Global Health in Thailand

The future health of our world’s population requires a generation of creative, motivated, strategic, and expansive thinkers prepared to collaborate across disciplines and sectors to proactively address the causes of poor health in patients and populations. In this Thailand course, you will gain an understanding of the United Nation's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and One Health, which is the intersection between animal health, human health, and the environment.

Course Description

Over 2 weeks in Thailand, learn about the role of elephants in the Thai culture and how this influences a variety of factors that affect both human and animal health. Learn about Thai healthcare for humans, as well as for animals. Grow in an understanding of Thailand’s progress toward a number of SDGs and learn the role and impact culture has on that progress. Upon returning to the UofM, continue exploring global health by comparing and contrasting SDGs in Thailand and Minnesota during 7 weeks of class.

Over two weeks in Thailand, you will learn about: 

• Thailand’s progress toward several SDGs and the influence of culture, society, governmental policy, and history on their progress.
• The interconnection of animal health, human health, and the environment in One Health, including the:
  • role of elephants in Thai culture and how this influences a variety of factors that affect both human and animal health
  • Thai healthcare system for humans

Live in a hotel with other program participants—generally 2–3 per room. Some meals, including breakfast, a welcome meal, and a farewell meal, are included in the program fee.

While in Thailand, the surroundings will become your classroom, and you will explore and experience the seminar coursework through site visits. These excursions will take place in Chiang Mai and surrounding areas, and may include:

• Visits to 3 elephant facilities (camp, hospital, and center),
• A Karen village,
• Chiang Mai University,
• Healthcare facilities
• Buddhist temples

These excursions are designed to facilitate your understanding of the context and systems that are in place to protect the health of the people, animals, and environment of Thailand.

Understand the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG)

• Using at least 1 SDG, compare Thailand and Minnesota and the roles culture, social structure, government, public policy, economics, and history play in influencing situations, strategies, and approaches.
• Articulate the underlying principles and stakeholders of the One Health approach, which focuses on the intersection of human, animal, and environmental health.
• Describe the competencies needed for effective interprofessional teamwork.
• Explain the role of culture when working in interprofessional teams and the varied perspectives and approaches that need to be respected to solve complex health challenges.

Influence of Culture

• Define culture and related concepts and practices, which will promote awareness of personal and cultural identity.
• Describe the influence culture (norms, wisdom, traditions etc) has on health practices (prevention and treatment), and healthcare systems between Thailand and the US.
• Explain how Thai culture, religion, social structure, government/public policy, and economics influence the socio-economic environmental conditions and social determinants of health that impact disease.
• Demonstrate proficiency in the Observe-Describe-Interpret-Evaluate model and how this cultural awareness tool can be transferred to diagnostic problem solving.

Professionalism

• Explain the importance of self-reflection for individuals and teams.
• Reflect on the qualities of professionals across cultures.
• Demonstrate cultural humility and culturally respectful professionalism.

The course has three faculty. The on-campus portion is co-taught by Drs. Karin Hamilton and Jeffrey Ratliff-Crain while the Thailand portion is co-led by Drs. Jeffrey Ratliff-Crain and Kathie Culhane-Pera.

Karin Hamilton, DVM, MPH, Coordinator and Instructor, Global Programs, Pre-Health Student Resource Center, UofM-Twin Cities. Dr. Karin is a public health veterinarian and has taught the Thailand course numerous times. She is passionate about global health, intercultural development, and teaching study abroad courses.

Jeffrey Ratliff-Crain, PhD, Psychology professor in the interdisciplinary Center for Learning Innovation (CLI) at UMN Rochester. Dr. Jeff received his doctorate in Medical Psychology, emphasizing stress, coping, and health-affecting behaviors, and has focused on how study away, research, and other enrichment opportunities connect to learning and development.

Kathleen Culhane-Pera, MD, MA, Associate Professor of Family Medicine at UofM-Twin Cities. Dr. Kathie is a family physician and a medical anthropologist who worked for over 30 years with multiethnic communities in St. Paul, MN. She has worked with Hmong in Minnesota and in Thailand. She speaks, reads, and writes basic White Hmong and Central Thai. She co-led this course in Chiang Mai Thailand with Dr. Hamilton in 2019.

Information Sessions

Join in-person or over Zoom. Register and learn more about this and other events on our events page.

Wednesdays 1:25–2:15 p.m., for the first 7 weeks of class; East Bank (virtual/hybrid option available for UofM Rochester students).

Pre-departure orientation meetings for this program have been scheduled for:

Winter Break 2025 Cost of Participation

Program fees can vary widely due to location, cost of living, airfare, and program inclusions. The program fee generally includes tuition, airport transfers, in-country program related transportation, housing, some meals, entrances to course-related excursions and site visits, program administration, and international health insurance. You must also budget for your flight, visa, passport and passport photos, meals not included in the program fee, spending money, and miscellaneous living expenses.

This program will not use a group flight, instead the LAC will assist you in booking a designated flight. Estimated flight costs are noted in the budget, but fares may change until booked. You are advised NOT to book flights until given program confirmation from the LAC.

Recent increases in international airfare and accommodation costs have impacted all instructor-led program fees. The LAC strives to follow best practices to provide the lowest cost program while ensuring a quality academic experience.

Your participation on this program is secured by applying and confirming through the Learning Abroad Center application process first.

Once confirmed, you will also need to register for the on-campus course AHS 3002. You will receive a permission code in order to register for the course.

Note: Registering for the course, but not confirming through the Learning Abroad Center, will not hold your spot in the program.