Beyond Bian

After submitting all my requirements to the UP College of Medicine Admissions Office, I walked out with very little hope that I could pass through their first screening. My pediatrician, my cardiologist and a few other doctors that I've talked to were also doubtful. They would tell me that I shouldn’t get my hopes up, since I was a girl and I was only running for cum laude . I guess, by the time we were already hunting for med schools, I've already convinced myself that I’m okay with studying at St. Luke’s College of Medicine. Still, I applied for 5 medical schools that I found fit to my standard of quality education: UPCM (the high and almighty), UERM (also called UPRM), ASMPH (the business oriented education), PLM (UPCM but not UPCM), and SLCM (scholarships for the poor like me).  I sat down with my parents at CBTL - Rob Manila to tell them my Plan A, B and C. Plan A was, of course, getting into the high and almighty school and take residency at UP-PGH or at a private ...

Of all the schools I applied to (UP, UERM, PLM, ASMPH, and SLCM), I'd say that the Admissions Committee of SLCM is the absolute worst. Their medical school is definitely something to look forward to, but you'd have to lie your way in, if you're a financially unstable person like my friend who rooted for an academic scholarship. Mind you, he was 6th in line and had more than the credentials for that academic scholarship, but was still denied of it when he said that he was also waiting for results of other schools (which is an honest answer knowing that there's still a risk of paying about 150k per year for a med school). Application Requirements Now, for our batch, the requirements were: Accomplished Application Form with 4 copies of 2" by 2" photo (white background) Application Fee of Php. 3000.00 Official Transcript of Records (TOR) or True Copy of Grades (TCG)* Certification of Expected Graduation* Birth Certificate, Certificate of Naturalization...

The Admissions Committee of UERMMMC is quite different from that of ASMPH. As I've mentioned in my Guide to ASMPH post, ASMPH showed all their applicants that they were welcome and wanted by the school regardless of what status you may be academically, financially or whatever aspect of your life you may be worried about. In my experience with UERMMMC, the committee members were explicitly non-chalant with their applicants. However, I might have this feeling just because of how impressed I was with the accommodations of ASMPH. In a more positive light, this may show that UERMMMC is merely being professional with their work. Anyway, before I further poison any wells, I considered entering UERMMMC because it is known for its Level IV PAASCU Accreditation and output of students (considering their high board exams). Additionally, I know a lot of doctors from UERMMMC who are doing quite well. One of which is Dr. Jhuliet Balderas, my pedia-cardiologist, who is known for her expertise in ...

Application Requirements The Admissions Committee of ASMPH have done a perfectly great job to pull in aspirants. They've set an atmosphere that will make you want to go to their school because you'll want to interact with them. I remember, when I submitted my app reqs, they also "required" us to get candy from a jar. I took a Mentos and sat down in front of them, when I noticed that there was a Chocnut at the bottom of the jar. Embarassingly enough, I reacted by impulse and said, "Oh noooo. May Chocnut pala. Sayang." They laughed and told me to take it, but I might look desperate for it so I politely declined. I expected them to give up on the endeavor, but they poured out the contents of the jar and gave me the Chocnut. This gave me an impression that I was welcome in their school regardless of my standing as an applicant. It made me feel at ease with them immediately. Now, for our batch, the requirements were: Accomplished Application Form with ...

I had once been at the verge of giving up my dream to be a doctor of medicine, and it was a time when I was diagnosed Mitral Valve Prolapse. It's a stupid reason to give up, but if you looked up to doctors the same way I did, you would understand. Doctors, to me, were the epitome of perfection. They were unscathed by the blood that splattered on their coats, unwavered by the horror of the emergency room and untouched by the antigens that occupied every inch of their work fields. To me, medicine was the noble profession that made one an invincible hero bringing about miracles to the victims of our dangerous world. Not the complete opposite. I was born with a defective heart, and I realized that I was never going to be "perfect". By discovering the defect, I suddenly lost faith in what I could do. I further justified the reason by telling my parents that I think I'm better off working as a researcher and a teacher instead because even if I continue pursuing medicin...