Education to be a Doctor in Thailand.

[Issangeorge]

I'm curious about what kind of education a Doctor has in Thailand, not the quality, that is subjective, but the time. For instance 4 years science degree, 4 years medicine, two years internship, etc. I have no idea and would be interested, for that matter I have no idea how long it is in Canada either.

[Issangeorge]

Someone must know what education Thai Doctors have?

[AlexRRR]

google the top Thai universities, you will find that many Thai doctors have trained in the west.

India has the shortest training program...that kinda figures thinking back to several emergency doctors vists i had the misfortune to need here in Melbourne.

[Sheryl]

There are many Thai doctors with training in the West but at level of specialization i.e. residency or fellowship. Basic medical degree is almost alhways obtained in Thailand. There are 2 systems for that. The oldest and most common is based on the British system....2 yrs premed then 4 yrs mrd school so total 6. The other which is newly being promoted is like the US system...a 4 year Bachelor of Science program (inclusive of 2 yrs pre med courses) then the same 4 yrs med school. After completion of med school at least 1 yr internship.

note that the above is minimal and does not include any specialty qualification.

[Issangeorge]

Thanks Sheryl. Knowing nothing about it, the British system sounds far more practical to me. 8 years, plus residency, seems a little over kill.

[Sheryl]

There is no difference between the two in the medical/scientific knowledge imparted. The argument used for the US 8 year approach is that it ensures that doctors also have a basic college education i.e. take the same core courses as any other college student and thus are more "well rounded" and have perhaps better understanding of life than if they study nothing outside of their field beyond high school level.

It also allows a little more time for students to decide on what they want to do/which course of study to pursue. . That is true in general of the US system where there are no "A" levels or the like to determine whether a teenager goes into say science as opposed to liberal arts.

But of course, it does mean 2 more years.