Diagnosis: Multi-Organ Pleasure secondary to Life’s Verve & Dynamism

Before I embarked on my ship and started my job as Vessel Physician, it was few months ago when I took the opportunity to return to the grounds of my alma mater ( FEU-Dr. Nicanor Reyes Medical Foundation) in a “far away land”..and since hindi naman po ako duon nag PGI kaya sobrang na-miss ko rin pala ang school ko. During my JI days, our school offered us a sort of a peek to the façade of both worlds-6 months inside rotation (“private practice” school based hospital) and 6 months outside rotation ( government hospitals & institutions) and eventually, I chose to have my PGI training (Post Graduate Internship, 5th yr. before taking the Board Exams) in the latter setting.

Looking objectively at our Med Life experiences, delve into the painful, pleasant, and the emotional roller coaster that may have been our life for that time, what of value did we take away, and what do we continue to learn from this leg of the journey. Do we perceive that uniqueness in that “atrocious” yet altruistic chapter of our lives? Most of us or should I say everybody ( in medical field ) would certainly do but in various perspectives and demeanor.

I have come across with a number of foreign medical students across the Asia and Oceania through the years, and it is hard for most of them to perceive our experiences. I carry that banner proudly. And from what I perceive, my fellow Filipino trained medical students/clerks/interns are surely a unique group of people with a powerful base and strong desire to reach for ideals. This blood runs deep among us at kahit saan pang lupalop ng mundo tayo makarating .( health system in my country is indeed,deplorable wherein quality & comprehensive health care services are sometimes, a luxury instead of a right.nevertheless, somehow, a lot of local Filipino doctors still manage to be resourceful enough, dedicated and responsive to the needs and plights of their patients amidst of the poignant condition. sad but true!)

Those rainy seasons, 24 hrs nonstop manual ambu-bagging, walang kamatayang IV insertion,”doc,pa sanction po ng pasyente namin”, doing clinical abstracts, home visits, referrals THOC, otso-otso (CPR) , boldyakan during endorsements, pagtataray ng ilang mga nurses, panakaw na pagtulog o panunuod ng ‘”oh yeah, oh yeah” VCD/DVDs sa Male JI lounge, CPCs( case presentation conferences), “fermented malt hydration” sessions, and not to mention those endless walking monitoring machines were all not comfortable, I know, but as a facet of the diamond, they make the gem quite valuable.

Masaya.Magulo.Mahirap.Masarap. Misteryoso…hehehe-ilan lamang marahil sa mga salitang maglalarawan ng aking buhay MED sa ‘Pinas. At salamat sa mga taong naging bahagi rin ng aking makabuluhang paglalakbay (my fellow interns/clerks from St. Luke’s, Fatima, Perpetual, UERMMC, DLSU, UST ).Marami akong natutunan hindi lamang sa panggagamot ng maysakit bagkus, ang kahalagahan ng PAKIKIPAG-KAPWA TAO at pagpapahalaga ng ating BUHAY!

Allow me to quote Dr. Meredith Grey of Grey’s Anatomy-

I cant think of any one good reason why I want to be a doctor..

But I can think of thousand reasons why I should quit….

They make it hard on purpose..

There are lives in our hands..

There comes a moment when it’s more than just a game.. …..

and you either take that step forward….

….or turn around and walk away.

I could quit, yes.

But here’s the thing….. I love the playing field!!!

MEDICINE.I LOVE THIS GAME!

Note: This was actually the same message I posted in PinoyMD, an awesome website dedicated for Filipino Doctors and was not intended to bring dispute or arguments but rather, I just wanted to share my own personal sentiments and experiences in this profession so called “The Science and Art of Healing” . And for those who can’t decode a number of Tagalog items I used here, the following are some of the explanations/translations (not actually verbatim but something to that effect) that I would like to convey:

1. “hindi naman po ako duon nag PGI kaya sobrang na-miss ko”- I missed my school so much since I opted to have my Post Graduate Internship (5th yr) training outside.

2. “at kahit saan pang lupalop ng mundo tayo makarating “- wherever in this world our fate bring would bring us

3. “walang kamatayang IV insertion”- never-ending IV insertions

4. “doc,pa sanction po ng pasyente namin”- instead of asking us (clerks/interns) to suction their patients’ copious pulmonary discharges, some relatives would tell sanction.hehehe..

5. otso-otso (CPR)- imitating a famous dance move (otso-otso) “eight-eight” while doing the external chest compression

6. “boldyakan” during endorsements- being grilled/ tortured/tormented/eaten alive by some consultants, professors, and senior residents during bedside endorsements or case study reports

7. “pagtataray ng ilang mga nurses”- nasty/ spiteful / mean treatment of some nurses to med students mostly noted in some government hospital thinking we just meddle with their jobs whenever we asked for the patients’ charts or need some assistance from them….again, some but Not all…I used to be a Nurse, too before becoming an MD.

8. “panakaw na pagtulog” – stolen nap/siesta/forty winks/rest

9. “panunuod ng ‘”oh yeah, oh yeah” VCD/DVDs”- men’s stuff, no need to elaborate (censored!!!….hehehehee)

10. “ Masaya.Magulo.Mahirap.Masarap. Misteryoso…”- Fun. Chaotic. Hard. Fulfilling. Mysterious.

11. “ ilan lamang marahil sa mga salitang maglalarawan ng aking buhay MED sa ‘Pinas”- just a few of many words I could think of to describe my MED Life in the Philipines

12. “At salamat sa mga taong naging bahagi rin ng aking makabuluhang paglalakbay”- and my heartfelt thanks to those people who, one way or another, became part of this laudable journey

13. "Marami akong natutunan hindi lamang sa panggagamot ng maysakit bagkus, ang kahalagahan ng PAKIKIPAG-KAPWA TAO at pagpapahalaga ng ating BUHAY!"- okay this one is hard but I’ll try it though!—I have learned a lot from those experiences, not just treating your patients, making them well but most importantly, the CAMARADERIE and FRIENDSHIP I had and the SIGNIFICANCE OF LIVING SELFLESSLY and LOVING LIFE to the fullest!

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