Thailand: Medical Certification and Community Health

Arrive into Udon Thani International Airport (UTH) and meet your Program Leaders who will be with you for the duration of the program. Head to the hotel in Mae Sariang and settle in, relaxing after your long flight. Join the group for an orientation discussion about the week ahead, expectations for your adventure, and an introduction to the local culture.

Jump right into the Wilderness First Aid (WFA) curriculum. Through this course, our expert medical staff will provide you with the information you need to develop your skills on wound care, first aid, CPR, and emergency medical response. Time will be split between classroom lectures, group discussions, and hands-on simulations to make sure each student understands the protocols and can capably perform them. This will incorporate training on how to assess medical situations, determine the appropriate medical response in an emergency, provide basic first aid and CPR, and care for wounds. In the afternoon head into town for a traditional Thai massage. This is the perfect way to get rid of those travel kinks and relax into life in the countryside.

Continue your WFA course and work through the day with classroom discussions of the topics and protocols followed by hands-on simulations to reinforce the material. By the end of the day, you will start to feel more comfortable with the extensive and practical course material. Finish up the day with a chance to practice traditional Karen weaving. This is a great opportunity to learn about local Karen culture and pick up some useful skills and context of the community.

Your final full-day of WFA training and service will culminate in some hands-on field training and a final simulation to test your WFA instincts. Your final full-day of WFA training and service will culminate in some hands-on field training and a final simulation to test your WFA instincts. Being able to calmly work through your safety protocol is the most essential part of your medical training, and today’s simulation will test the students’ ability to do so. Finish the day with free time at the pool or bonding with group members.

After breakfast, head into the mountains a short trip to one of our partner villages. You will arrive in time for lunch, then help the team of Thai medical professionals and community health volunteers conduct a medical check-up for the villagers. Afterward, tour the village and meet the local village shaman and learn about traditional medicinal practices and the fusion of local ethnobotanical knowledge with the spiritual beliefs and practices that are part of every treatment. You will learn about the difficulties people living in the highlands have in terms of access to medical care and supplies.

Wake up early to the sounds of the village and continue to work on the medical service projects. You will help with whatever is needed. In the past students have performed health checks, helped with infrastructure projects that benefit a patient of the clinic, or tested glucose levels. After your day of service, return to the town and discuss and debrief your experience with your fellow students.

At the end of each program, students reflect on their experiences and the issues they engaged with, and talk about how to apply this new understanding to their own worlds. During or after their closing discussion, groups participate in Rustic Ties, a unique and powerful activity that allows students to capture the memories and learning moments of their program to process and share with their communities back home.

Your Program Leaders will take you to the airport for your departure as you say goodbyes and reflect on your adventure.