My Medical Studies

After graduating from college and passing the NMAT I applied at UERM and PLM. I heard that UERM does not consider students with questionable financial capacity, but I was honest nonetheless to state my family's financial status. I was not expecting anything from UE, but I was called upon for interview and we discussed the possiblity of a them finding a sponsor for me (wow!). I did not follow up, though. I was still half-hearted about it, so I did not want to end up paying them back in case I failed for lack of determination. PLM at that time started accepting applicants from outside Manila (the school was subsidized by the Manila government), and since Marge was thinking of applying for that, I decided to try it, too. It was late when I realized that they were under a socialized tuition fee for non-Manila residents, and I ended up paying for my tuition, which amounted to around P12,000. Of course, I had to borrow money from my rich uncle who's a doctor and was too happy to provide me with medical supplies as well.

It was not so bad, but I felt a lot of strain mainly because my classmates were either paranoid or had delusions of self-grandeur. I made up my mind to give up my dream of becoming a doctor, but that I would finish the first semester first with high grades (I did not want any of my classmates to think that I quitted because I did not have the brains. I just could not stand my environment.) Other reasons were my difficulties in traveling (aboard a jeepney, with 4 hours of smoke and traffic to and from the school everyday) initially, then when I rented a cheap room near the school, I could not stant the stench and the community surrounding me.

When my teachers (batchmates of my uncle) then learned from my close friends about my decision, they tried to convince me to stay (they could see me as an asset in their school, of course, and they knew my uncle would want me to be a doctor and train in Ospital in Maynila under the same teachers' mentoring. But I could not be stopped...
During that time the nursing as a career was no longer attractive, The "in" thing in working abroad was being a PT. I searched for schools offering scholarship and found Fatima. So I made the inquiries, until I was interviewed.

During the interview, I was asked about my college course and if I took the NMAT and what my score was. Then she wondered why I did not take up medicine despite my high score in NMAT. I told her the above story.She then offered me to take the scholarship exam. Needless to say, I got the scholarship and has become a doctor for FREE! Complete with books, board and lodging! I will forever be grateful to Fatima College of Medicine for that opportunity.

   
These were class pictures during my first year.

   
These were my barkada consiting of Vims, Jenny and her brother Vince, Jeannie, Marife. Not included in the photos were Peter, Ezra and Lea (who were also from UP Diliman).

Here is a photo taken during a Christmas Party. Lea is the one behind Jenny.