random thoughts

When It Rains, It Pours

September 13, 2007

Today, I got the most important call in my medical career.  At 10:37 am, the Chief Resident of the PGH-Dermatology Section called me up to congratulate and welcome me to their residency program.  It was a culmination of what I had worked for during the last 4 years.  My first instinct was to call Eileen, one of my roommates in Med School and incidentally, applying in Derma as well.  She asked me specifically a week before that if ever they call me, I should let her know asap. Since 2nd year, the three of us have been daydreaming about this.  Groggy Eileen picks up the phone, and I tell her sorry but you have to wake up, like right now! Haha.. Because if ever the Section calls you and you still sound like you rolled out of bed, you might say something you're not supposed to say :) 

Then Tricia, my other former roommate, texted to congratulate me, I told her I'll be praying for you dear.  Turns out she got accepted as well. :) so 2 na from 18-D.  15 minutes later, it was Eileen's turn to call me.. That makes 3. 

I was hoping that our other classmates would get accepted in the program!  There were 10 of us from UP who applied this year making it more difficult because each of us had their own merits.  And we took the same exam as the Internal Medicine applicants.

4:30 pm My cellphone rings again.  This time, it was Dr. Fores, the Admissions Committee Chair from Makati Medical Center. Big time ito.  She was the one who told us that morning that at exactly 9 am, pens should be down and if you're still writing, they won't even bother to check your paper.  She continued with " This is a competitive exam.  If you are seated beside your friend and you help her with one question, you are helping her get that slot instead of you. Be conscious of the time also, you are given 1 and a half hours to finish this exam." Ok i thought. "We will contact you in the next 48 hours if you qualify so do not call us or bother our residents to ask what your score was." Mental note.

One look at her that morning, I got easily intimidated with the bling-bling and her demeanor.

Consultant: "Is this Dr. Monica Felise Jara? (buong name ko pa talaga) Congratulations for making it to the top 10 of our qualifying examination this morning.  Your interview is scheduled on September 22. at blah-blah" 

I let her finish but I was also happy. I said, "Thank you maam but I would have to decline my application in advance."

She says, "But why?" (sounding surprised)

me: Maam, I have just been accepted in another Residency Program.

Consultant: ah really what?

me: Dermatology maam

Consultant: yeah i know, but what training institution? (oo nga naman, ang labo)

me:  uhhh PGH po. (of course, feeling ko na at this point eh hindi ako bagay sa Makati Med coz I have been so used to PGH.. u either love PGH or u dont)

Consultant: Oh ok. Congratulations then.. I'll still be seeing you in the PDS Conventions... Congratulations again and thank you for letting us know in advance.

Wow, 2 training institutions.. I had dreamt about this.  My friends asked me before, "What if you qualify for both?  What will you say in the MMC interview?"  I still don't know actually what to say in MMC.  That was Plan B.  I cannot lie. Both institutions had very good programs.  But clearly, I had already made my choice. I spent the last 5 years in PGH and it taught me very valuable lessons, which I don't think I would get anywhere else.

Career Talks

I watched Oprah 2 weeks ago when she announced that the program would present "the secret" to making more money, losing weight, finding the love of your life, and achieving job success.

The essence of The Secret by Rhonda Byrne is "the law of attraction." Everything in the Universe vibrates on a particular frequency. When you think in harmony with the frequency of something, you attract it to you. If you think about wealth, you will receive wealth. If you think instead about your debt, you will receive more debt. You attract what you think about; your thoughts determine your destiny.

According to this idea, we alone are responsible for each and every thing that happens to us, not because of the actions we take, but the thoughts and energy we project. 

So remember the process: ask, believe, and then receive.

To cut the long story short, I have been preparing for this for a long time.  When I entered Pisay for high school, I did it with the thought that I could enter UP Diliman easier then go to Medical school.  Just 4 days ago, I finally got my PRC license to practice Medicine in the Philippines.  I was only in Kinder when I said I wanted to be a doctor, and I worked hard all my life to get to where I am now.  Never mind the difficulties or intrigues along the way.  I viewed them not as a hindrance to my goal but as a challenge that I wanted to do better, to be better.

  My close friends all know that ever since 2nd year in Medicine, I wanted to be a dermatologist.  Hindi dahil sa kaartehan or dahil sabi nila benign. People think that going to the Derma means facials and getting injections or medications for your acne. I think they are misinformed.

I've had keratosis pilaris since I was a kid and ever since, I've been going to different dermatologists for half of my life.  6 UP-trained doctors to be exact.  It helped me deal with issues I had with myself and my self-esteem.  It helped me view and learn about my disease and I was literally "consumed" by it.  To the point that it was my goal in life to help patients who "suffered" as much as I did.

Fast forward to 2007.  Ive been contemplating on whether to submit my application to Dermatology in PGH even before the Board Exams.  That was how much I wanted this, even if I was unsure whether I would pass the boards. But at the back of my mind, I had no doubt we would pass after all the hard work we put into the 2 month review.

Less than a month ago, we took the same Internal Medicine exam as the 96 IM applicants and 58 Dermatology applicants. I tried to Study for it but who can read 2 volumes of Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine in 5 days?  Certainly not me!

Last Wednesday morning (Sept 5), I had my interview with 7 PGH Dermatology consultants and the Chief resident... and that same afternoon submitted my application to Makati Medical Center.  Both Training Institutions have their own strengths but it has always been my goal to train in PGH.  Loyalty award na nga dapat eh!

I had coffee with Sir Norman last Sat and again his question for me was "Ano ba talaga gusto mo? Derma or PGH?" because I really didn't know what to do with my life. He offered me some options if I dont get accepted like working in a Pharmaceutical company, moonlighting, do Research, apply for a teaching position.  I wanted to do it all.. hindi ko alam kung paano.

I just came from Makati Medical Center today for their Dermatology Residency Qualifying Examination. It was a 100 item exam based on the book, Andrews' Diseases of the Skin which was scheduled from 7:30 - 9 am.  We left feeling bewildered by the questions.  It was partly my fault. I was reading around 30 pages only for four days. I knew that I had been trying to read close to 400 pages yesterday in an effort to cram information.  Most of the diseases in this book were foreign to me.  I had a lot to learn!

And as I was on Quirino Avenue on my way home, my cellphone rang. Unknown number.

"We're pleased to inform you that you have been accepted to the Dermatology Residency Program in PGH. Congratulations.. etc."

I froze for literally 5 minutes in disbelief. I wanted to shout for joy pero nahihiya naman ako sa Chief Resident baka isipin niya hehe ang jologs..

You can imagine my exhilaration now. Let me breathe for a moment to let it all sink in :) In 2 weeks, my life has changed.