Pharmacy student experiences exchange program in South Korea
Second-year pharmacy student Deanna Laughlin spent two weeks in South Korea this summer for a student exchange program hosted by the Korean National Association of Pharmaceutical Students. She shared her travelogue with The Pulse.
June 28, 2024
I finally got to meet a few of my internship mates due to arriving early in Seoul. I was able to make plans with Mina (Serbia), Lazar (Serbia), Ben (U.S.), Leonie (Germany) and Alan (U.K.). As a group we explored Namdaemun Market and tried street food and saw a portion of the palace wall. Throughout the day we explored Myeongdong, and we were pleasantly surprised to find that it was Korean Beauty week in multiple neighborhoods in Seoul. Mina, Lazar, Leonie and I completed the passport by going to multiple different stores all over the neighborhood. We immersed ourselves into the cosmetic/skin care culture of Seoul. South Korea is known for its booming cosmetic/skin care culture, and we learned how important it is to both men and women.
June 29, 2024
Today is Mina’s birthday! As a group we were so excited to celebrate her because without her and I becoming friends early in the internship process, our group would not be bonding prior to the start of our internship. Mina is fluent in Serbian, English, Korean, Bulgarian and Croatian with a love for cosmetic pharmaceutical industry. She is simply inspiring and really opened my eyes to the different industrial fields that pharmaceutical students have access to throughout Europe. Kira (Finland) and I took Mina to a few K-pop and K-drama hot spots to surprise her. She learned Korean by watching K-dramas and listening to K-pop music (like me). This was a great core memory for me because I got to grow my relationship with Kira and Mina. Kira was the same age as me (30 years old). She has been working as a clinical pharmacist at a community hospital in Finland while she completes her master’s in pharmacy. Mina will be going into her final year of pharmacy school, and she is hoping to score high enough on her state exam to gain access to the Ph.D. program to continue into the cosmetic pharmaceutical industry. Later we met up with Lazar, Leonie and Natalia (Poland) in Myeongdong. We ate a surprising variety of street food options and bought different desserts to celebrate Mina.
June 30, 2024
It’s officially the day of the welcome party! I’m so excited to meet a few more people today for breakfast at Egg Drop (a popular breakfast spot). Before I left DDP (Dongdaemun Cultural Park) I learned how to make a convenience store coffee next to my Airbnb. Convenience stores are open 24-7 and are a major staple in South Korea. Little did I know that I would fall in love with this routine. After that, I finally got to meet Emma (Spain) at the station. She is going into her second year of pharmacy school like me and her language is beautiful and so formal compared to the Spanish I’m use to in America. We bonded over telenovelas and being dog moms while we tried not to get lost getting to Hongdae, an extremely popular neighborhood in Seoul. All the ladies (Kira, Mina, Natalia, Leonie, Emma and I) explored Hongdae while we devoured our Egg Drop sandwiches. Once noon rolled around, it was finally time to meet the SEP KNAPS team and the last few of our 12 visiting program mates. Each of us trickled in a few at a time but, of course, my dynamic duo partner Lazar was late, so no jokes for me yet. Claire, our SEP chair, greeted me instantly with Yoori (arrival coordinator) and Rebekah (who helped me understand how to use the public transportation system prior to my arrival). However, this encounter for me was surprising. I was expecting “annyeonghaseyo” (hello in Korean) but, Claire’s first comment was “I hear you created a separate group chat.” I got instantly shy, and I was sure I was in trouble. Fortunately, I found out they were pleasantly surprised that I took the initiative to get the group to meet and bond prior to the party. I didn’t tell them that Dr. Boyle gave me the idea and that it made me feel more comfortable being so far away from home on my own. We played many games to get to know each other, like sharing baby pictures with three words that describe us and a few teamwork games. Of course, I was on a team with Lazar, and we had way too much fun making jokes and keeping the room laughing. After the welcome party, we went to dinner (Pork Belly Korean BBQ). I was able to bond with the last three of the 12 mates, Almira (Indonesia), Noemi (Czech) and Kamila (Czech).
July 1, 2024
The official first day! I was instantly nervous when the place I have been dreaming about visiting was the first location, the KFDA (Korean Food and Drug Administration). It took us a few hours by bus to arrive but when we arrived it was one of the most beautiful campuses I have ever seen. It was like it was made for a science nerd, with virus sculptures, exquisite gardening and beautiful architecture. However, when I say campus, I mean this place was expansive, the walk from security to the site was 10 minutes. We were greeted by the director herself and were given an overview of the impact the KFDA has on the Korean pharmaceutical industry and how it keeps the country safe through their research. I was in the group that was given a tour of the animal facilities, and the laboratories utilized for their expansive research. I learned that they typically used mice, monkeys, rabbits and beagles as research subjects. However, over the last few years with changing laws, they no longer use beagles or rabbits. Monkeys have become increasingly harder to get into the country, so currently they are focusing on use of mice. The animal facility that we explored was specifically for vaccine dosing/efficacy verification. Meaning that we were not allowed to know what vaccines were being tested as the vaccines were under a new NDA filing with the KFDA and the pharmaceutical company supplying the vaccines. Then we visited the chemical laboratories and learned how the researchers were able to utilize different chemical methods to complete ongoing research to protect the public from any unknowns in the tobacco products. At the end of the day, our group went out to dinner to wind down and talk about the experiences and compare them to our previous experiences. I learned how different the pharmacy programs were from all the different students. Especially, how most of them do not complete IPPEs (introductory pharmacy practice experience). Some have jobs as technicians but many need to wait until their last year to experience pharmaceutical fields. In Korea, the students’ last year is composed of three months in community, two months in hospital, then the next six months in community or hospital, based on their preference, prior to taking the state exam.
July 2, 2024
We spent the day with GC Biopharma at their R&D Center. We spent the afternoon learning about the different fields within their R&D Center and how pharmacists are impactful on each of those teams. They began the presentation with giving us an overview of GC Biopharma and what different types of research they focus on like rare diseases/hematology, cardiovascular/metabolic, GI & hepatic, immunological, and over-the-counter options. They are known for creating the third Hepatitis B vaccine, HepaVax B, first epidemic hemorrhagic fever vaccine, Hantavax, second varicella vaccine, Varicella, and the second treatment for Hunter syndrome, Hunterase. Currently, they have over 10 pipeline projects like Tuberculosis in Phase 3 or Von Wilbebrand disease in preclinical phases. Then we were taken on a tour of the R&D Facility. We were shown the laboratory areas and team office spaces. Then we were taken to see the history of the products that GC Biopharma has produced. Visiting GC Biopharma was an amazing experience because I have never been to a pharmaceutical company before, and this was the first of three during the internship. I was not expecting so much R&D going into rare diseases and collaboration with other pharmaceutical companies all over the world. I was expecting research on new drugs for chronic diseases like diabetes, hypertension and heart disease. After our tour we went out for dinner with our group and tried different types of Korean fried chicken. Then I decided to do a little bit of exploring around DDP due to the late-night shopping hours (till 5 a.m.).
July 3, 2024
Today we spent the day at Sanso Onuri Community Pharmacy. This is one of the largest community pharmacies in South Korea. Community pharmacies come in many different sizes in South Korea in comparison to America. One major difference is that they have a homeopathic counter and a prescription counter within the pharmacy. They cater to western and eastern medicine beliefs at the community pharmacy, and they took us through each process of getting a prescription. In the homeopathic process, a patient comes and speaks with the pharmacist proficient in that field who does a thorough history and determines the main concerns. Then the pharmacist creates a product based on an herbal recipe and advises the patient to return in a few days based on the symptoms. We were able to try a powder that was supposed to assist with lowering our blood pressure and assist with gut health. The pharmacist just handed us a scoop of powder and instructed us to just put it in our mouth. Surprisingly it tasted pretty good, and it did not become grainy. After we took a tour into the back area where the herbs are stored in a large wooden cabinet with multiple drawers, and we saw her assistant preparing the herbs for patients. Then we toured the pharmacy with the other pharmacist who went over the variety of options they keep in stock, even animal OTC options like flea medications. In the community setting they are required to know how to treat household animals based on symptoms and prescribe medications accordingly.
Later, we visited Korean Folk Village, which was like walking into a historical K-drama. If we had rented Hanboks it would have been too real. The 12 of us roamed all over the village to experience what life was like prior to the Joseon dynasty. Until we found the amusement rides -- then it was like being a young child again. All 12 of us started jumping the rides, playing carnival games while laughing and eating carnival foods. Seeing all of us as young adults instead of high-achieving pharmacy students was a sight to see. At the end of our visit, we watched a traditional cultural dance display, and it was beautiful. The way they used the fans in the dance was an art that was unforgettable.
July 4, 2024
Unfortunately, our plans for the day were cancelled due a change of plans by the site. Due to the quick pace of the first few days, I decided to take things slowly. I went exploring Gangnam. I was joined by a few of my mates that wanted to go to Starfield Library and explore the COEX mall. The Starfield library was a dream, I was ready to grab a coffee and sneak into a corner with a good book the moment I walked in. Of course, I had to break a few rules and lean on a “do not lean sign” and accidentally stand on the wrong side of the escalator. Once my fellow mates to decide to leave, I went and started exploring Gangnam. I learned that tattoo professionals in Korea are expected to be doctors per the medical board, but the law is so grey that very few chose to cross that line. I found a place that was known for crossing that line, Seoul Ink, which has competed all over Asia and in the U.S. to show off their natural artistic talents. I chose to be spontaneous and see how different this field is in Korea. They have very strict cleanliness standards in comparison to the U.S., even though they technically are breaking the law due to not being classically trained medical professionals. Naturally, I had to get an “illegal” tattoo in South Korea to join in this cultural taboo.
July 5, 2024
Seodaemun Prison History Hall had me feel so many emotions. I was not expecting my trip to be so historical, but I learned quickly that pharmaceuticals in Korea begin at the beginning of time for Korea. The Seodaemun Prison History Hall was the site of a prison built during the Japanese occupation in the early 20th century to house Korean independence activists. We walked through the hallowed halls and felt the emotions of all that had been there before us. Many of us handled the experience differently but for me I cried and prayed at the memorials. We saw where the prisoners were held, reprogramed, tortured, killed and exercised. Walking through each of those areas was more emotional than the first and reading about the fearless individuals who fought for their cultural freedom was even more impactful than I imagined.
In the afternoon we visited Seoul National University Hospital. It was as amazing as I thought it would be. Three large level 1 trauma hospitals connected pediatrics, oncology and general. We were greeted by the director of pharmacy, and she passed us along to two different pharmacists who took our two groups on tours of all three hospitals. I was able to experience the different divisions of their pharmacy department, including medication safety, pediatrics, oncology, inpatient and leadership. I continued to speak with the head oncology pharmacist, and I found that she had worked in the states for a portion of her career, and she said that it’s better to know everything about a job rather than just a piece; that is what makes a great leader. This was the only hospital in Korea we saw that had pharmacy assistants compounding products in the IV room, but they also had an IV-compounding robot for chemotherapeutic products. The pediatric unit focused heavily on creating suspensions and solutions for children. This was new to me, and I asked if they made any other types of compounds like syringes, but they advised, no. Lastly, the medication safety and leadership department was so interesting to see how they processed data, protected patients and completed P&T meetings.
July 6 - July 7, 2024
MT Weekend is when the seniors take the freshmen away for the weekend and share experiences and advice on how to be successful. However, it always includes Soju, games, karaoke, delicious food and laugher too. We left Saturday afternoon and made our way to MT Village (yes, there is an actual place for MT, and it’s marketed like a campground along the river). I really had expectations other than getting to know the SEP KNAPS team better. At this point, I have spent a lot of time with my mates exploring and experiencing all that Korea has to offer. I was not expecting to teach people how to skip rocks, or how to catch fish, or laughing as people were tricked into the river. The KNAPS team showed off their cooking skills and grilled different types of meat to go with our rice and different types of side dishes. We sat and shared our childhood memories of being outdoors and how relaxing it was to be in nature while we watched the rain fall during dinner. After dinner was complete chaos with karaoke, games and more snacks. Next thing I knew it was morning and we were getting ready for brunch and a long bus ride home. Most of us had decided during the night what we would do with the rest of our Sunday. However, I felt so carefree that I just followed Emma and Lazar. Next thing I knew I was at Gyeongbokgung Palace exploring to find the best picture spots for our Hanbok plan for the group. Emma always talked me into taking photos, but I preferred being her photographer instead. I swear her photos always caught me in the best light or I saw a new version of myself emanating in the photo. On the way home I talked them into pizza and Alan met us at a place called Project D (how perfect right?!?). The pizza and the atmosphere reminded me of home in Pittsburgh and I knew I had to share this with them. The pizza was just like it is at home with a crispy crust and delectable toppings. Once everyone was stuffed and singing their praises, I started making my way home just to realize that my first week of my internship was over.
July 8, 2024
Gwangjang Market was simply amazing! I won a “squid game” competition, and I was not expecting to be the only one in my group. My group continued to explore the market, but the main goal was to eat live octopus and raw meat, two delicacies that our KNAPS team begged us to try. I didn’t tell them that I already ate live octopus in Busan. However, I was the first one to grab a wiggly tentacle to give Lazar, Noemi and Almira the strength to try them too. Surprisingly everyone enjoyed it, and we had too much fun laughing at Noemi’s surprised face on the first try. The meat was Korean beef with julienned pears, and it was so good! I had never eaten raw beef before. Then of course we had tteokbokki, my favorite super spicy treat!
July 9, 2024
The International Vaccine Institute at SNU was the best experience this week so far! I realized instantly that I needed to apply for research in South Korea next year. The immunology research in Korea is outstanding and I just wanted them to let me in that level 3 biosafety lab so badly. I felt like a mad scientist for the whole morning learning about the vaccines that are in the pipeline and how they work with so many countries to vaccinate against diseases plaguing our world. However, then they spoke on how they also forecast epidemics and that is where their pipeline vaccines begin made me feel like I was in the future already.
K-Food Cooking Class was so much fun! I have never taken a cooking class before, but I was able to make japchae for myself. It was a very fun experience and interesting to see how different we all were at cooking.
Bukchon Hanok Village was so beautiful to walk around and see all the architecture. We just walked with no plan and found different shops and cafes to check out around the village. However, I was not expecting people to be living in the historical village. People living in a tourist attraction was really a new concept to me, but I made sure to respect their privacy and not get too close to their homes.
July 10, 2024
Handok Pharmaceutics presented their OTC products and gave a tour of their manufacturing facility. I learned that the KFDA reviews and approves all pharmaceutics even OTCs in Korea. We were able to spend the whole day learning about their largest seller, the over-the-counter pain patch. During the tour we were able to see how the patches were made and how a pharmacist is the manager of the plant for quality assurance.
July 11, 2024
Visiting the House of Parliament was like the Korean version of going to Washington D.C. and the campus was something out of a movie. I don’t think my imagination could even design this beautiful campus. We were able to view where parliament meets and learned about the history of politics in South Korea.
Our Han River Park picnic was so serene and relaxing for all of us until one of the girls saw a spider, then calm was over. We all sat together on picnic blankets and shared chicken and beer by the river, enjoying the views and laugher with the group. We really became such close friends. I enjoyed watching all the different groups conversing and laughing about different experiences here or in their own countries.
Almira, Noemi, Kamila, MinSung, Dayeon, and Kira invited me to see the sunset at Namsan Tower with them. Of course, I quickly said yes, and we were on our way. Namsan Tower was so beautiful in the evening and experiencing Seoul from such a sight was breathtaking.
July 12, 2024
This was our last official internship day! In the morning, we visited Daewoong Pharmaceuticals, and they did a presentation on their OTC medications UDCA and acne medicated patches. We learned that they are constantly doing research on how UDCA can positively impact one’s health in many facets of their life from clear skin to a healthier liver supplement. We finally also got to learn about why the acne patches were so import in South Korea and the different formulations for each type of patch depending on the blemish.
In the afternoon, we met with Catholic University St. Mary’s Hospital. As a group we explored the hospital and learned about all the different departments within pharmacy and were allowed to ask questions. Of course, I had too many questions and I begged to meet the infectious disease committee team, but I digress. They showed us the oncology IV room where they spoke heavily on the chemotherapy compounding hood and reminded us that a human is a faster, but for batching, it is an appropriate machine. We also learned how they complete P&T reviews and how their outpatient unit cares for the growing special populations in the area.
At the end of the day, we had a panel with the pharmacy students at Catholic University. We answered questions from them about our perspective countries and we posed our questions to them. A student answered one of my questions about their favorite disease state to study. She advised me that her favorite was kidney hypertension because she was fascinated by transplant care. I never felt so in the right place in my life when she answered. Afterward I talked to her via Google Translate about transplant medicine and infectious diseases. We bonded over our similar interests; I felt so connected to another person from a completely different culture and it was so humbling.
July 13, 2024
It’s officially the last day! We have the farewell party today in Hongdae. I brought all the gifts that group purchased to surprise the SEP KNAPS team. However, they had surprises for us too. I knew that I would be receiving a certificate of completion for the program, but I was not expecting them to give me two very sentimental gifts. They gave me a stamp with my name in Korean and a Soju glass with my name in Korean and the SEP 2024 logo on the side of the glass. I instantly started to cry. This is when I realized that it was really over, and I would be really leaving Seoul the next morning. I would not see my friends at the station in the morning drinking our coffee, laughing about the shenanigans the night before or how we got lost on the metro again. All these strong emotions hit me so quick that all I could do was sob until I was hugged by Claire as I handed her the gift that I purchased for her. I found so much more in Korea than I expected. All I hoped for was to gain a new perspective on global health and how the differences in pharmacy in Korea could expand my creativity in my own program. I found people who describe me as passionate, caring and spontaneous. I found students like me who worked so hard for this experience and captured each opportunity that came our way. It could have been our conversations with researchers, our international student meeting with Catholic University, or all of us singing karaoke or practicing how to serve Soju the way our new SEP friends taught us on the first night. As each of us left the country, we all slowly said our goodbyes via our last Kakao message or call or hug at the metro. We all may be in our home countries now sharing our experiences with everyone and crying about how badly we miss each other just to be reminded that we will see one another again one day. Who knows, I may be back in Korea next summer and stop in Indonesia to see Almira on my way or I may host Lazar in the U.S. when he decides that only I can make the best japchae. I miss you my friends and I will see you soon!