Interning in Thailand

by Gabrielle Sinnott, History and Political Science, 2019

Since my freshman year at Daemen I had the dream of interning in Thailand. I planned on going twice before, but the plans always fell through, until the 2018 Fall semester came along. I had meeting upon meeting with Ann Robinson, from Global Programs, about my desire to go abroad and she was diligent in helping me get there. I recall Ann’s conversation with me, “The Gilman Scholarship is due in two days, but you should definitely try to apply!” and so, I did. Now for all of you who haven’t applied for the Gilman International Scholarship before, it is not an easy task. There are multiple essays and a strenuous application to fulfill, but I was able to complete it a few hours before the deadline.

I remember the next day vividly because of how disappointed I was with my essays. I even said to Ann, “Wow, that was the worst essay I’ve ever written in my life.” But, she assured me that it was fine and at least I was able to complete the application before the deadline. And what happened next? I entirely forgot that I applied and continued on with applying to local internships for the summer. A few months later I received the news.

It was 6:30 in the evening and I was at Daemen doing homework when I received the email for winning the Gilman International Scholarship to study in Thailand for 8 weeks over the summer. I was in shock. I didn’t believe it. I googled the email address to make sure it wasn’t scam, then I called my mom, my friend, and emailed a few of my mentors. It was an incredibly surreal moment. I never thought I would actually travel to Thailand. It was just too much money as a first generation student who pays for college, but it was possible.

So in May 2018 I packed my bags and flew out to Chiang Mai, Thailand to pursue a public health internship in the Nong Han Public Health Clinic. Sounds a bit weird, right? A History and Political Science student heading to Thailand for the summer for an internship not in her field? Makes no sense…

Well, even though I’m a History and Political Science student, I also hold minors in Philosophy, Medical Humanities, Global Studies, and Public History, and my future goals include attending Graduate School to obtain a PhD in Medical Anthropology.  This internship allowed me to observe a live health clinic to study the role of the clinic in the community, ethics and culture within the clinic.

The Nong Han Public Health Clinic is a government funded clinic that’s a department of the San Sai Hospital located right up the road. The Clinic serviced 14 districts and cared for roughly 20,000 patients, where other clinics in Chiang Mai cared for 4,000 to 5,000 patients.

As an Intern, I was able to attend home visits to assess patients that were bedridden, paralyzed, or unable to make it to the clinic, conduct general assessments on children, fill prescriptions prescribed by the doctor, teach healthy and unhealthy habits to elementary children, and participate in community lead events, such as a Dengue Prevention parade or an Herbal Medicine Seminar.  

While in Thailand, most of the nurses in my clinic couldn’t speak English, which really impeded my ability to obtain information. Thankfully, one nurse and at least one student from a rotating group from Chiang Mai University spoke English, so I was able to somewhat communicate. To better my communication skills, I practiced writing and speaking Thai with my homestay mother and others within the clinic—one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do. I spent a lot of time writing and rewriting the Thai alphabet and learning phrases to use in the clinic and in everyday life, but eventually I was able to better communicate with the nurses and people around me.

My time in Chiang Mai substantially influenced my decision to continue pursuing a future in Anthropology. I obtained so much information, not only about working in a Thai clinic, but also about the Chiang Mai region, Buddhism, environmental sustainability, linguistics, and the Northern Thai population and culture.

My internship gave me a glimpse at what future field work consists of and what living in a foreign environment is like. Personally, I have developed a new perspective on what it’s like being an outsider, an academic, and how to cope with an intense language barrier. I have grown in ways that I couldn’t have imagined going into this experience and I am incredibly thankful for this unique opportunity. My internship transformed my idea of Southeast Asian culture and values and has stimulated my drive to pursue a career in academia. The impact Thailand has had on me is unparalleled and I will cherish my memories far into my future endeavors.