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Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand
April Bigelow

Faculty Perspective: New Study Abroad Program in Nakhon Ratchasima

April Bigelow
School of Nursing

The University of Michigan School of Nursing (UMSN)’s Graduate Clinical Field Experience in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand Program was an outstanding learning experience for Nurse Practitioner students, as well as a significant opportunity to sustain UMSN – Suranaree University of Technology (SUT) relationships in the future. Building on the established partnership with SUT, this new pilot global immersion program helped us pave the way to an exceptional global clinical immersion to learn with, from, and about students and communities in urban and rural settings in Thailand. 

The program started off on a weekend, and an orientation to the Thai healthcare system from the SUT faculty and practitioners. The students spent 11 days immersed in the clinical setting providing care in clinics, schools, rural communities as well as in patient’s homes. Students met with community members and officials to learn about the community’s priorities, challenges as well as existing resources. Debriefs were a critical part of this program, and each day after the clinical immersion experiences, students had time to unpack their experiences, self-reflect and expand on their perspectives through guidance from both the UMSN and SUT faculty members. Students also had a chance to socialize with the undergraduate Thai nursing students, immerse themselves in the living culture, visit sights of historical and cultural significance, and spend a few days in Bangkok on the way back to the US. 

Listed below are some of the most critical outcomes of the program: 

  • Reestablished and sustained our partnership with Suranaree University of Technology faculty and administrators. 
  • Tested and assessed the match, fit, and feasibility of aligning primary care nurse practitioner program and course goals with an SUT course based in geriatric medicine
  • Introduced a second faculty member (Dr. Beth Kuzma) to the SUT faculty as well as the Thai healthcare system to increase ongoing programing, capacity, and sustainability of clinical immersion.
  • Provided a transformative learning experience for the three students who joined the program, expanded their perspectives on the healthcare disparities and challenges on a global scale, and through their daily interactions with the Thai students, patients and communities, they developed a higher level of understanding of how culture and context impact healthcare delivery as well as health outcomes. 
  • Expanded students’ exposure to different cultures, and a different healthcare system and resources to deepen their intercultural awareness and sensitivity. 
  • Established a relationship with a local palliative and hospice center run by a temple as well as identified links and potential partnerships between SUT Hospital, SUT Institute of Nursing, and local palliative agencies.
  • Showcased the importance of collaboration in the nursing profession across borders, cultures, and disciplines to foster powered-balanced and mutually beneficial global engagement through their daily interactions with the Thai students, patients, community, and healthcare system. 

Overall, this program provided our students with an outstanding learning opportunity, and the UMSN with a critical initiative that helped sustain and strengthen our relationships with our global partners. We thank the UM Provost’s Office Global Engagement Team for their great support and leadership. These funds are instrumental in establishing new and innovative global health programs.