Dr. SOEURN Visal
My name is CHHE Vannara, a year-5 pharmacy student at the University of Puthisastra (UP). I am writing to share my experiences that I have been facing so far in my life as a student at UP. I have volunteered in many health science fields including being a translator for Singaporean medical doctors during the Project SABAI and Project LOKUN since I was in year 2. These projects are bi-annual humanitarian projects in Cambodia, initiated by students and doctors from National Singapore University, aiming to reconnect villagers to the nations healthcare system as well as to improve villagers’ health and living conditions. I have learned a lot from these projects both soft and hard skills. I could apply what I have learned from school during the implementation of these projects, especially I was so glad to be able to help the folks to understand about their health issues and take a good care of their current health conditions.
Additionally, I learned how to plan a project while improving my communication skills and building diverse friendship between Singaporean doctors, students and Cambodian students. At year 3, my classmates and i conducted the 2nd Project parasitology in Takeo province, Cambodia. I was an education team leader. We educated a good health hygiene practice to primary school students.
Don’t be a little frog in the well! At year 4, I did my one-month internship in a community pharmacy at the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Khon Kean University, Thailand. I gained a lot of knowledge in community pharmacy in Thailand, which I could bring it to fill the gap in Cambodia. Furthermore, I also joined the 6th International Pharmacy Summer School (IPSS) at Muhammadiyah University of Yogyakarta, Indonesia. The theme was under the “Indonesian Herbs Medicine: Potential Ingredients as Healthy Cosmetics”. In this program, I participated in different lectures, lab activities, Inter-professional education, and case discussion, tutorial and herbal health centers visit. Surprisingly, on the final day of IPSS program, I was awarded as the most active participant. Currently, I have just finished my one-month internship in Research and Development Department at Pharm Product Manufacturing (PPM). At the same time, I am also a member of Samadech Techo Youth Doctor Association TYDA. TYDA is a volunteering doctor association that regularly provides free medical care, medical check-up and treatment for people in remote areas throughout the country. Every month, TYDA always has a mission in each area with a purpose of providing free healthcare to the locals.
One more thing, I have been also selected for the 2019 Voices of Youth training program with UNICEF Cambodia. UNICEF Cambodia’s Voices of Youth 2019 is the project to advocate on behalf of children in Cambodia. UNICEF Cambodia are working on different themes and global issues such as Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH), Education, Child Protection, Health and Nutrition including mental health, Social Policy and Research and Climate Change and the Environment. I am particularly interested in WASH. I created the storytelling and made a video related to WASH theme. A week ago, I had training about Biosafety and Security in Laboratory Medicine toward ISO 15190 Requirements by National Institute of Public Health/ National Public Health Laboratory. I joined this training because I intend to continue my Master degree on Medical Biology. After I joined this training course I widely comprehended about a good standard biosafety and security practice in laboratory. Last but not least, I enjoy doing those things and I am going to do my best for a healthier Cambodia. In the future, I would like to get a scholarship to study abroad. I hope that the experiences that I have had during my study will enable me to achieve my goals.
