, one of the leading public universities in Thailand. CICM is named after Her Royal Highness Princess Chulabhorn, who has been actively involved in promoting science, technology, and healthcare in the country. As an international college, CICM actively collaborates with renowned medical institutions and universities globally, including UCLA.
Chaiyaporn Charles Vatanatham '23 and Dominic Williams '23, share insights from their global health clinical rotation at Thammasat University Hospital in Bangkok, Thailand
The rotation with CICM takes place at Thammasat University Hospital and is designed to provide students with exposure to one week of Integrative Medicine (both Traditional Thai Medicine and Traditional Chinese Medicine), as well as two additional weeks rotating within specific specialties, both under the supervision of attending physicians. At Thammasat University Hospital, students will experience patient care at a busy tertiary government hospital with inpatient rounds, outpatient clinics, and surgical suites (if applicable). Students will also participate in additional learning opportunities, such as journal clubs or case conferences.
The specialties offered for this rotation include the list below, and students can choose either one or two specialties for the rotation, in addition to the week in Traditional Thai/Chinese Medicine:
- Cardiology
- Gastroenterology
- Infectious Diseases
- Nephrology
- Ophthalmology
- Orthopedics
- Otorhinolaryngology
- Pathology
- Radiology
While rotating at Thammasat University Hospital, students will be supervised by Thai attending physicians, and will work alongside Thai medical students and residents from CICM and Thammasat University. While patients may not be able to communicate in English, many Thai physicians and medical students are comfortable speaking in both Thai and English. Ward rounds and select teaching conferences will be conducted in both Thai and in English.
These rotation have been developed with formal goals and objectives. We are seeking students with an interest in caring for underserved populations, and those with enthusiasm for learning more about global health, infectious diseases, and health care delivery in differently resourced settings. Students will be expected to demonstrate the highest level of maturity, professionalism, and cultural sensitivity.
Details
Students will receive roundtrip airfare and $1,000 of additional support for the Thailand clinical rotation. These funds will offset the cost of in-country accommodation and food. Students will need to cover the remaining expenses from other funds, as the cost of this rotation will likely exceed the amount provided by GHP.
Participation in this rotation will likely include a short 10-minute interview with Dean Miller once applications have been reviewed. Students selected for this rotation are required to participate in a mandatory full-day pre-departure training program in Los Angeles on Saturday, January 11, 2025. Upon return home from Thailand, students will be expected to provide feedback through written evaluations and to participate in a mandatory lunchtime feedback session on Thursday, May 29, 2025. Separate from this, students will be asked to attend a site-specific debrief to be arranged upon return from Thailand and prior to graduation.
Rotation dates for this elective have been confirmed. Students applying to this three-week elective must be able to commit to this elective from March 24, 2025, through April 11, 2025. Note that a March 24 start date will require departure from the U.S. by March 21, 2025, at the latest.
Questions regarding this rotation should be directed to Dr. Traci Wells at TWells@mednet.ucla.edu.