CU-MEDi
CU-MEDi

DIRECTOR’S
WELCOME

Nijasri Charnnarong Suwanwela, M.D.
Director of Chulalongkorn University International Medical Program

CU-MEDi is the first international medical program in Thailand which admits bachelor’s degree graduates  and requires four years of study. The curriculum is designed as an integrated course where basic scientific knowledge is delivered alongside clinical exposure. Students will be immersed in a clinical environment from day 1 so they will be able to correlate the patients’ problems they see on the wards with the anatomy and pathophysiology they learn inside the classroom. There is a big emphasis on an interactive learning culture where students with diverse backgrounds bring topics to discuss in small groups, which will help develop their leadership, teamwork, and communication skills along the way.

During the final year, students will have the opportunity to gain clinical experience abroad in hospitals of our partnered institutes in the United States or the United Kingdom. Additionally, we promote our graduates to pursue alternative careers in medicine if they wish to do so, such as physician-scientists, medical researchers, university professors, healthcare leaders, or physician-engineers. We will equip our students with 21st-century skills and bring out individual talents of each student so they can successfully achieve their ultimate clinical and professional goals.

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DIRECTOR’S
WELCOME

Nijasri Charnnarong
Suwanwela, M.D.
Director of
Chulalongkorn University
International Medical Program

CU-MEDi is the first international 4-year medical program in Thailand which admits bachelor’s degree graduates. The curriculum is designed as an integrated course where basic scientific knowledge is delivered alongside clinical exposure. Students will be immersed in a clinical environment from day 1 so they will be able to correlate the patients’ problems they see on the wards with the anatomy and pathophysiology they learn inside the classroom. There is a big emphasis on an interactive learning culture where students with diverse backgrounds bring topics to discuss in small groups, which will help develop their leadership, teamwork, and communication skills along the way. During the final year, students will have the opportunity to gain clinical experience abroad in hospitals of our partnered institutes in the United States or the United Kingdom. Additionally, we promote our graduates to pursue alternative careers in medicine if they wish to do so, such as physician-scientists, medical researchers, university professors, healthcare leaders, or physician-engineers. We will equip our students with 21st-century skills and bring out individual talents of each student so they can successfully achieve their ultimate clinical and professional goals.

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LEARNING
OUTCOMES

The Doctor of Medicine (International Program) has the objectives to produce doctors who are well equipped with the following skills:

CLINICAL DIAGNOSIS

refers to competence in history taking, physical examination, problem listing, making a diagnosis, and differential diagnosis.

PATIENT INVESTIGATION

means the competence in laboratory, radiological and other patient investigations as well as interpretation of laboratory, radiological and other patient investigations.

PATIENT MANAGEMENT

means the competence in management and treatment of general patients with concern for safety.

PROCEDURES

mean the competence in medical procedures, including patient investigations and procedures for diagnosis and/or patience management.

PROFESSIONAL
COMMUNICATION

means the competence in patient education, counseling, medical records, medical certificates, referral letters and press release.ons.

HOLISTIC CARE

means the competence in application of holistic care in diagnosis, treatment, recovery, prevention and health promotion in terms of body, mind, society and wisdom as an individual, a part of family and a part of society, with concern for economy, society and culture.

MEDICAL ETHICS AND
PROFESSIONAL LAWS

mean the competence in application of medical ethics and laws relating to patient care.

CRITICAL THINKING

means the competence in critical thinking and application of evidence-based medicine to patient care

INTEGRATED MEDICAL
SCIENCES

means the competence in integration and application of basic medical science (professional basic knowledge) and clinical medical science (professional knowledge) in patient care.

GLOBAL DOCTOR AND GLOBAL
RESPONSIBILITY

mean psychosocial and spiritual understanding of patients and their relatives, cross-cultural understanding, moral and ethical values, concern for roles, duty and responsibility towards the global society as a doctor or an academician, a part of health system/quality system and a part of an organization in the global society.

21st CENTURY PROFESSION AND MULTI-TALENTED DOCTER

mean desire to learn, competence in self-evaluation, reflective thinking, adult learning, creative thinking, language skills, digital skills, searching skills, creative presentation, innovative creation, self-enhancement of professional and individual knowledge regarding the ultimate potential, self-care, emotional maturity, time management and self-adaptation to change.

LEADERSHIP FOR CHANGE

means the competency in leadership for change, governance, determination, ability to integrate working with relative professions, leadership and followship, communication, planning and implementation towards achievement, solution to conflicts of cooperation and leadership for development.

ACADEMIC CALENDAR

For bachelor’s degree graduates, the CU-MEDi requires four years of study, which consists of eight semesters and are further divided into three phases:

1. The ‘pre-clerkship’ phase (three semesters) takes place primarily in a classroom setting, and through a series of integrated medical science modules, provides students with essential skills prior to the clerkship year.

2. The ‘clerkship’ phase (two semesters) requires students to rotate through different clinical areas of a hospital including inpatient wards, outpatient clinics, operating rooms, labor rooms, and emergency departments (these are referred to as ‘rotations’). Students will have the opportunity to apply the medical knowledge and skills they obtained during the pre-clerkship phase in the treatment of real patients.

3. The ‘externship’ phase (three semesters) prepares students to become competent physicians by emphasizing clinical decision-making and management skills. In this phase, students will have the opportunity to interact with patients in hospitals abroad, or they may choose to enhance their clinical or research skills according to their individual preference.

Updated 2 April 2022

COURSE CREDITS

1) Medical-Specific Requirement

1.1 Humanistic Medicine

1.2 Medical Sciences

1.3 Clinical Performance

2) Student-Selected Components (SSCs)

154 Credits

14 Credits

54 Credits

86 Credits

12 Credits

Annoucement of Academic Calendar

Class of 2028

Class of 2027

Class of 2026

Class of 2025

FACILITIES LOCATION

The Pre-Clerkship Phase

takes place in classroom settings at the Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University. The faculty provides access to smart classrooms that are suited for interactive and team-based learning.

The Clerkship and Externship Phases

rotations will take place primarily at the Queen Savang Vadhana Memorial Hospital in Chonburi. Students will rotate through different clinical areas of the hospital including inpatient wards, outpatient clinics, operating rooms, labor rooms, and emergency departments. However, a few rotations will take place at King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital and at foreign hospitals when students spend time abroad in the externship phase.

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STUDY ABROAD

CU-MEDi students will have the opportunity to undergo clinical training in global affiliated hospitals for a minimum of eight weeks during the “externship” phase of the program. In addition, there are twelve elective weeks when students can choose their own subjects to enrich their clinical or research skills and pave the way for their future careers.

EXCHANGE CLERKSHIP PROGRAM

This program offers additional clinical experience for CU-MEDi students, who will undergo clinical training in different healthcare systems around the world. Placement will be determined by CU-MEDi supervisors and clinical supervisors from affiliated hospitals primarily based on the students’ interests. Supervisors abroad will be responsible for overseeing clinical work and for providing advice and support to academic trainees. The minimum period for global clinical training is eight weeks.

Student-selected
components (SSCs)

Apart from the eight-week clinical training abroad period, CU-MEDi students have twelve elective weeks during the “externship” phase. The purpose of the SSCs is to let students choose their own subjects according to what they want to pursue. They can extend their eight-week clinical training abroad or they can conduct basic or clinical research either locally or globally. They can also join groups to create innovations in health care.

PARTNERSHIPS

COLLABORATION WITH OTHER INSTITUTIONS

1. Domestic Educational Institutions

1.1  The Thai Red Cross Society: preparation of Queen Savang Vadhana Memorial Hospital and King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital as main teaching hospitals.
1.2  The faculties, colleges and schools of medicine of other higher education  institutions, under the Consortium of Thai Medical Schools and the Medical Education Center, as well as the regional hospitals, general hospitals, community hospitals and medical service facilities, under the Ministry of Public Health: cooperation on specific requirement courses in student-selected components.

2. Overseas Educational Institutions

Cooperation on specific requirement courses in student-selected components and international clinical experience. 

Some of the partners can be listed as follows:

Australia and Oceania

1. Sydney Medical School, University of Sydney, Australia

Asia

1. School of Medicine, Jutendo University, Japan
2. School of Medicine, University of Tokyo, Japan
3. Okayama University, Japan
4. Kyushu University, Japan
5. Graduate School of Medicine and Faculty of Medicine, Osaka City University, Japan
6. Institute of Innovation for Future Society, Nagoya University, Japan
7. Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya University, Japan
8. Faculty and Graduate School of Health Sciences, Hokkaido University, Japan
9. Fujita Health University, Japan
10. Oita University, Japan
11. Jikei University, School of Medicine, Japan
12. Tokai University, School of Medicine, Japan
13. Nakasaki University, School of Medicine, Japan
14.Jichi Medical University, School of Medicine, Japan
15. Kindai University, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Japan
16. Yonsei University College of Medicine, the Republic of Korea
17. Seoul National University College of Medicine, the Republic of Korea
18. Gyeongsang National University College of Medicine, the Republic of Korea
19. Univeristy of Medicine 1, Yangon, Myanmar
20. University of Medicine 2, Yangon, Myanmar


21. University of Pharmacy, Yangon, Myanmar
22. Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, the People’s Republic of China
23. Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, the People’s Republic of China
24. Kunming Medical University, the People’s Republic of China
25. Peking University Health Sciences Center, the People’s Republic of China
26. The University of Hongkong, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, the People’s Republic of China
27. China Medical University
28. College of Medicine, Teipei Medical University
29. Koahsiung Medical University College of Medicine
30. College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University
31. The Institute of Nuclear Energy Research
32. National Taiwan University College of Medicine

Europe

1. Erasmus University Medical Center, the Netherlands
2. University of Liverpool, the United Kingdom
3. University of Glasgow, the United Kingdom
4. University of Leeds, the United Kingdom

North America

1. University of Oklahoma, College of Medicine, the United States of America
2. The Cleveland Clinic Foundation, the United States of America
3. Office of Global Health Education of the Weil Cornell Medical College, Cornell University, the United States of America
4. Harvard School of Public Health, the United States of America
5. MD Anderson Cancer Center at University of Texas, the United States of America
6. David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, the United States of America
7. University of California, Los Angeles, the United States of America
8. Children’s Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA), the United States of America
9. University of Massachusetts Medical School, the United States of America
10. University of South Florida, the United States of America
11. MedStar Georgetown University Hospital, the United States of America
12. Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, the United States of America
13. University of Texas at San Antonio, the United States of America

FACULTY

Jitladda Deerojanawong, M.D.

Associate Professor

Associate Dean for Academic Affairs

E-Mail: jitladda.d@chula.ac.th
Expertise: Pediatric Pulmonology

MD (with honor): Chulalongkorn University Certified Board of Pediatrics (Thai Medical Council) Certified Subboard of Pediatric Pulmonology (Thai Medical Council) Certificate in Pediatric Thoracic Medicine (Royal Children’s, teaching center of the University of Melbourne, Australia) Certified Board of Critical Care (Thai Medical Council)

Clinical Interests:
Pediatrics Pediatric Pulmonology Pediatric Thoracic Medicine

Nijasri Charnnarong Suwanwela, M.D.

Professor

Director of Chulalongkorn International Medical Program

E-Mail: nijasri.c@chula.ac.th
Expertise: Vascular Neurology

MD: Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University

King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital
Cerebrovascular Disease Fellowship:
Massachusetts General Hospital,
Boston, U.S.A.
Certificate in Neurosonology:
American Society of Neuroimaging

Clinical Interests:
Stroke
Neurology
Telemedicine

Nasamon Wanlapakorn, M.D., Ph.D.

Clinical Instructor

CU MEDi Assistant Director for Academic Affairs

E-Mail: nasamon.w@chula.ac.th
Expertise: Pediatric virology Vaccine immunology Clinical virology

MD: Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University
Pediatric Residency: King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital
Doctor in Philosophy (Infection and Immunity): Institute of infection and global health, University of Liverpool

Clinical Interests:
General pediatrics

Trai Promsang, M.D., MSc.

Clinical Instructor

Academic Affairs

E-Mail: -
Expertise: Orthopaedic / Sports medicine / Shoulder and knee arthroscop

MD: Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University
Orthopaedic Residency:
King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital Sports medicine fellowship: King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital MSc: Biomedical Engineering, Chulalongkorn University

Clinical Interests:

Naruchorn Kijpaisalratana, M.D., ph.D.

Clinical Instructor

CU-MEDi Assistant Director for International Affairs

E-Mail: naruchorn.k@chula.ac.th
Expertise: Vascular Neurology

MD: Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University
Visiting Research Scholar: Center for Neuroscience and Regenerative Medicine, Uniformed Service University of the Health Sciences/ National Institute of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
Neurology Residency: King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital
Vascular Neurology Fellowship: King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital

Clinical Interests:
Stroke Stroke Biomarkers Telestroke

Anchalita Ratanajaruraks, M.D., MSc.

Clinical Instructor

International Affairs

E-Mail: anchalita.r@chula.ac.th
Expertise: Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist

MD: Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University
Board: Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Residency, King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital
MSc:Genes, environment, and development, King's College London, UK

Clinical Interests:
Psychiatric Genetics
Learning Disorders
Cognitive Behavioral
Therapy (CBT)

Jutamas Saoraya, M.D., ph.D.

Clinical Instructor

CU-MEDi Assistant Director for Public Relations & Admissions

E-Mail: jutamas.sa@chula.ac.th
Expertise: Emergency Medicine

MD: Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University
Visiting Research Scholar: Department of Emergency Medicine, University of California San Diego, USA
Emergency Medicine Residency: King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital

Clinical Interests:
Clinical Interests:
Emergency Medicine
Critical Care
Resuscitation

Seree Iamphongsai, M.D.

Clinical Instructor

Academic Affairs

E-Mail: -
Expertise: Plastic Surgery, Craniofacial Surgery

MD Faculty of Medicine, Siriraj Hospital
General Surgery Residency: Faculty of Medicine, Siriraj Hospital
Plastic Surgery Residency: University Hospitals of Cleveland, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA
Craniofacial Fellowship: Seattle Children’s Hospital, University of Washington, Seattle, USA

Clinical Interests:
craniofacial surgery, cleft lip and palate, body contouring surgery

Sira Vachatimanont, M.D.

Clinical Instructor

Student Evaluation

E-Mail: -
Expertise: Nuclear medicine

MD: Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University
Nuclear medicine residency:
King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital

Clinical Interests:
General Nuclear Medicine

Panisinee Lawasut, M.D., MSc.

Clinical Instructor

Student Affairs

E-Mail: panisinee.l@chula.ac.th
Expertise: Hematology

MD: Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University
Hematology residency: King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital
Visiting Research Scholar: Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard University, Bostin, MA, USA

Clinical Interests:
Clinical Interests: Multiple Myeloma Palliative Care

Chanida Siripraparat, M.D., M.P.H.

Clinical Instructor

International Affairs

E-Mail: -
Expertise: Geriatric Psychiatry

MD: Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University
MPH: University of Michigan at Ann Arbor American Board of General and Geriatric Psychiatry

Clinical Interests:
Ethics
Long Term Care
Consultation Liaison
Psychiatry

Nattaya Poovorawan, M.D., MSc.

Clinical Instructor

Academic Affairs

E-Mail: Nattaya.po@chula.ac.th
Expertise: Medical Oncology

MD: Faculty of Medicine, Khonkaen University
Internal Medicine Residency: Khonkaen University.
Medical Oncology fellowship: Chulalongkorn University.

Clinical Interests:
Clinical Interests: Genitourinary Cancer Breast Cancer Geriatric Oncology

Phattrawan Pisuchpen, M.D.

Clinical Instructor

E-Mail: -
Expertise: Ophthalmology Cornea and External Eye Disease Ophthalmic Genetics

MD: Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University
Ophthalmology Residency: King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital
Cornea, External Eye Diseases and Refractive Surgery Fellowship: King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital
Ocular Genetics Fellowship: Wills Eye Hospital, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA

Clinical Interests:
Cornea and External Eye Diseases Ophthalmic genetics

Panot Sainamthip, M.D.

Clinical Instructor

Academic Affairs

E-Mail: panot.s@chula.ac.th
Expertise: Medical Oncology

MD: Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University
Medical Oncology fellowship: Mahidol University

Clinical Interests:
Clinical oncology, Translational research

Tunchanok Paprad, M.D.

Clinical Instructor

Academic Affairs / Radiology

E-Mail:
Expertise: Diagnostic radiology/Neuroradiology

Clinical Interests:
neurology, neuroradiology

Talent Theparee, M.D.

Clinical Instructor

Academic Affairs / Pathology

E-Mail: -
Expertise: Surgical pathology, molecular genetic pathology

-Pathology residency: University of Chicago (NorthShore) -Molecular genetic pathology fellowship: Stanford University -Surgical pathology fellowship: University of California San Francisco

Clinical Interests:
Molecular diagnostics, digital pathology, pathology education

Pimpitcha Puangsricharoen, M.D.

Clinical Instructor

Academic Affairs

E-Mail: pimpitcha.p@chula.ac.th
Expertise: Obstetrics and Gynecology/Reproductive endocrinology and infertility

Clinical Interests:

Chatchanan Doungkamchan, M.D., Ph.D

Clinical Instructor

Department of Anatomy

E-Mail: chatchanan.d@chula.ac.th
Expertise: Molecular genetics and developmental biology

Clinical Interests:
gene editing in germ cell stem cells, Universal allogeneic CAR T cells

Sarin Kitpanit, M.D.

Clinical Instructor

Division of Radiation Oncology, Department of Radiology, King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital

E-Mail: sarin.k@chula.ac.th
Expertise: Radiation Oncology, Proton therapy MD: Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University Radiation Oncology Residency: King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital Radiation Oncology Research Fellowship: Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, USA

Clinical Interests:
Head and neck cancers, central nervous system tumors, gastrointestinal cancers, re-irradiation, proton therapy, particle Therapy

Voranaddha Vacharathit, M.D.

Clinical Instructor

Department of General Surgery, Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital, The Thai Red Cross Society

E-Mail: voranaddha.v@chulahospital.org
Expertise: Minimally invasive foregut and bariatric surgery, general surgery Bachelor of Arts- Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard College, Cambridge, Massachusetts MD- Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee Residency- General Surgery. Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio Fellowship- Minimally Invasive Foregut and Bariatric Surgery. Geisinger Medical Center, Danville, Pennsylvania

Clinical Interests:
minimally invasive surgery, foregut surgery, surgical innovations, surgical education

Contact Us

  • Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University 6th floor, Aor Por Ror Building, Ratchadamri Rd, Pathum Wan, Bangkok 10330
HEALTHCARE IS DELIVERED WHERE YOU ARE.

Have you ever imagined being your own personal doctor and managing your own health sitting in front of a TV at home? Testing that once seemed risky out of the hands of medical professionals is now more than ever a touchable reality. The advancement of handheld technology has brought an explosion of personal health gadgets such as smart watches that can monitor heart rate, blood pressure, breathing, and calories burned. High-speed internet advances have allowed for the efficient use of mobile phone applications, online consultant services, telemedicine, and even AI therapists. Some laboratory tests can even be ordered from home at the click of the button, with tool kits delivered and results available quickly online. 

Future prospects of healthcare are moving from being doctor-centered to the patient viewpoint. Disease treatments will also expand to lifestyle remedies and coaching and extend out from visits to the hospital to a 24/7 online service. We might see more data doctors, where personal information of patients is streamed through an online platform and managed by professionals behind screens in ‘Care Hubs.’ After analysis of the person’s health data, they can provide individualized consult to each person, and recommend fitness programs that utilize entertainment and games to increase compliance. Personal devices will have bio-sensors to detect critical vital signs like irregular heartbeats and will be able to immediately send alerts to their doctors for any signs of life threatening conditions. Healthcare will be accessible where ever as internet connectivity becomes more and more ubiquitous.