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A Chronicle.

I wore one of my brand new scrubs today and a couple of fellow nurses were calling me doc.  My sister and I will be re-taking (emphasis on re-) the NMAT in Manila this coming April 10.  Somehow the school that we're targeting for has new policy for medical students and thus we need to catch up, if we can.  I've always wanted to be a doctor since I was a kid.  I don't know why but I'm quite sure it's not about the glamor (because it isn't) and money.

I know I have screwed up big time during my first year in college, it was supposed to be my ticket on pursuing med school but alas, the folly of youth overtook me and thus led to me to a different path.  But somehow, God meant it to be good.

Inception

When we relocated to Bohol, I shifted to Nursing.  It was also during that time Nursing was in the all time high (I can't believe it's almost 10 years now).  I also heard news that some of my friends and classmates from my previous college have also shifted to Nursing, so I wasn't alone.  I was placed in a good church in Bohol, made good Christian friends and was exposed to the ministry for about 3-5 years and traveled to Luzon.  But I knew that I had to practice Nursing or else I would really get rusty and what my parents spent for would be gone to waste.

Nurse, Nurse!

I've gone through almost what most nurses have gone through here in the country but finally I found my place here in Kalibo, Aklan.  I spent two weeks though on Pagadian until I was called by a relative to practice in Kalibo instead.  It was frustrating especially the first month.  I felt like an idiot.  I tried reviewing from books and from the internet but still there are things that you need to ask and experience yourself again.  I was out of the Nursing field for almost 3 years.  Another problem was the language barrier though Aklanon has quite a few similarities to Cebuano, still it took time for me to adjust.

Second Chance

I don't really deserve to be given a second chance but my parents did, God bless them.  Mum asked me if I'm serious about going to med school, I said I was.  It's just that they've been investing on me for a very long time now and I think it's time for me to repay them.  She said it wasn't necessary, as long as I am serious.  That broke my heart.

The Ugly Truth

Medicine is just a walk in the park - with land mines.  You have to get through a battery of tests, spend 5 years in med school, another 2-3 years in residency then another set of years for specializing.  Not only that, the tuition fees are scary, then you have books (and you have to read them by the way) plus your daily allowance (coughs) and other miscellaneous fees.  Sometimes when I think of that I feel like my heart is sinking.

To Infinity and Beyond

But the outcome when I finish (if I finish) all of these is really nothing compared to what I will go through.  Now, if you're a nurse reading this or someone in the medical field at some point you will realize how hard it is to have a loved one hospitalized.  It is not easy.  The stress, the finances and the fear of the unknown.  After in all of the chaos, I'm looking forward to the time when I can finally repay my blessed parents not in finances but hopefully I can repay back the care they've given us when we were younger.  I don't know about you but serving my own family and my family to be is one of the greatest rewards that I am looking forward.  Not to mention other people's lives you might change or influence to.  It's also a very good profession to be used in the ministry.  I am looking also forward to meet Bible-believing doctors.

The Advantage

I think my advantage in this field will probably my Nursing background.  We deal with people everyday.  We deal with patients, physicians, technicians and the like.  So I'm setting my mind on that, that one day I can use this as my advantage but for now, I'm studying for my NMAT exam.

Some Post Scripts

If you're also weighing the pros and cons of pursuing medical school, Aubrey Thinks That might be a good read for you.  You might also want to read her review on "Surgeons Do Not Cry".  The book was also featured on Inquirer here.  I might grab a copy of that for inspiration but for now I'm on epsiode 15 of the 7th season of House.