#AskDarlene 2

1. What do you usually do during your free time?
As medical students, we barely have free time. Which is why, every time we have a "free time", we make the most out of it. I spend most of my free time bonding with my family, playing with my pet, blogging, and watching series. :)

2. What are your favorite series?
Grey's Anatomy, One Tree Hill, Gossip Girl, How I Met Your Mother, The Vampire Diaries, Pretty Little Liars, Awkward...and the list goes on, and on... :)

3. 5 things you can't leave your house without? (in order)
Cellphone, hanky, money, keys, watch (and to add, umbrella, most especially during rainy season).

4. Favorite chocolate/s?
Hmm, this is hard.. I'm a certified chocoholic. I guess my favorite ones are Reese's, Mars, Ferrero Rocher :)

5. Do you smoke? 
Nope, and never! :)

6. Talents you wish you have, or maybe something you want to try?
Photography and calligraphy 

7. If you weren't in med school, where will you be?
If wasn't in med school... I'll still be in med school. :P Hahaha. Sorry, I don't know. I never thought of that! :)

8. Favorite piece/s of jewelries, and why?
The pair of white gold earrings my mom gave me when I passed my first year in med school
My Pandora bracelet since it signifies different aspects of who I am. :)
Love Bracelet - unique
Charriol bangle from my cousin Eunice

9. Read your post about your specialization dilemma, have you decided now? If not yet, what is/are the specialization/s you feel like considering? If yes, what?
I still haven't decided what specialization to take in the future. I somehow able to manage  to set it aside this "dilemma" first. I still consider Surgery and OB, though, but idk, it's really hard to tell. :)

10. Favorite love quote from a movie?
"To let true love remain unspoken is the quickest route to a heavy heart." - Warren Peace, Sky High

11. Hi, im the same person who asked about your favorite love quote from a movie? How about all-time favorite movie quote (if not the same as the one you answered for the love quote)
"The past can hurt. But the way I see it, you can either run from it or learn from it." - Rafiki, The Lion King

12. I heard you are fond of reading novels... First novel you've read?
The Princess Diaries Series by Meg Cabot <3 

13. All-time favorite movie/s?
Harry Potter 1-7.2

14. Whose blog is your most favorite?
Saab Magalona <3 #BlogGoals, lol. 

15. As a child, who was your favorite cartoon character?
Elmo from Sesame Street!! And I still love him up to now, btw. ;)

16. Favorite "nakakaiyak talaga, bes" movies?
If Only, Hachi: A Dog's Tale, A Walk To Remember

17. Do you play any musical instruments? If yes, what, and what pieces can you play?
Believe it or not, I do know how to play the piano and the guitar. My brothers and I took piano lessons for123456789 summer, lol. But later on, I realized piano wasn't for me, so I decided to take guitar lessons, thinking it might be the right path for me (char!). Eventually, I realized it wasn't just piano which wasn't for me, lol! Later on, I figured  out where I really belong when my dad saw my drawing book, and he and my mom decided to enroll me in painting lessons one summer. <3

Anywaaay, going back, for piano, I know how to play Way Back Into Love, My Heart Will Go On, and Killing Me Softly.

18. Biggest achievements so far?
Graduating from college, acceptance in Medical School, and becoming a RMT. :)

19. Favorite subject in high school? In college? In post-grad?
From grade school to high school, my favorite subject was Math. In college? Parang wala? But I enjoyed Clinical Microscopy the most during my internship. In med school naman, hmm, wala rin 'ata. But I enjoy Surgery. Enjoy ha, wala akong sinabing I do well, hahaha. Wala lang, amazing lang talaga. :)

20. What are you doing now, then after?
Right now, I'm answering your question, which is probably the last question I'm going to answer for this batch of question. I'm gonna try to sleep now, since it's almost 5AM, and I have to wake up "early" later since I need to continue studying for my evals next week, huhu.


← #AskDarlene 1

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#LifeInMedSchool: Mentor-Mentee Session No. 1

From Surgery SGD to Pedia Ward Work @ DLSUMC - OPD to Case Discussion with Dr. Jindra Tetangco to FINALLY meeting our mentor.

Finally, we met our amazing and very inspiring OB-GYN Oncology mentor, Dr. Angelito Magno. 
Innah and I tried to meet with him 2 weeks ago but unfortunately, he wasn't available. When I first entered his clinic, I thought I won't have anything to say. Sobrang pagod na kasi talaga. Na-drain na 'ata ako sa Pedia Ward Work namin. I was actually hoping that meeting with him would just be fast. But when he started to talk, and shared his experiences, I totally forgot how tired I was. He got my attention when he said, when he was choosing his specialization, he knew he won't be an internist, because he likes the surgical field. And, just like him, my heart right now is in the surgical field. His choices were OB-GYN and Surgery. Sobrang amazing niya lang. He's only 35 years old, but he has accomplished so many things. He's an OB-GYN Oncologist, plus he had an advanced training in laparoscopy outside the country. Aside from that, he has published several studies/reviews not just locally but internationally. He actually encourages us to do the same, as early as now. He is a Lasallian doctor who had his internship, residency and fellowship at Philippine General Hospital.

Of all the things that he shared, what struck me the most was this:

When he said this, I realized how true it is. Hindi talaga matatapos ang pag-aaral ng medisina. After we graduate, may residency pa. And for some, after magtake ng specialization, may mga magsusub-specialization pa. There's just too much to learn in this field. You can never say you know everything about it. In Doc Magno's case, he's going to take a Master's Degree. And for sure, it won't end there. Kaya talagang nakaka-inspire 'tong si Doc.

When I got home, I realized how much I want to be just like him someday. Siguro, not totally like him na mag-sub-specialize sa Oncology since Onco isn't really my thing for some personal reasons. I just like how determined and dedicated he is. Siguro, if not like him na OB-GYN Oncologist, I'll find another field that will match my skills and capabilities. :)

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Specialization Dilemma: How to know what specialization suits you

I've always wanted to become a doctor, just like my parents. And I'm happy everyone in my life wants me to be one, too. Siguro nga, kahit teachers and classmates ko noong grade school, ineexpect na nila na maging doctor ako in the future.  I remember when I was a kid, people would ask what I want to be when I grow up. I would say, "Doctor, po." Then they would tell me, "Siyempre, susundan ang footsteps ng parents, diba?"

When I was filling out my college application forms, my dad told me that whatever I do in life, he and my mom will just be there to support me. Kahit ano pa daw ang ilagay kong course, go lang, basta magiging masaya ako. Of course, without a doubt, I chose a pre-med course. I took up BS in Medical Technology. I never saw myself doing anything but medicine. Alam ko, ito talaga path ko. I mean, hello? Kulang na lang noong bata ako, pilitin kong tumanda ako agad para maging doctor na,  no joke. :)

So when college was almost done, and it was time to apply for medical schools, I got excited. I mean, ito na oh. Med school na. As for those who haven't read my other blog posts, I applied for 2 universities - University of Santo Tomas and De La Salle Health Sciences Institute. Yup, I only applied for those 2 universities. UST, of course, was a choice because this is where I took up my pre-med. DLSHSI, on the other hand, is where my mom took up Medicine, plus, the environment, just makes me feel like home. To cut the long story short, I am a third year medical student now at DLSHSI.

Few days after my third year in medicine started, they said we need to choose a mentor. To be fair, our adviser allowed us to choose 2 specializations, and from that, she will assign us a mentor. I saw a lot of people have their own choices already. And there I was, clueless of what I want to be. I asked myself, ano na ba nangyayari? Ang alam ko lang, I want to be a doctor. But what exactly do I want?

I get so jealous of people who know exactly what specialization they want to take. As I said earlier, my parents are both doctors, and it should be easy for me to choose what specialization I want. Pwede naman, na same na lang sa kanila, diba? But it wasn't. My mom's an anesthesiologist. While, my dad's a family medicine. Growing up with a mom who's an anesthesiologist made me decide to not be an anesthesiologist, not even making it as a choice, lol. My mom's schedule has always been busy. 'Yung tipong, nasa mall na kayo, but we have to go home cause there's a patient. But don't get me wrong, my mom is still the best. She never misses any important event in my life. She knows her priorities. Never niya sinabi na di siya makaka-attend ng graduation ko, o kaya wala siya sa birthday ko. She gives us her time, kaya on my part, iniintindi ko na lang talaga siya pag may times na may lakad kami, pero di na natutuloy. On the other hand, medyo, di naman ganoon ka-busy yung dad ko. Hawak niya time niya, which is why, yung dad ko talaga nagvivisit sa amin weekly sa dorm. Sometimes naman, kasama mom ko. Anyway, my dad's specialization is pretty okay. Ako lang ata ang hindi okay sa specialization niya? Hahaha! I don't know, but in med school, parang 'di ko ata kasundo ang Commed, lalo na sa exams?  LOL. So basically, my parents' specializations are out of my choices. When I was in my second year med, I actually listed my choices, pero until now, wala pa rin akong napili talaga. Nababawasan pa ata yung mga nasa choices ko. My mom would say na kung ayaw ko daw ng anes, mag OB-GYN  daw ako. But, I would tell her, on-call din yun, e.

Anyway, here's a list of my criteria for choosing a specialization.

I know, while reading the list, you can think of anything you can suggest me. Ang dami ko lang talagang kontra, I think. Hahaha. Let's go back to Anesthesiology, only number 3 met the criteria. If Family Medicine naman, number 3 does not meet the criteria. So yes, they are both ruled out.

Pediatrics, well, aside sa on-call din naman siya, I just can't be in Peds, cause of what happened to my eldest brother. I hate seeing kids getting sick.

IM. People have already suggested Nephro and Gastro. With Nephro, I think I don't like seeing dialysis patients. With Gastro, hmm, I think it met the criteria, pero idk pa rin. I'm not even sure if I like GIT modules here in med school. So, maybe I can include it in my choices.

Surgery. I think, I like Surgery. Ang cool kasi. BUT,  a.) On-call, yes. b.) Surgeons have their clinics, too. c.) Does procedures in the OR, obviously, yes. On-call + long years of residency + I'm left-handed (I think it'll be harder for me? Haay, excuses. LOL!)

OB-GYN, ito talaga pinupush nila eh. But on-call kasi, that's what's preventing me from choosing it. But, when I see it, being in OB-GYN, is like, witnessing life. I mean, we witness life naman whatever specialization we take. Yung giving of life siguro since OB-GYNs give birth. And yet again, di ko pa talaga alam.

And the list goes on. I think whatever specialization you suggest me, may masasabi akong BUTs. :(

How will you know what specialization suits you?

Is it already late that I don't know what I want to be?

Is there a chance I'll know it when I do my rotations in 4th year?

PS. I chose OB-GYN and IM for the mentor-mentee activity in class, and I was assigned with a OB-GYN consultant. I just hope he can help me figure things out. :)

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