Each summer over the past 3 years, groups of pre-med students from Patana International School, Bangkok have visited Maekok River Village Resort activity centre. During their visit Rejoice, together with the Resort staff and hospital staff organise visits to three hospitals in Chiang Mai Province; Chiang Dao Hospital, Chai Prakan Hospital and Mae Ai Hospital. Below is a summary of their 2017 visits;
Below are comments we have received from a few of the students:
‘I would like to extend my thanks from my group and me for your work in organizing this work experience. It was an amazing opportunity for us to learn more about rural healthcare, a stark contrast to the large, modern hospitals present in Bangkok. Time spent with the Rejoice charity was equally fulfilling, learning about the prevention, management and education in regards to the spread of HIV was a unique and unparalleled experience. Meeting a HIV patient and discussing the implications of their diagnosis was a personal highlight and opened our eyes to the struggles and needs of HIV sufferers but also the limitations of rural healthcare. Visiting hospitals and clinics in Northern Thailand has only broadened our outlook of the medical and health science field, and this knowledge and experience will continue to augment our skills in our further studies. Thank you once again, I will be strongly recommending this experience to other students who aspire to pursue further studies in medicine or health fields.’
Kind Regards, Mark Comer 13C
Myself and the rest of the group would like to thank you once again for organizing such an insightful and enjoyable trip for us last June. Each of us really appreciate the immense effort which went into arranging placements, transport and extra activities – we all had a great time!
We especially liked visiting both the larger hospitals and community clinics, which allowed us to compare different medical settings. It was also a great contrast to the hospitals that we’ve grown used to in Bangkok, allowing us to gain a less privileged perspective into life as a doctor. Experience at the Chiangdao Hospital was especially engaging, as we were allowed to undertake various tasks in the scientific laboratories and pharmacies. Working with Rejoice and meeting with those effected by HIV was an equally gratifying and inspiring experience. I have since done some reading around HIV and different types of medication which has been great for my personal statement! We’ve all taken away a much greater understanding of medicine (albeit a positive or negative one!) and will definitely be recommending it to the current year 12s!
Kind Regards,
Erin Arnold 13L
Best wishes
