Graduate / 'clinical pharmacist to societies' SOP PhD application (Pharmacoeconomics) [NEW]

I am going to apply for PhD in area of pharmacoeconomics in the US. Thank you for the help from both moderator and other potential graduate students.

When I decided to enter a pharmacy school in (XXX), I chose Pharm.D. program, the unprecedented program during that juncture, based on the reason that I wanted to become a patient-oriented pharmacist.

Graduated with a passion for introducing new roles of clinical pharmacist to societies, I became a clinical pharmacist at (XXX) Hospital, a private hospital. Since, working in a multidisciplinary team, the acceptance of clinical pharmacists in the team and patients has gradually increased. Drug-related problems have been used as a tool to present the activities of clinical pharmacists. However, in the financial perspective, clinical pharmacist still have small impact toward overall picture of the hospital because the activities cannot be assessed into the quantitative amount. I think that if I can apply the cost-effectiveness analysis, the result of pharmacy interventions should have been clearer to the hospital's management view and the roles of clinical pharmacists would have been expanded to more patients. Moreover, there have been situations that physicians switched patients' medicines to new drugs that have similar efficacy in a favor of sale representatives, but with no evidence-base of cost-effectiveness. In cases like this, patients waste money on switching drugs merely on physicians' preferences. Patients should have right to use the medicine that is not only best for their health but also best for their financials. I believe that study in pharmacoeconomics can help provide directions to hospitals and health care system so that patients and the society can gain benefit by being healthier in a more cost-effective way.

In the fourth year of pharmacy student, I volunteered to be the president of Mahidol camp, activities to promote health in rural area by four faculties-- medicine, nurse, pharmacy, and dentist. I realized that health care system in countryside still needs to be improved. I think that if there are more researches related to pharmacoeconomics, especially cost-effectiveness analysis, the government can save more money by using the efficiency drugs or treatments at a lower cost. The incremental money benefited from pharmacoeconomics studies has significant meaning to developing countries. This money can be used to contribute in many helpful ways for developing countries such as improving basic health requirements to residencies in rural areas.

Writing Feedback / Toefl essay: Modern technology; single world culture will not be created [2]

Thank you for giving me feedback. :)

Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Modern technology is creating a single world culture. Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.

Modern technology is bringing people all around the world closer and closer. Internet, satellite TV and high speed transportation are the examples of modern technology. These technologies help people to communicate and share information much easier. However, I strongly disagree with the statement that modern technology is creating a single world technology.

I believe that inherit culture and norm still have greater influence to people. Even though new culture has been created, people will only adjust that new culture to their old culture. It is impossible to create a single culture among various cultured people. People will maintain their own culture because it identifies who they are. Especially, ancient cultural people, they will conserve their civilization to distinguish themselves from others.

Additionally, the development of technology aims to comfort people. People only use it to make their life more convenient not to change their belief, custom or ways of life. For example, in the past people use post office service to send season's greeting cards. After the available of wired communications, people send short phone messages, e-cards and emails instead of the traditional cards. Therefore, we can conclude that they still hold on their culture. They only use technology to facilitate themselves.

More significantly, the availability of modern technology is unequal throughout the world. Modern technology is accessible mostly in big cities. If the modern technology forms a new culture, it will affect only small area not the whole world. The rural people will not involve on this changes. Hence, we cannot say that technology is developing a single world culture because it has an impact on particular regions. To illustrate, a new culture related to computer has been emerged. People who gain access to computer will only get this culture. People who do not even know how to use computer will not adopt this new culture.

For all these reasons, I therefore believe that a single world culture will not be created. People will adapt technology to comfort their life and will maintain their proud culture. Moreover, an unfair opportunity to access to technology is the key factor why I disagree with the statement.

Writing Feedback / Toefl essay : One thing representing your country to an international exhibition [3]

Please give me some suggestion or feedback to improve my writing. Thank you in advance.

My country, Thailand, is blessed with abundant natural resources and local products. Thailand is famous for rice, elephants, Thai silk, Thai cuisine, Thai boxing, beautiful beaches, culture, art and so on. Among these, I would choose Thai cuisine to represent my country. Obviously, Thai food is known as not only spicy but also balance of fundamental taste. Thai food also shows good combination of culture and art. Moreover, food is the best way to draw attention from people who come to the exhibition because they can taste and smell it.

Thai food is unique and delicious. Most Thai food is prepared from herbs and spices. Herbal and spice ingredients in each dish helps balance the taste of food: sweet, sour, salty, spicy and bitter. Thai main dishes serve with rice meaning that the main dishes must have rich taste in order to be tasty when eat with rice. The balance and rich of taste and the perfect blended of herbs and spices make Thai food differed from others which must be interesting to international audiences.

The appearance of authentic Thai food is usually magnificent and colorful. For the example, Thai curries are called by color like red curry, green curry, orange curry and yellow curry. On top of those curries, they are often covered by cilantro, spring onion or peanut. Moreover, Thai carved fruit and vegetable will be serve together to decorate and make the food more attractive. The design of carved fruit and vegetable is different from region to region which symbolizes the art and culture in form of food.

The smell of food in an international exhibition will catch audience's attention. In case that the audience tastes the food, they can enjoy and feel a part of culture, art and lifestyle at that time which is a great way to represent my country. Moreover, there are a number of Thai restaurants located around the world. This might help promote Thai restaurant business as well.

Western people always greet by say hello and ask "How are you?" but Thai always ask "Have you already had a meal?" instead of "How are you?" which means that Thai concern a lot about eating and food. Unsurprisingly, Thailand becomes famous on food. From my point of view, presenting Thai food will be a significant way to represent my country.