Book Choices

I'm joining the bandwagon because I’ve been tagged on facebook twice and my books and reviewers are all winking at me but I really want to procrastinate for a moment. Haha.

List 10 books that have stayed with you in some way:

1. The Bible

“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens.”

2. Art of War by Sun Tzu

“The greatest victory is that which requires no battle.”

“He who knows when he can fight and when he cannot, will be victorious.”

--Can I just quote everything????

3. The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoyevsky

“Above all, don't lie to yourself. The man who lies to himself and listens to his own lie comes to a point that he cannot distinguish the truth within him, or around him, and so loses all respect for himself and for others. And having no respect he ceases to love.”

4. Harry Potter by J. K. Rowling

“It is our choices that define what we truly are, far more than our abilities.”

“Understanding is the first step to acceptance, and only with acceptance can there be recovery.”

5. Ermita by F. Sionil Jose

“The obscenities of this country are not girls like you. It is the poverty, which is obscene, and the criminal irresponsibility of the leaders who make this poverty a deadening reality. The obscenities in this country are the places of the rich, the new hotels made at the expense of the people, the hospitals where the poor die when they get sick because they don't have the money either for medicines or services. It is only in this light that the real definition of obscenity should be made.”

“We cannot be rooted in the past forever. We must not be sentimental.”

6. Culture and History by Nick Joaquin

“Identity is the history that has gone into bone and blood and reshaped the flesh. Identity is not what we were but what we have become, and what we are at this moment.”

7. The Prince by Niccolo Machiavelli

“Love is preserved by the link of obligation which, owing to the baseness of men, is broken at every opportunity for their advantage; but fear preserves you by a dread of punishment which never fails.”

8. On Guerrilla Warfare by Mao Zedong

“Historical experience is written in iron and blood.”

“Women hold up half the sky.” ---although I think this was part of a speech, not of a book

9. Organic Chemistry by Clara Lim-Sylianco

There are books that you just can’t and won’t understand, whatever you do, and however you try. For me, this is one of those books. I closed it, and switched to Bruice.

10. Medicine books

These are the books that constantly remind me of the path I chose to take. And they make good pillows too! Haha

“We read because they teach us about people, we can see ourselves in them,in their problems.And by seeing ourselves in them, we clarify ourselves, we explain ourselves to ourselves, so we can live with ourselves…”  -F. Sionil Jose

*all books photos are from Google. Most of my books are in the province, with only the med books left with me in Manila. Haha.

Medical School Year 1 recap and realizations

Time flies so fast. My first year in medical school has gone by so fast, and it was indeed a very interesting part of my journey towards becoming a doctor. New school, new people, new friends, new rules, new lessons - all of which contributed to what I have become within the past year. Here are some points that I learned and realized in my 1st year in med school:

1. Studying SMART is so much better than studying HARD

You may memorize all you want, but you may still fail. The key to surviving medicine is understanding the concepts, especially the fundamentals. Memorizing the lessons for a whole week is not enough to pass, especially when questions get crazy. You have to UNDERSTAND the important details. And frankly, given all the lessons that you need to digest and inhale, no one can really study everything. Or ewan, maybe it's just me and my eternal katamaran sa pagaaral. Hehe!

photo from my classmate Aldrich

2. Mnemonics will help you in studying

They will help you remember the lessons easily. Even the hardest lesson will be easy to memorize after you constructed a mnemonic for it. However, the mnemonics we invented aren't really suitable for public blogging, so I can't share them here… hehehe! Sorry :))) Basta mapapadali ang buhay pag may mnemonics. Kunwari, sabihin na nating…. Uhmm… Example na pwede sa bata (Hehe): Deep muscles of the back: I Love Spaghetti - I-iliocostalis L-Longgisimus S-Spinalis. Hahaha. Funny dibaaa? diba??? uhhh, nope?! Well we have better ones :> :)))

3. Medical school is also like an art school

Yeahhh, drawing and coloring here and there - it's almost like an art class with our papers splashed with different vibrant colors. And for someone who can't even draw a straight line, this is such a hassle sa muscle activity for me! Although I admit, visualizing will help you understand the concepts better. In any case, colored pencils and sharpeners should always be inside our bags in case we need to unleash the inner Da Vinci within us at some time in the day. Hehe.

Brain yan. Believe it or not.

4. There are good days, there are bad days.

Like what the old cliche goes, you can't have everything. Sometimes you already did everything, studied every letter of every word of every sentence of every page of the book (but not the case of my tamad self! teehee), prayed to God and all the saints… Yet the moment you receive your test paper, you'll just wonder.. "Huh??? May ganito ba sa lessons!???!?" And you'll end up failing the test. Hehehehe.

both photos from Google

Don't worry, that's normal. :)))) When I fail my tests, I get sad for roughly 2 minutes then I move on. Sayang sa time eh. Hahaha! :)) However, there are times when you didn't study for anything and guessed almost everything, yet you get a passing (sometimes even high) grade. Or when you reported something you really prepared for and your professor praised you, you feel great and wonderful. Super puyat win! Isang malakas na: Thaaaaankkkkk yoooouuuuuuu LOOOORRRDDDD! The rollercoaster of emotions you get in medschool is priceless. Either way, good days and especially during bad days, I always tell myself: This too shall pass :)

5. Medicine means sacrifice

Sometimes you just have to accept that you do not own time. Time owns you. There are occasions you have to cancel, family gatherings you have to miss, and a whole lot more, because you need to study. But like what they always say, the road may be bitter now, but its fruit is sweet.

6. Joining medical school means getting out of your comfort zone

It means going beyond what you already know, what you already experienced, and what you think you already know. Everyone who knows me know that I hate recitation. Give me exams and quizzes and essays, I will be fine. But recitation??? Noooopey nope nope! Give me a N! Give me an O! NO! I am not a public speaker, and I hate reciting in front of a crowd. However, because of the SGDs in all subjects, as well as the laboratory conferences and figure review discussions in Physiology, medschool gave me no choice but conquer my "fear" of reciting.

7. There is more to medical school than just books, exams and discussions

Some friendly competition.. A little activity beyond medical studies… Med school is definitely more than just books. Case in point: Biochemistry Nutrifest. Here, students perform, dance, sing, etc. in order to discuss, in an unconventional way, a certain topic in Biochemistry which is Nutrition. It's a break from the common everyday toxic environment of medicine that sometimes suffocates us. It's like a breath of fresh air that makes students feel alive (and human) again (NUUUXXXX!), especially because it is held during the death March, where every waking day is an exam day.

UST-FMS Subsection D2 2017! Lord of the CALORings

8. Med friends will keep you sane.

Need I say more? Basically, they are your family that will stand by you through whatever. And because you're going through the same road, you will understand one another. From the happy moments to moments when you almost feel like giving up, it's the thought of having these amazing people by your side that will make you hold on. :) Just some take away food, drinks, good music, stories, and one another, okay na. Random beerpong sessions and spontaneous kwentuhan nights along the stretch of Dapitan, Lacson, Noval or Espana beat any failed exam. And with that, we know that we'll get through medicine together.

Cake date!

Medical school means a balance of everything: Focus, enjoyment, determination. This is where we start to dream, and where we work on those dreams. It is unity in diversity, and diversity in unity.

Our first year in medical school has taught us many lessons, both in the academics, and in life, that lie beyond what grades can measure. And because grades are only numbers, they can never measure our dreams. It's the lessons and memories that we make in our journey that make our life in medschool worthwhile. And as long as we love what we are doing, we know that we are on the right track.

2nd year, see you in July!!!! :D

UST-FMS D-2017

Why You Should Take Up Medicine...

This blogpost I made is old, in fact I posted this on my blog almost 3 years ago. According to my blog, I posted it on Nov 1, '09 10:32 PM. I am posting it again, anyway.

*****

My parents are both doctors (my dad a general surgeon with subspecialty in minimal invasive surgery, my mom an ob-gyn) and they have always wanted me to take up medicine as well. Maybe there really is a certain pressure when your parents are both doctors, because people around you expect you to be one as well.

"O, college ka na pala. Anong course mo?" "Ah, premed na siya."  

"Hello doktora."

"Wag mo sabihing di ka magmemedicine? Doctors ang parents mo."

"Good morning doc. Anak niyo? Uy may bago na tayong doctor niyan after a few years."

"The default course is MEDICINE. Unless you really really want something else, you'll take up Medicine."

I have always wanted to become a doctor as well (actually excited na ko) - maybe because I grew up seeing my parents work as medical practitioners, and they always bring me with them (until now) whenever they do their rounds around the hospitals and whenever they do surgeries and attend conventions, conferences and gatherings - No wonder I understand most of their medical jargons. And seriously, wala akong ibang alam na future kung hindi maging doctor. It may be embarrassing but honestly, until now, I still don't really know or understand the job opportunities of other courses. And in a way, I'm not interested anymore. 

My mom gave me a copy of a certain article to reinforce my "future life as a med student, and a  doctor".

The article was entitled 10 Reasons to Become a Doctor, from the Mind Your Body column by Willie T. Ong, MD of the Lifestyle (Health and Family) Section of the Philippine Star, September 22, 2009 page E-1.

*****

10 Reasons to Become a Doctor by Willie T. Ong, MD

1. Prestige and respect. There is nothing like adding an MD after your name. May dela Cruz can easily become Dr. May dela Cruz. The respect accorded doctors rivals that of any profession. For Dr. Martesio C. Perez, "Medicine is considered one of the noblest professions. It was my parents' dream for me to become one. I have never regretted it." Dr. Gonzalo F. Austria agrees, "being poor, I had a soft heart for human suffering. Medicine, I was convinced, was a prestigious profession."

2. Ability to help. If you want to make a difference, if you want to help the sick and poor, then this is the profession for you. Armed with only a stethoscope, doctors help multitudes by just sitting, listening, and advising. Unlike businessmen who need to donate millions in order to help, for doctors, helping is a way of life. Dr. Clemente M. Amante says it clearly, "I feel that this is the best way to help people, rich or poor, young or old."

3. Influence. being a doctor opens some doors in business, in advocacies, and even in the love life department. Be sure to use your expertise to good use.

4. Lots of friends (and admirers, too). One thing sure, if you're a doctor, you'll never be lonely or bored. With daily patient interaction, you get the inside scoop to people's darkest secrets. And there'll always be someone asking for your help.

5. Caring for one's family. Every family needs a doctor. There's nothing like a doctor-son or daughter caring for his or her parents. Diseases are detected early, treated correctly, and lives are prolonged. Less worry and headache for everyone. This was especially true for Dr. Manuel Chua-Chiaco Sr. who confides, "I wanted to be a doctor to be of service to my family. My father had tuberculosis, my mother had hypertension, two brothers had thyrotoxicosis, and one sister had severe asthma."

6. You won't starve (but you may not get rich either). Earning tons of money in medicine is possible but sometimes, your conscience dictates that you give free services. If you are a believer like me, I guess the doctor's rewards are in heaven (where moths and insects can't get to them).

7. Doable even with an average IQ. For medical students, earning the MD is the norm rather than the exception. You don't have to be a genius. Perseverance is all you need. You could be like Dr. Trinidad Echano-Madrigal who hates Math, "It was the only career option requiring a minimum of math subjects. I was poor in numbers, hence the choice."

8. Indispensability. Dr. Ernesto P. Namin waxes romantic, "The most needed professionals in my community were physicians and I felt I was romantic to be indispensible."

9. God's servant. Spirituality and peace of mind are welcome benefits for doctors. There's nothing like helping needy people to cleanse one's soul. Dr. Amado M. San Luis underscores the spiritual aspect of medicine: "I consider medicine to be the noblest profession and an extension of God's healing hand, the only profession given the privilege to understand life and cure diseases afflicting man." Dr. Homobono B. calleja agrees, "Of the three learned professions, the clergy, law, and medicine, medicine serves the totality pf the human being, the spiritual as well as the physical."

10. Love of country. Here is something new. In the light of the brain drain of health workers, studying medicine and practicing in the country, especially in far-flung areas, have been equated with heroism. Our national hero, Dr. Jose Rizal, was a doctor who studied abroad and came back to serve his country.

Medicine is truly a noble profession, as Hippocrates said.

  

*****

  

Well, that's it. Hope that helped you too. Med School, see you next year!! :D