Thonburi Healthcare Group unveils plan to tackle decline in Thai doctors

Thonburi Healthcare Group Plc (THG), which manages Thonburi Hospital, is teaming up with Assumption University to combat Thailand‘s chronic doctor shortage.

An international medicine programme is set to launch in 2025, in collaboration with the prestigious St Luke School of Medicine.

THG CEO Tanatip Suppradit explains that the programme plans to admit 60 students annually, attracting talent not just from Thailand but also from countries like Myanmar and China.

With a meagre 70,000 doctors in Thailand and less than one physician per 1,000 people, the nation’s healthcare is under siege. Dr Tanatip warns of a critical brain drain, leading to overworked medical professionals on the brink of burnout.

To counter this crisis, St Luke School of Medicine emerges as the beacon of hope, strategically designed to close the healthcare workforce gap and elevate medical standards in Thailand.

“Our partnership with Assumption University allows us to marry educational prowess with THG’s extensive medical network.”

THG plans to establish a fund, offering scholarships worth a whopping 1.2 million baht per person, ensuring no aspiring doctor is left behind due to financial constraints.

Boon Vanasin, adviser to THG’s chairman, reveals the details.

“We’re not just throwing money at the problem. We’ll also infuse the medical school with knowledge from our expert staff. Plus, we’re forging connections with global medical professionals, especially in the US and China.”

The medical programme will be taught at Assumption University’s Suvarnabhumi campus. Students will undergo three years of intensive learning at the university, followed by another three years immersed in hands-on experience alongside seasoned medical staff at partner hospitals, reported Bangkok Post.

Assumption University President Reverand Brother Bancha Saenghiran explains that the curriculum isn’t just about medicine, it integrates managerial science, injecting doses of business administration, leadership, and social responsibility into the medical programme.

In related news, a Thai doctor from Srisangwan Hospital in the northern province of Mae Hong Sorn shared her experience of saving the life of a five year old girl who accidentally drank silver cleaning fluid containing cyanide.