Medicine is not as simple as studying for long hours with the mere intention of earning another feather in one's cap. It is both a calling and a profession that requires incandescent passion, unwavering determination, and myriad sacrifices. It is a rare case, maybe almost impossible, to hear someone say that medicine is an easy endeavor because it is most definitely not, to which even a two-time topnotcher strongly concord.
Dr. Debbie Rose U. Tanengsy, who placed 5th among the 2,218 board passers in the recent Physician Licensure Examination (PLE), has dreamed of becoming a doctor ever since she was little, and with the incessant support of her parents, she had chosen to take the long road to turn that dream into a reality.
As she would aptly put it, "There's no other way around it, but through hard work," when asked what the secret ingredient to her success is. How effective that is has been concretely proven through her consistent performance in her chosen fields. Her pre-medical course allowed her early exposure to the hospital setting and would later prove to be of immense help during her clerkship. She earned her Bachelor's Degree in Nursing in 2009, and emerged as top 5 in the Philippine Nursing Licensure Exam (PNLE) that same year. For someone who is an intellectual as her, it must have come out as expected, but she humbly admitted that her only goal in both those times was to pass, and the second time was just as surreal as the first. Each time was unforeseen, and she revealed that her motivation then was the possibility of not making it, but the distinction she earned is something she gratefully gives back to both her alma mater and to God Almighty.
Her journey in medical school was not the most pleasant as we might think it was. She cleverly compared her medical school experience with a scalpel (or a needle, lancet, and the like) which a physician uses to make an incision, draw blood, and inflict pain to save a life or a limb. As what all medical students put up with, she also went through tough times, but for her, all the trials, pain, blood, sweat, and tears have not been, and will never be for naught because the suffering may be unwelcomed, but they were sufferings most necessary for growth and improvement, much like what a scalpel is for.
The challenges she faced did not become any easier as the PLE drew near, and though it was grueling in almost all aspects, her parents had her back and took every step with her which was the reasons she still had the strength to keep moving forward despite all the hardships. They had been her rock since day one, and like any child who look up to her parents' ways and success, she found her inspiration in them.
While medical school would seem an intimidating path to endure, it actually has more of its reputable side than we let on. With the difficult exams and sleepless nights put together, how friends made it an adventure is just one of the unforgettable moments that will live on forever. For this reason, Dr. Debbie considers her first year as a medical student the highlight of her years in CIM. Apart from the academics, she became acquainted more with how she studies best, how she works in groups, how to best manage her time, and how she deals with immediate and long-term stressors, and these lessons have gone a long way for her, as how it would be for the rest of us if we only let them.
"To aspiring physicians, our passion and dedication to our chosen lifelong vocation are fundamental to the successful careers we all aspire to have. I believe from these two values sprout forth others just as vital to becoming physicians with a heart: sacrifice and compromise, diligence, and integrity." -Dr. Debbie Rose U. Tanengsy
Written by Janellie Blithe Tam of Batch Vertex
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