Chayanan’s Statement of Purpose

Doctor has always been my target career since young. Every time I read or watch
documentaries or journals about them, the practices fascinate me. I am intrigued by how
healthcare practitioners deal with challenging situations and are able to rapidly devise solutions
to health complications. Unlike many other kids, I felt the hospital to be a serene and secure
place where people might seek aid and comfort. It has always been a delight to ponder how I
would make my patients feel safe, both physically and emotionally, and what I could contribute
to society after becoming a doctor.
However, a lot has happened over these three years. Due to the COVID-19 crisis, I was
sent back from my exchange year in Denmark and have had to stay practically full-time online
since then. This pandemic situation has broadened my perspective on the medical world, and I
have realized that there are many more contributors to this system besides doctors. I became
interested in the measures taken by the authorities to mitigate the situation, as well as the
research and development of medication and vaccines by several pharmaceutical companies and
research centers throughout the world. This brought back memories of my experience as an
exchange student in Denmark, where I met my host-mother, a psychiatrist, and my chapter-host,
who worked for Novo Nordisk, a multinational healthcare company. They pioneer scientific
breakthroughs and strive to improve access to treatments that can help prevent and eventually
drive change to overcome diabetes and other major chronic diseases such as obesity. There, I
found interest in the discovery, development, manufacturing, and marketing of pharmaceutical
products in which I have gained some insights during my Introduction to Business electives
and the Junior achievement club. In addition, I took the Advance biology, Anatomy, and
Integrated science electives to broaden my understanding in the biological field and develop my
critical thinking skills in various lab analyses.
During my 11th grade, I applied to be a lab assistant for my school capstone project. I
interned at Mahidol University's Root Laboratory in the Science Faculty under the
supervision of Assistant Professor Dr. Patompong Saengwilai. My objective was to obtain
additional laboratory experience and strengthen my research skills. I was assigned to work with
a third-year undergraduate who was conducting research on wheat genotypes to identify which
one optimizes growth in a Phosphorus-deficient environment. In a practical-working atmosphere,
I learned to read research articles, experiment with various laboratory equipment, and become
acquainted with labor. I have become more cautious with details since a tiny mistake may greatly
affect the result. This significantly reduced the number of unintended errors made.
With the motivation to challenge myself, I attended the Mini Medical Hackathon under
BASE Playhouse and earned the first place award. The contest required me to form a team with
people I had just met and come up with a way to alleviate the burden on healthcare workers
while ensuring that the patient benefited directly or indirectly. To design a prototype, I had to use
empathetic communication to identify the medical staff's challenges and integrate my knowledge
with extra research. We developed an application to aid the elderly with daily checkups and to
eliminate data transfer delays via an electronic database. Due to the limited time, I had to make
rapid decisions to solve problems on the spot and use my time wisely. Hence, I improved my
time management and teamwork skills. At the same time, the challenges I faced during the
competition fueled my desire for making changes to the healthcare system both locally and
globally.
“My passion is to bring about positive change in the public health system and enhance
the overall health of Thai people by adopting global knowledge and skills to solve medical and
public health issues and respond to global health crises." As a result, I chose to study
Biomedical Science through the International B.Sc. Program at Mahidol University Faculty of
Science because I believe that my passion can be satisfied here while also growing with the
institution, enhancing my skills for future careers, and allowing me to reach my full potential as a
responsible and globally cognizant person. Furthermore, I would like to further my studies in a
master's degree program in Public Health—Epidemiology to help me strive for my life goal.