SCOPE ASMPH: The Alumni Issue SY 2015-2016

THE OFFICIAL STUDENT PUBLICATION OF THE ATENEO SCHOOL OF MEDICINE AND PUBLIC HEALTH

JANUARY 2016

It is good to have an end to journey toward; but it is the journey that matters in the end

- Ernest Hemingway

EDITORIAL BOARD 2015- 2016 Denise Nicole Villanueva Editor-in-Chief Mica Araya Managing Editor

Katrina Caballas Secretary General

Lordieliza Melendrez Associate Editor

Leanne Cassandra Chua Daniel Manuel Macrohon Article Editors

Nicole Bernadette Terre Finance Officer

Kathrinna Feliz Alerta John Kevin Paulo Biadomang Web Editors

John Gabriel Hernandez Photography Head

Ms. Maria Lourdes Almeda-Benito Adviser

Katrina Marie Hernandez Creatives Director

DEPUTIES Francyn Rossi Yangson Print Publications

Nicholas Cancio Rafael Mendoza Web Publications

Mel Mara Pearl Cablayan Finance

CONTRIBUTORS Patricia Alvarado Bernadette Iglesia Jessica Io Angeles Zara Salazar Benjhoe Empedrado Michelle Wendy Te Creatives Team

Zechariah Enriquez Lorenz Revillas Alma Pabilane Cyrilla Ann Ulep Sheldon Walter Wong Compilers Elva Sarte Cover Photo

IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PUGAD AGILA

Stefan Claveria Maria Via Eloisa Morales Kris Gem Danica Pasia

Of Adventures,

Paths and Journeys

I was strolling around Ortigas center last night just enjoying the view of the skyscrapers and watching the bustling stream of office workers as they take their snack breaks. Albeit three years have already passed since I’ve stayed in the area, I still find it amazing how different my environment is now from the more ‘laid back’ atmosphere of my home in Quezon City. The scenery got me into thinking about my college days and how back then, I would never have guessed the many adventures and misadventures that medical school has brought me so far.

In my first year, I had to adjust to a new culture, new faces and a new living environment away from home.

My second year was more routine, with a weekly schedule of exams but with a whole lot more information to digest. Good thing the bits of road and food trips with friends helped to keep me sane what with the bulk of information we had to study that year. Now, as a third year student, it’s still a continuous spool of changes as every week my classmates and I are exposed not only to classroom learning but more so to the practical aspects of medicine, public health and business management. It’s a perpetual shifting of gears and putting on of different hats.

I guess, more or less, this experience is the same for every medical student. There have been a lot of changes that we had to adjust to once we stepped into ASMPH and it seems like these changes are continuous. Every two weeks or so, we are exposed to a new module, a new arena that stirs in us a mixture of anticipation, excitement and fear. We are continuously enamored with the learning that a new module brings yet it is unavoidable to be anxious and tired with the amount of tasks and responsibilities that come with it. We are also very fortunate to have different paths laid out in front of us, many different areas that we can pursue after medical school. But sometimes, with so many ideas around us, it can be quite confusing as to which direction to take.

If you are like me, it is usually during this time that I ask myself, “How did the batches before me get through this experience? What’s in store for me next year? What will I do after medical school (hopeful that I will actually graduate)?”

It is from these questions and a lot more inquiries from my peers at SCOPE ASMPH that we conceptualized the Alumni Issue. We wanted these questions answered, and we want to share these answers to you.

Teaming up with Pugad Agila, we actively sought wise words from the people who came before us, our beloved alumni. We asked them about their journey in medical school, to where they are now and where they are hoping to go. We also asked if the ASMPH education has indeed made an impact on their lives and if so, how they are paying it forward. Of course, we didn’t forget to ask about the less serious stuff—we gathered some bloopers, fun facts and even a little bit of tsismis just for you.

As you flip through these pages, we hope that you’ll find some of your questions answered too. We hope that this can also be a resource to more fully concretize what’s in store for us in the next few years and to be more informed of the possibilities that lay in front of us.

Let’s take a look into the paths that our Alumni have taken and a peek into the journey that we have just begun to take.

Happy reading!

Sincerely,

Denise Nicole Villanueva Editor-in-Chief 2015-2016

What's inside...

PUGADAGILOVES

1

ALUMNI IN THE DIFFERENT FIELDS

3

Venturing on the Frontier of Integrative Medicine

3

A Sudden and Intense Love for Public Health

5

Taking a Leap of Faith

7

Traversing Two Paths: Medicine and the Army

9

DIRECTION AFTER GRADUATION

11

PAY IT FORWARD

13

ACHIEVEMENTS

15

OPEN LETTERS TO ASMPH

17

MGA EKSENA SA ASMPH

23

‘MULING BALIKAN’—Tila napakabigat na mga salita para sa iilan sa atin. Para sa iba, nagdudulot ito ng sakit ng pagalaalala sa mga bagay na gusto ng ibaon sa limot. Para sa ilan naman, tila isa itong pagkakataon upang buhayin ulit ang mga alaala na nakapagbigay ng kulay sa kanilang mga buhay. Ang daming pagkakataon sa buhay ng tao kung saan napapaisip siya kung tama nga ba ang mga desisyong ginawa niya noong nakalipas na mga taon. Sa paggunita ng mga desisyong ito, kailangan niyang balikan ang mga alaalang ito, masakit man o hindi, upang makita kung tamang daan nga ba talaga ang tinahak niya patungo sa kanyang mga pangarap sa buhay.

Mahilig kami ng mga kaibigan kong magbalik-tanaw ng mga tanging sandali sa mga buhay namin. Ang sayang balikan ‘yong panahon noong tuwang-tuwa kaming lahat dahil pumasa kami sa ASMPH. Nasa Boracay kami noon, tinatamasa ang pagiging malaya mula sa gapos ng kolehiyo.

Nagtatawanan pa kami dahil noong nagpasa kami ng mga papel sa Ortigas, walang pila! Mas matagal pa ang trapik papuntang Ortigas kaysa sa pagpasa ng mga hinihingi ng registrar. Binalikan din namin ang panahong nasa silid-aklatan kami at nakita ang aming crush na noon ay klerk na—ang gwapo niya nakakaloka! Pero siyempre nakakahiya rin na lumapit kasi kami ay mistulang mga walang alam na YL5 pa lamang. Kasawian sa pag-ibig—mainit din ang usaping ito sa aming magkakaibigan. Minsan nga umaabot pa kami hanggang madaling araw para lang balikan ang lahat ng aming naranasan. Ang daming umiiyak sa pag-alala ng mga bagay na ganito. Nakatatawa at nakaiiyak.

Kung papipiliin man ako kung ano ang alaala na pinagkakahalagahan ko nitong nakalipas na limang taon, pinakapaborito ko pa ring balikan ang panahon nang pagbuo namin sa Pugad Agila. Kasabay ng plataporma ko noon para sa Student Council (SC) ang pagbuo naming ng pinapangarap kong board operations. Naisip ko ang isang malaking pamamahala upang magkaroon ng pagkakataong mabuo at magtulungan ang komunidad ng ASMPH sa panahon na ito— unity in diversity, ‘ika nga. ‘Di man aminin ng lahat, malakas pa rin ang tunggalian sa pagitan ng mga klase. Halimbawa, mas magaling ang batch ganyan kaysa batch ganito, at lalong higit, mas magaling ‘ako’ kaysa sa ‘siya’. Kahit sa loob ng iisang klase ay nagkakaroon ng pagalingan. Hindi ba, mas maganda kung magkaroon tayo ng pananaw kung saan ang lahat ay nagtutulungan tungo sa pagtubo at paghubog ng 1 | ALUMNI ISSUE | JANUARY 2016

sarili nating mga lakas at kakayahan? Isang pananaw na ikatatagumpay nating lahat nang sabay-sabay? Pangarap ko noon na sana magkaroon ng ‘walang iwanan’ na kilusan ang mga tao sa ASMPH. Kaya naman, siguro napapanahon lang din na malapit nang mag-Physician Licensure Examination ang kauna-unahang pangkat ng mga Atenistang doktor, ang Klase ng 2012, sa pagbibigay-buhay sa planong ito. Sa wakas, sabay-sabay at nagkaisa ang lahat sa pagsuporta, kahit sa pinakasimple mang kilos, sa ikatatagumpay ng bawat isang mag-aaral. Ito ang nagsilbi at nagsisilbing sagisag ng pagkakaisa ng ating samahan sa ASMPH. Marso 2012 noon, at ilang araw lang iyon mula sa ‘bring your own maleta exam’ (wala na ito ngayon!) at sa OSCE namin noong YL6. Kakalasap ko lang ng ginhawa mula sa mga pagbuhos ng pagsusulit at iba’t ibang hinihingi sa paaralan tapos biglang, BOOM! Bigla kaming pinatawag ni Dr. Lou Querubin upang pag-usapan ang noong konsepto pa lamang na board operations. Naupo kaming mga pinunong magaaral sa kanyang tanggapan, kasabay ni Dr. Enrico Banzuela, upang malaman ang mga plano nila para sa nasabing board operations. Inalam din namin kung paano maaaring simulan ng bawat estudyante ng ASMPH ang pagbibigay ng tulong.

Siguro sinipag lang kami noon sa SC, at nakabuo kami ng konsepto ng sampung pangkat para sa board ops. Kasabay na rin nito ang paglikha ng pangalang ‘Pugad Agila’, at ang natatanging tatak na ‘No Atenean Left Behind’, na siyang galing sa aming mga taga-payo na sina Doc Lou at Dr. Marife Yap. Sa hapon ding iyon, kasabay ng napakatinding kaba at sigla, nakabuo kami ng simpleng pagtatanghal. Nagpakilala na kami agad sa tinaguriang “Pioneer Batch” at naglahad ng aming balak na suportahan sila sa daang kanilang tatahakin sa mga sumusunod na mga buwan. Maniwala man kayo o sa hindi, sa gabing iyon ay nakabuo na kami ng Pugad Agila Core Team.

‘Pag-aaral muna.’ Minsan nakaiinis, minsan kailangang igalang mo na lang ang kanilang desisyon dahil sadyang ayaw lang talaga nila. Ngunit kung tatanungin mo ako ngayon, pagkatapos ng lahat ng taon ng paglilingkod, pati na ng drama sa sarili naming Physician Licensure Examination, at pagdanas ng napakatinding pagmamahal sa amin ng Pugad Agila 360, siguro may maisasagot na ako.

Nangungulila ako sa mga pangyayaring masayang balikbalikan, kung saan napakadali lamang hatakin ang lahat upang makasama sa mga ganitong gawain. Konting pa-cute lang at agad-agad nang mapapa-oo ang mga mag-aaral ng ASMPH noon, mula sa paggawa ng mga iba’t ibang uri ng gabay sa pag-aaral hanggang sa paglikha ng mga lihim na pakulo para sa aming mga Pioneers. Hindi perpekto ang mga pangyayari ha—may mga sigawan, iyakan, at tampuhan ding naganap. Ngunit, kahit sa simpleng McDonalds hanggang sa kataka-takang shower head na ipinabili sa amin noon ng mga Pioneers, laging bumabalik sa bigay na bigay sa pagtanghal, bigay na bigay na pagtataya, at todo bigay sa buhay. May mga kumakanta pa habang nagta-Tandang noon, kasabay ng pagpasa pa rin ng karamihan sa lingguhang pagsusulit at pagiging aktibo sa kani-kaniyang mga samahan! Kaya naman buong puso talaga akong magsabi na, ‘Oo, kami ang nagsimula ng Pugad’ at ‘Oo, nag-aral ako sa ASMPH.’ Lalong tumibay ang saya ng pagiging Atenistang doktor noong lumabas na ang resulta ng Physician Licensure Examination.

Para silang sagisag ng pagbabago—sagisag ng pag-asa para sa palatuntunang pangkalusugan ng ating bansa. Siguro damang-dama rin ng lahat ng nagkusa sa Pugad Agila tuwing sinasabi ko na ang sarap ng pakiramdam na pumasa na sila.

Pakiramdam ko rin noon na pumasa ako! Ngunit sa kabila ng kasiyahang ito, nagkaroon pa rin ako ng kahit kaunting pagaalala—tutuloy pa ba ang ganitong kultura sa ASMPH sa mga susunod na taon, kahit wala na kami?

‘WHY PUGAD? WHY VOLUNTEER? I STILL HAVE SO MANY THINGS TO DO, I’M SO BUSY WITH MY LIFE, WILL THAT BENEFIT MY GRADES?’ Naiintindihan ko, madami naman talagang ginagawa ang isang mag-aaral ng medisina, at nasa paaralan naman talaga tayo upang maging doktor. Minsan nahihirapan talaga akong sagutin ang mga tanong na iyan habang nag-iimbita ng mga bagong miyembro noon. Kahit ulit-ulitin ko na ito ang paraan upang mas mapukaw tayo sa konsepto ng ‘walang iwanan,’ upang mabuo ang komunidad natin sa ASMPH, may ilan pa rin talagang ‘di patitinag. Siyempre, hindi naman agad mabibiro at matitinag ang mga Atenista, hindi tinatantanan ang tanong hangga’t walang sagot. Kahit nga ‘yung katiting na bahagdan ng bayarin sa tuition hindi pinalalampas, paglalaan ng oras pa kaya? At lubos ang pagtuturo ng Ateneo na mag-prioritize.

Mag-Pugad Agila ka, dahil dito ko mismong naranasan ang tuwirang pagganap sa pananagutan, at pag-agpas ng bawat Atenistang doktor mula sa karaniwang buhay lamang bilang mag-aaral ng Ateneo. Dito ko nakita na natuto ang lahat na tumugon. Isang tugon na may pagpili at pagtanggap sa hamon ng pagbubuo ng pamayanan, isang mahalagang hakbang tungo sa pagbubuo ng bayan. Matututo ka rito kung paano ang tunay na pananagutan—ang kilos ng wagas na pagtataya. Sa higit na tatlong napakamatinding buwan ng paghahanda para sa Physician Licensure Examination, naging kasabay namin ang Pugad Agila sa pag-iyak habang nag-aaral, hanggang sa punto ng pagpasa namin sa sariling pagsusulit para maging ganap na mga doktor. Hindi rin ako makapaniwala pero apektado rin sila sa mga buhay pagibig, buhay pamilya at desisyong-buhay namin. Isa ito sa mga karanasan na hinding-hindi namin malilimutan habangbuhay. At siyempre, kasabay na nito ang pagbuo ng habangbuhay na samahan, ang pagkakaibigan na hindi matitinag ng anuman. Siguro, kasabay ko, sasang-ayunan din ito ng mga nauna sa amin—ang Klase ng 2012, 2013, at 2014. Gusto mo maging doktor diba? Baka gusto mong simulan sa pagtuklas at paghasa ng sariling kakayahan. Baka gusto mong gamitin ito sa paglaan ng panahon para sa kapwa, dito sa Pugad Agila.

Nakakalungkot din palang bumalik sa paaralan, kahit na sabihin nating mga mag-iilang buwan pa lamang simula noong huli akong nakatapak sa ASMPH. Sa kabila ng pangungulila rito sa probinsya at sa hamon ng paghahanapbuhay bilang doktor, sabik pa rin ako sa mga susunod pang mga pangyayari sa ASMPH dahil sa Pugad Agila. Dahil dito, lagi’t laging may babalikang tahanan sa ASMPH. Ito rin ang paraan upang magbalik-loob ang mga nagsipagtapos na tulad namin para sa inyong lahat. Ito pa, dahil sa pagpapalaki at paghubog ng ating mga isipan tungkol sa tunay na kultura ng pagtataya, sigurado akong hindi lang mabubuhay ang Pugad AgiLove sa panahon ng Physician Licensure Examination.

Buhay ito sa pakikitungo ng bawat Atenistang doktor sa isa’t isa, mapasaloob ‘man o sa labas ng silid-aralan at ospital, at lalong higit sa ating pakikitungo sa lahat ng mga pasyente.

Gaya nga ng sigaw namin noong Habagat operations ng Agosto 2012, ‘In this country that we are all trying to save, nobody gets left behind.’ Kaya naman ASMPH, lagi’t laging buong puso sa pagtataya, buong puso sa buhay, ha? Sa susunod nating pagkikita!

ALUMNI ISSUE | 2

Venturing on the frontier of

Integrative Medicine words by Mel Mara Pearl Cablayan and Francyn Rossi Yangson photos courtesy of Centro Holistico

When you have been sitting for close to ten hours listening to a semester’s worth of information, it is hard to look past the ache in your back and the perpetual struggle of cramming, and to envision anything in the future beyond the results of your last Friday’s exams.

In this way, medical school can feel like a bubble of agony. Sometimes, it becomes second nature to focus more on your “how” (to pass the exams), than to remember your “why”. So once in a while, it is nice to hear from people who have been where we are now. People who are making use of the same degree that we’re working so hard to earn.

Long and often has it been said that medicine is not a linear career path.

But on the contrary, the traditional track remains dominant especially in our little corner of the world. Perhaps this is our tendency to do as others did before us, owing to the lack of representatives who have chosen alternative paths. Perhaps we just don’t know of any other way to be a doctor.

But this means, all the more, that we have so many avenues yet to discover.

Aside from the plethora of available specialties, our (soon-to-be) double degrees are opening up several other gates of opportunities that otherwise might not even have crossed our minds.

Meet Dr. Carisse Diana “Candy” DrilonDalman, part of ASMPH Pioneer Batch 2012. Married and with a child on the way, she is fabulously managing her own start-up business with husband and fellow ASMPH graduate, Dr. Ryan Dalman. Doc Candy and Doc Ryan are part-owners of Centro Holistico, an Integrative Health and Wellness Clinic located at the Commercenter in Alabang, Muntinlupa City.

3 | ALUMNI ISSUE | JANUARY 2016

From the very beginning, Doc Candy already knew that she would not be going further into residency. “I wanted to have a business, definitely,” she said, recalling how she excelled more in her MBA classes compared to her medical classes. She enjoyed them more, especially the marketing aspect. In terms of medical practice, she had wanted a general practice.

“Ayoko ng nacoconfine in a specific field. I get bored,” she said, citing her belief that the Philippines needed more general practitioners. Health services, especially when provided by specialists, are not cheap. She wanted to provide her patients with access to more affordable healthcare. Centro Holistico provided her with the chance to integrate her desire for a business and general practice.

Like most of us will probably experience, the big career decision did not come easily to Doc Candy. She entered the field of alternative medicine by chance.

After graduation, she started working full time for an NGO while working part-time for The Farm, a Wellness Resort in San Benito, which prompted her studies in acupuncture and other forms of integrative medicine. Even after leaving The Farm in 2013, she continued her studies and earned her certifications.

Centro Holistico opened on July 26, 2014 with a total of six investors. Doc Candy is one of them and also works full-time in the clinic as a doctor. When asked what made her decide to get into alternative medicine, her answer was simple. “My husband did acupuncture on me, and hindi na bumalik ang migraine ko.”

LIFE IN ASMPH “May buhay ako noon, in fairness,” Doc Candy says of her experience as an ASMPH student. She describes herself as a student who “did what [she] had to do” in her medical subjects, and excelling in her MBA subjects, but for the most part preferring to have a life outside of medical school. Her extracurriculars included the football team, the swim team, and being a founding member of SCOPE. Doc Candy cites YL6 as the hardest year for their batch because of the amount of reading they had to do.

“When I reminisce about it, parang feeling ko ang saya pero hindi ko siya babalikan,” she shares with a laugh.

How she survived? “Tulakan e, pag may gustong mag-quit, [sinasabi namin] kaya mo ‘yan, kaya mo ‘yan. It’s the support of the batch that really got us through.”

She fondly describes the Class of 2012 as a “pasaway, mareklamong” batch, owing to the fact that the school had just opened when they started. Asked why she chose ASMPH despite its age back then, and the presence of older, more established medical schools in the country, Doc Candy promptly replied, “The MBA, and I knew that Dr. Bengzon would not let us down.” An AB Psychology graduate from the Ateneo - Loyola Schools, Doc Candy had to take an extra year of studies when she decided to pursue graduate studies in medicine after reading ASMPH’s curriculum. “I knew it wasn’t going to be like any other medical school. Safe to say, it was Ateneo or nothing. If I went to another medical school, I’d [eventually] quit.”

FUTURE DIRECTIONS Apart from graduating from ASMPH with a double degree, Doc Candy considers her and her husband’s financial self-sufficiency as one of her favorite personal accomplishments, especially for doctors in their thirties. Of course, this is tied to Centro Holistico, the couple’s brainchild. Doc Candy takes immense pride on the favorable reception of their clinic, given that traditional medicine is still predominant in Metro Manila. She and her husband are very hands-on with all aspects of the business, from the concept, the promotions, down to the nitty-gritty of the interiors.

“We may not be getting the [medical] accolades, wala man kaming certificates to say, ‘Ay, natapos ka ng ganitong specialization,’ [but] this is our accolade, this clinic is our baby,” says Doc Candy. “We usually get referrals from internists who heard about the clinic, or psychiatrists – sometimes, if hindi na nila naco-control with the meds, they bring them to us. That’s an achievement, because we know it’s getting recognized.”

It is one of Doc Ryan and Doc Candy’s goals to eventually open an in-patient facility, where patients can avail of the treatments to detoxify, or reboot their system. But to get there, they know they must first build their network of outpatient clinics in the Metro to introduce alternative medicine into mainstream consciousness, and to make it more accessible and affordable. Doc Candy also hopes that the clinic – along with other branches in the future – could one day be fully operational without the need for them to constantly be on-site. They want to focus on management and strike a good work-life balance. An expecting mother to her first child, Doc Candy wants to be hands-on with her children, able to spend weekends with family in a home away from the city. Other long-term goals include building an institution which caters to doctors and individuals who wants to formally train in integrative medicine.

Doc Candy eventually wants to bring preventive medicine into public health, because she feels that this is still a cheaper alternative compared to traditional medicine. She will soon be enrolling in distance-learning for a Master’s degree in Functional Medicine and Human Nutrition to further her knowledge in the field.

Asked for a few words of wisdom for those who wish to pursue a career in alternative medicine, Doc Candy says, “Kailangan matapang, malakas ang loob to go against the flow, in the sense that a lot of people will tell you na walang kuwenta ‘yan, and you have to assert yourself.”

It is apt advice, considering that traditional medicine is still the norm, at least in Metro Manila, and this can stir skepticism on the part of the patient, or other physicians working with the patient to manage their chronic diseases.

She further notes, “We usually get this for our onco patients; [we tell them] you can go through the chemo and radio, but those have side-effects, that’s why we combine it with our treatments… [but] the oncologists would say, ‘Wag mo nang gawin ‘yan.’ Kailangan matapang ka to say, ‘We really study this, and we believe in this.’”

She also shares how important it is to manage patients’ expectations.

Patients, including some who are already terminal, may come in and seek advice because traditional approaches may have failed, and some may be looking for a miracle. Society is no stranger to practices and practitioners of alternative medicine who have made grand claims of healing from complex conditions. Doc Ryan, Doc Candy and their staff at Centro Holistico guard against this by integrating traditional with alternative medicine. They emphasize the uniqueness of every patient and the fact that their approach is less aggressive than standard treatments, and constantly augmenting their knowledge through continued

learning and research. Above all, integrity is key.

“Practice what you preach,” Doc Candy says. “You teach healthy lifestyle, [then] you live healthy lifestyle.”

Despite these challenges, Doc Candy says it is still worth it because they see their patients get well, not because of maintenance medicine, but because they have helped them switch to a healthier lifestyle that allows them to maximize their bodies and lets them sleep well at night.

For the struggling medical students hoping for a guiding hand, Doc Candy leaves several nuggets of wisdom on deciding whether medicine is the right move for you.

- “Kung ayaw niyo, get out. There’s no shame in stopping or quitting, basta alam niyo kung anong gusto niyong gawin. Know your purpose.”

- “Take it one step at a time. Mahirap ang med school, so you have to find a way to survive, and to do well. Tackle things [in] your style; hindi lahat ng tao pare-pareho.”

- “Your batchmates will be your support system all throughout med school, whether you like it or not. If you don’t like someone, [look the other way].”

- “You have to learn to be resilient. It’s either makakain ka ng sistema, or you will change the system, or you’ll stay there and your mindset is still there that you will eventually be there to change.”

- “Enjoy it.”

It puts things in perspective when one thinks about how the accumulated experiences of five years shaped Doc Candy to be the doctor she is today.

Similarly, our time in the Ateneo School of Medicine and Public Health is a journey that is meant to take us to our greatest why: to be doctor-leaders, to serve, to use whatever passion drives us to practice one of the noblest professions.

So go forth, Atenean doctor!

ALUMNI ISSUE | 4

Public Health is one of the major fields in medicine and sciences that the Ateneo School of Medicine and Public Health (ASMPH) wants to improve and dedicate itself in. Dr. Harvy Joy Liwanag, popularly known as “Doc Harvy” to his students, is one of the most prominent alumni from the pioneer batch of the ASMPH. He is known by everyone in school for his passion and dedication in the field of public health and research.

In fact, he does not miss an opportunity to immerse his students in such work as well, imparting and letting them realize for themselves the reasons to be deeply captivated and in love with the field.

On the day of our interview, we were greeted by his smiling face (as well as a table full of farewell gifts from his students and friends) for he was about to leave the country to pursue further studies on Public Health in Switzerland.

Really, it seemed like Doc Harvy is a testament that there are many other paths for medical students to pursue, besides the traditional residency and clinical practice.

SHIFTING PERSPECTIVES Given all the achievements that Doc Harvy has done in the field of public health, it may come as a surprise that this field was not what he had in mind in the beginning. When asked what started him on this path, he recalled experiencing a terrible family crisis wherein both his parents experienced medical misfortunes.

“My mom had an aneurysm and my dad had a colonic surgery. The entire experience made me realize that I want to become a doctor for I also want to help others during their times of need.”

Initially, like most aspiring doctors, Doc Harvy wanted to be a clinician.

He used to believe that doctors are miracle workers who see and treat patients’ diseases every day. He even started medical school with this kind of thinking and philosophy in mind.

Doc Harvy then mentioned his initial plans of pursuing oncology, despite its seemingly depressing nature, because he had a cousin who died of lymphoma and he wanted to help people with the same condition.

5 | ALUMNI ISSUE | JANUARY 2016

AS

ud

den

Asked when things changed for him, Doc Harvy mentioned that he started falling in love with the idea of Public Health when he started studying in ASMPH. As he went through the lessons of YL6 and YL7, and when he actually started visiting communities during his clerkship and internship years, the concept and importance of public health became clearer to him.

an

dI nte

nse

“It became less of an abstract. And more RECIPE FOR SUCCESS of a concrete way in which health is seen Looking back, Doc Harvy attributed and communicated to the communities.” these (and his other) successes to three building blocks: his social networks, As such, Doc Harvy believes that the his unbelievable luck and his great and ASMPH has been one of the greatest inspiring mentors. contributions in his passion and career path. The curriculum, although not “I owe a lot of the opportunities I completely perfect and with some received from A-HEALS. It is, after all, kinks to improve on, allowed him to through this organization that I was able go beyond the traditional medical to study neglected tropical diseases in perspective. Instead of the typical clinical the Philippines that further developed teachings, the school added more to my skills and networks in the field of his medical experience by allowing public health.” him to understand medicine beyond its biomedical aspects. He cites how it broadened his perspective by including He also considered himself very and expounding on concepts like public fortunate to have the former ASMPH health, leadership, and spirituality. dean, Dr. Bengzon, the current ASMPH dean and former DOH Secretary, Dr. In the end, Doc Harvy found that as Dayrit, and Neglected Tropical Diseases he applied these concepts in actual Expert, Dr. Belizario as his “trinity of community interactions, he found mentors”. himself enjoying the experience, and feeling like he actually belonged.

“They have such obvious passion and love for health that you cannot help but “We all have our own places. But in my feel inspired. It is through their guidance case, I can say that this is my desire. This and obvious passions for health that I is my choice.” like to believe that I was able to follow my own.”

L

PASSION AND DIRECTION

Currently, Doc Harvy is a scholarship student in Epidemiology and Public Health at the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute. He laughingly shared to us how he got in; that is by sending emails to the list of faculty and asking most of them to be his mentor.

Apparently, nobody replied except for the Public Health Director of the Swiss Center.

When asked why he wanted to pursue further studies in the first place, Doc Harvy replied that he wanted public health to be more than his passion. He wanted public health to be his drive to be a better individual, to be that someone who can actually contribute to the needed changes in society. He believed that the best way to do so was through further studies in public health and research. For him, this is the kind of research that is not just about mere collection of data and publishing significant results. Rather, this is the type of research that motivates him and other people to work harder for the betterment of people and communities.

Doc Harvy extends his passion of not

Lo ve

for

“

I believe that if I know what I want to achieve, I can adjust my actions to fulfill just that

”

only about doing research for health, but to actually translate these researches into policies and programs that would contribute to poverty alleviation. He mentioned how public health forces him to be a researcher that allows his collected evidence to become the weapon of needed societal changes.

back home such that I may serve my own country and countrymen. The PhD journey [I’m] taking may serve as that opportunity to equip myself with new skills necessary for further development of the health system of the Philippines.”

Doc Harvy is an embodiment of a Doctor of the Future with a heart for his country At this stage of his career, Doc Harvy and a love for public health. Years from firmly believes that this passion defines now, Doc Harvy may be a step closer to the destination of his journey. In fact, fulfilling his dreams for the health system public health and subsequently, research of our country. He envisions building has been one of his greatest drives that research capacities for public health in the Philippines such that forthcoming kept him moving beyond boundaries. researchers are better mobilized to be “My destination is clear—that is public agents of positive change in the society. health. And as long as the destination in my mind is clear, I can [better] fulfill The entire interview with Doc Harvy the necessary steps needed to attain made us realize that in reality, social such destination. Of course, the steps challenges never cease. It is simply [should] not always be rigid; it may also the task of the people to respond to change. Still, I believe that if I know what these challenges by finding answers I want to achieve, I can adjust my actions and better solutions. As a doctor of the future, however, we’ve realized that to fulfill just that.” a harder and bigger challenge exists.

We are not simply called to respond VISIONS FOR THE FUTURE “I might have traveled far, but at the end to the societal problems present in the of the day, my heart will always lead me world, but to also find our own purpose and passion for the things that we do.

This is in the hopes of being able to best contribute in the alleviation of the aforementioned challenges in the country. Dr. Harvy Liwanag is very lucky to be able to find not only a passion, but also a love for public health. He may have taken a different path from what is expected, but it looks like his intense love for this path now allows him to have a great impact not just for the immediate people surrounding him, but also for the country.

Pu bl

ic H eal

th

w ph ords oto by gr Ha ap d hy eza

by C Ja aba nin dd aH ua ern nd an Ca de mi z lle

Ma

lili

n

ALUMNI ISSUE | 6

Taking a Leap of Faith

words by Bern Iglesia and Bernie Camacho photography by John Gabriel Hernandez

There is no greater challenge in life than taking risks, to choose to go against the tide and be part of something new.

There is always that constant fear of failure and uncertainty, especially if the road you’ve chosen goes against what people think as the right and proper path. Such is the dilemma of Dr. Angel Dy, who, in her hopes to create change, made a drastic decision of going to Public Health and Management instead of pursuing residency as what was expected of her.

Doc Angel, as what her patients and colleagues fondly call her, is one of the first graduates of ASMPH. As a member of the Pioneer Batch, she and her batch mates are the first ones who carried the expected ASMPH mark and legacy – to be outstanding clinicians, dynamic leaders and social catalysts. Thus, it is their responsibility to show the country what an Atenean Doctor is like, and at

“Do not go where the path may lead.

Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.”

Ralph Waldo Emerson

7 | ALUMNI ISSUE | JANUARY 2016

the same time, they are also the ones pressured to excel in their chosen career paths. According to Doc Angel, she too always thought that she would excel in her clinical career and make an impact as a clinician. “I thought I’d be like most of my relatives. They are doing excellent clinical work, and are greatly known for their clinical skills,” said Doc Angel.

However, while rotating in different hospitals in the United States in order to gain experience before her residency, Doc Angel realized that being a pediatrician is not the only way available so she can fulfill her inclination for Child Development. She realized that there are various other methods in which she can better serve the community and society in general, aside from being the traditional clinician. Luckily, she was able to seek the guidance of Dr. Tippy Tanchanco, the clinic director and owner of MedMom. This then started their partnership in managing the said clinic.

reactions about her chosen career path.

In fact, Doc Angel mentioned that her decision to pursue a non-clinical career was clearly opposed by her family for they believed that it is not the “expected path of a doctor”. This, in addition to them expecting her to choose to do her residency in the United States after taking the USMLE, was a cause of drama when she decided that she won’t do Clinical Pediatrics after all.

When asked what solidified her decision to pursue Public Health and Management, despite other people’s misgivings about it, Doc Angel replied that Doc Tippy’s work helped her make the decision. She mentioned that while she was waiting for the results of her US residency applications, she shadowed Doc Tippy both inside and outside the clinic. Through this, she realized that her skills could better serve a wider population if she opted not to go into residency. She found a new inspiration by realizing that there are other ways to MedMom Child Development Clinic serve the pediatric population which are is a transdisciplinary center of over more fit to her inclinations of business 40 consultants spanning professions and health administration. such as pediatricians, occupational and physical therapists, speech Doc Angel also mentioned the therapists, special education teachers importance of the support that she got and psychologists. It aims to optimize from her mentors (Doc Tippy, Doc Yap, child development and growth by Dr. John Wong and Dr. Alfredo Bengzon) catering on the developmental, socio- in making her decision and her realization emotional, behavioral and learning that she has the necessary potential for needs of the child. Doc Tippy and her line of work. She mentioned that her team of competent professionals their constant encouragement made her built this unique clinic in order to work and her decision stronger. They made not only with the children but with her feel that there’s space for someone their families, caregivers, schools and like her who wants to do something communities as well. Child development beyond the clinics. has always been close to Doc Angel’s heart. As such, when she was asked to THE ASMPH IMPACT join the clinic, she took a leap of faith “Public Health and Management is more and became MedMom’s clinic manager. than just giving patient education and Her responsibilities include day-to-day treatment. It is about creating systems operations, program development and that affect the whole community and implementation, human resource and creating change by solving the root of quality assurance. She also spends time the problems,” said Doc Angel. This is under the mentorship of Dr. Marife Yap why she was thankful for the holistic for health policy and administration. education that ASMPH provided her.

“What made the ASMPH curriculum THE ROAD TO THE ROAD LESS different is that they also train the TRAVELLED students in other aspects such as “The discernment and actual decision leadership, MBA and research, which are process is obviously not easy. I never important skills and knowledges for a realized that going against the trend physician to have,” Doc Angel adds. “It is would be very difficult,” said Doc through these skills that I learned from Angel. She recalled encountering mixed the ASMPH that I think myself better

equipped in dealing with the various health and societal problems that I deal with on a day to day basis.”

“I never regretted my decision to wait for ASMPH to open back in 2007 because the school honed me to become the kind of doctor I am now.” According to Doc Angel, ASMPH made her become more aware of herself— of her strengths, weaknesses, dreams and aspirations. As such, she was trained to think outside of the box and that there is more to life than just being a clinician. ASMPH gave her a series of opportunities which led her to think that she doesn’t need to specifically become a pediatrician in order to serve her desired community.

PLANS FOR THE FUTURE

In addition, for those who dream of pursuing a new career path, Doc Angel also stressed the importance of having mentors for guidance and support. “As time goes on, I realized how much I’ve learned, and I am grateful for all my Doc Angel also expressed her interest mentors that supported in pursuing further studies abroad. me along the way. Their When asked about her plans, Doc Angel gleaming eyes assured me said that she is still looking for training that I am doing the right opportunities and that one of her thing.” options is to pursue a Masteral degree in the University of California Davis Mind Truly, Doc Angel showed institute. Apparently, the Mind Institute that choosing the road less is a model center for developmental traveled may take a giant leap pediatrics, as well as public health and of faith. She’s shown us that management. Doc Angel said that she if one truly believes in their might train there next year in her hopes passion and commitment, then to gain more knowledge and experience choosing management and public in developmental health and create a health for her desired societal impact may not seem a big leap at center-based program for child health. all. She may have taken a different path from what she was supposed ADVICE AND CONCLUSIONS “I learned that in whatever field you to take, but it looks like her love and want to pursue, you should know in your decisiveness for her chosen career heart whether you really want to pursue path allowed her to have a better that field. You’ll never have everybody and more direct impact on her target on board, but if you know yourself community. enough, then other people’s challenges and questions on whether you really are a doctor won’t matter in the end.”

As of the moment, Doc Angel reported that she is still trying to find balance in her work as none of her friends have experienced this kind of work before. She is still threading the path to become an expert in her chosen field and advocacy, which is Developmental Disabilities and Child Health. She mentioned that she believes MedMom is a great starting point for her to develop her skills in health administration and implementation.

ALUMNI ISSUE | 8

Traversing Two Paths:

MEDICINE AND THE MILITARY 9 | ALUMNI ISSUE | JANUARY 2016

words by Lenard Ortiz and Karina Casing

photos by Jemar Mapili

When doctors choose to train further in clinical medicine, they often put several aspirations on hold in order to finish their residency. Dr. Angelo Gerodias of Batch 2014 is one of the few exceptions to this rule. As a first year resident of the Orthopedics Department in V. Luna General Hospital, Doc Angelo is not only advancing in his medical career but also climbing up the ranks of the military. Unlike many in our generation who are paralyzed by the numerous choices of which career to pursue, Doc Angelo was able to pursue both of his passions—medicine and military service.

ROOTS AND INSPIRATIONS Being a man of the military was not Doc Angelo’s childhood dream. It was an aspiration only realized after joining ROTC in college. Doc Angelo was also part of the Boy Scouts of the Philippines back in grade school and CAT in high school. He liked the concept of structure and hierarchy, manifested by the chain of command, which is heavily embodied by the military. For Doc Angelo, having a hierarchy in the military meant that there was an assigned person who will say that this is the plan, and this is what they’ll do. There was no need to wait around for a person to take charge of arising situations because people are already assigned to positions.

Becoming a doctor came naturally to Doc Angelo, it was his childhood dream in fact. Despite both of his parents being doctors, neither of them pressured him and his siblings to follow their footsteps.

He just thought that eventually that’s what he’ll do. He recounts that it was just one of the things that people ask when one is young. His answer to this question: “Gusto ko maging doktor.”

DEEPENING COMMITMENTS In 2009, the year that Typhoon Ondoy struck, Doc Angelo left the ASMPH campus in a white shirt tucked in his maong pants and black boots. He joined the AFP Reserve Command in Camp Aguinaldo and helped out with relief operations for Ondoy after his classes in ASMPH. Doc Angelo was further drawn into the military’s nature of order, structure, hierarchy, and service-for-others.

The realization to take up Orthopedics came later in his life, particularly in his clerkship and internship years.

According to Doc Angelo, “You never really know what you want until na-

experience mo na yung mga rotations na yun.” For him, what set Orthopedics

apart from the rest of the other specialties was the passion that he had for it. He laughingly cites that during these rotations he was never late, and working overtime was never an issue for him.

ASMPH helped Doc Angelo make his military-medical career come into

fruition. His electives during internship were with military consultants. He also tagged along in operations and had the chance to talk with military doctors who were also generals. His mentor during internship, Dr. Cherry Bernardo-Lazaro, opened up the possibility of going into residency in a military hospital. She connected him to different people who were involved with the application.

After having a taste of how life would be like as a military doctor, he had his options laid out after passing the board exams. It was either to start his Orthopedics residency in V. Luna or to take a year off until he eventually gets accepted in V. Luna. Out of 25 applicants for the Orthopedics residency, he was one of the four accepted.

LEARNINGS AND REALIZATIONS In terms of what ASMPH has taught him as a doctor, he says that ASMPH doctors look at patients more holistically, not just in terms of the disease but also in terms of the various social determinants that affect them. He learned not just to “memorize the biomechanics of the arm” but also to “realize how important the arm is to the patient.”

The Atenean mindset of cura personalis is a disposition Doc Angelo brings with him from his days in the Ateneo de Manila University. However, he believes that in order for him to be able to help others, he had to help himself first. “Kailangan tulungan mo muna

yung sarili mo to grow tapos saka ka mag-reach out. Kasi kung wala kang kwentang tao, paano ka makakatulong sa iba?” According to Doc Angelo,

studying medicine and becoming a doctor is his way of developing himself.

In terms of breaking stereotypes, he stated that when he first started at V. Luna people always asked why he was training there and were warning him that he would be ‘culture-shocked’.

Doc Angelo narrated how people in the hospital had the perception that he would be out of place because of his background. They had the assumption that the environment of a government hospital was very different from what Ateneans are ‘used to’. Doc Angelo stated that he broke these

stereotypes by proving to them that his roots enabled him to become a good doctor, that he is able to treat patients well and has ample experience in the government hospital setting.

REWARDS AND ASPIRATIONS For Doc Angelo, interacting with his patients and improving their quality of life through his work is a reward in itself. Being able to see the positive results of what he does and being remembered by his patients because he has managed them well energizes him to push on with his chosen track.

“You’ll see them [the patients] at their worst…may mga almost putol na

kamay, may mga PTSD [post-traumatic stress disorder]…pero when you get to treat them…yun yung most rewarding eh. Yung mga sundalo na yun got to go back sa unit [nila].”

In the near future, Doc Angelo hopes to be a captain in the military and to pave his career path from there. To those who are interested in pursuing a career in military medicine, Doc Angelo advises that one must not be afraid in following one’s passions, despite other’s negative comments and incorrect perceptions.

He also states that a career in military medicine is not as dangerous as it is being depicted in the movies.

“Hindi ikaw yung tatakbo [sa giyera]

kapag may sumigaw ng ‘medic’. Hindi ikaw yung mag-aayos ng sugat [ng pasyente] habang may gunfire. Being a doctor…you’re in the forward hospital, hindi ka exposed sa direct gunfire.

It’s not as dangerous as one would believe,” he cites.

The passion for two distinct professions and doing what it takes to pursue both of these tracks enabled Doc Angelo to connect and travel along both fields.

He was not afraid to immerse himself to different situations and grasp the opportunities that presented to him.

The decisiveness to follow both of his major goals instead of choosing between the two ultimately created a clearer path in his career—a testament that one can indeed achieve with the right mindset and the action to couple it with.

ALUMNI ISSUE | 10

We surveyed 163 alumni about their paths after graduation. We asked them (a) what sector they are in and (b) what their current or expected field of work is. For residents, we asked (c) which hospital they are practicing in and (d) what their specialty is.

11 | ALUMNI ISSUE | JANUARY 2016

ALUMNI ISSUE | 12

13 | ALUMNI ISSUE | JANUARY 2016

There’s nothing inherently wrong with specialty clinical practice. We need them now more than ever. But we need new ways of thinking and attacking our problems‌ [like] health equity, systems based thinking and innovations for health.

- Anonymous

There is so much room for innovation in health.

Big companies like Ayala and SM are realizing that health and wellness is a rapidly expanding industry.

- TJ Malvar

Although I felt that I genuinely wanted to pursue Ophthalmology for lifestyle reasons, I discovered that what really excited me and made me interested in the specialty was the application of technology. I originally wanted to pursue a computer science or engineering degree, but ended up in a pre-med course.

Suffice to say, my favorite class was HIMA (Health Information Management), while everyone hated it. Currently, I am a few months away before I finish my 2-year fellowship in Medical Informatics at the National Library of Medicine in the National Institutes of Health campus in Maryland.

- Raymonde Charles Uy

Even in undergrad and medical school, my heart has always been in public health. While I did enjoy the clinical aspect of being a doctor and I loved being able to help my patients, I was more enamored by the chance of doing something that can affect thousands and millions of people at a time. PH for doctors (especially policy work) is a road less traveled, and I wanted to bring my MD-MBA skills there where it is needed.

I know for a fact that I am not - Razel Nikka Hao for the hospital setting.

Having had exposures in public health within and outside ASMPH, I knew then that I would go into the nonclinical path. I believe ASMPH harnessed us to look into the bigger picture.

- Mark Anthony Leviste

ALUMNI ISSUE | 14

“Working in government. Representing the Philippines as a member of the government. Being able to create policies in PhilHealth and DOH that are currently being implemented.”

- Anonymous

“Going to Northern Samar, Siargao, Tacloban for leadership/community based interventions/assessments.”

- TJ Malvar

“Duty-duty-fromduty schedule to cover for lack of manpower in the department.

“Getting into a dermatology program on my first try! It was such a difficult experience given how competitive the field is!”

Dalawang ligo lang in between.”

- Kate Cembrano

“Going to isolated towns of Northern Samar to set up a partnership between the province and ASMPH.”

- AJ Regalado

- Anonymous

“Competing in the SEA Games and finding work/learning opportunities locally and abroad.”

- Anonymous

“Having to choose which residency to actually go to. It really is a difficult process to go through (including getting all the requirements). And being honest with that in your interviews.

Other institutions will know what you say, so always be honest.”

- Ronald Steven Medalle

Achievements

15 | ALUMNI ISSUE | JANUARY 2016

“Finding out you passed the boards while overlooking the beach at sunset on a high cliff in Uluwatu, Bali.

Note to future boardtakers: get out of the country RIGHT AFTER boards! It’s the best way to take your mind off waiting for the results - and when they come out, it’ll make for an unforgettable, irreplaceable memory.”

- Anonymous

“Doing a free clinic with batch mates in Cubao and mentoring board takers for Topnotch (handled 3 batches already). I also worked in the government (Philhealth and FDA).”

- Anonymous

“Going to a nonEnglish speaking foreign country to train, with zero knowledge of the local language, ALONE.”

“Being a ninja for a day; Hiking two mountains in a day (after 3 years of physical inactivity!)”

- Anonymous

- Jeffray Ang “Created a functional system and laid the groundwork (management-wise) for the first and largest outpatient medical facility in the country.”

- Chelsea Elizabeth Samson

“Working with a head of an agency will bring you some unique accomplishments I wrote a policy (Administrative Order) from start to finish and presented it to the stakeholders (around 500 of them). Also, as a representative of my superior, I presented what my agency is all about (FDA) to a national convention of allied medical profession (pharmacists, around 3,000 participants)”

“Getting married to my then classmate, now wife. Becoming a father to a lovely but crazy daughter. Living independently in the USA. Supporting my family with my own income. Buying my own car. Changing a ton of diapers.”

- Raymonde Charles Uy

“Went sky diving!”

- Anonymous

- Mark Anthony Leviste

ALUMNI ISSUE | 16

OPEN L

ETTERS

17 | ALUMNI ISSUE | JANUARY 2016

TO ASM

PH

tch tells a cal school!

Although each ba y. ne Welcome to medi ur jo s ght place. h’ ri tc e come to th ugh our ba quick ride thro you that you have definitely a on u yo ke ta motivates I am here to I hope our story different tale, ys be our home. ll people about mble. When we te pposed cream of hu be ASMPH will alwa to us s he ac e su medical school te praises our way for we are th will realize that my first point: you send This brings me toudents, they cannot help but people together in one room, dards of 3.5+ grades to being medical st en you put all of the smartest . Many times, we find our stan long? Will I ever be ly where I be the crop. But whys be those smarter than others tion: Is this real there will alwa d into our heads pops this ques not all fall to a 2.5. Ansave a person’s life? int: medicine is on my second po and every one of us, e good enough to at or ab el to simple. Allow me what drives eachies to keep alive within ur self-doubt is ing. Passion is The answer to yo and not all about class rankthis very passion that ASMPH trw us to get in touch ne. And it is reflect on ourselves and allo ands for. This is your about the grades field like medici a in ly al the e to help us erything it st ci pe th es sessions are er e this. Embrace ASMPH and evire you and make you out to be g in or nt me e Th ac sp br in us. em u, So yo . ad fe le you, e in li with our purpos guide you, teach you, comfort st as home. They willaders that this country needs. . Medicine is ju d enjoy the ride’s. The integration best doctor - le an x la re to n ar the previous: le it is about saving someone elserselves are there to is a sequela of My third point king a balance in your life as a venue to make a fool of ouing, dancing, costume s: acting, sing dicine! Take advantage much about stri our professors provide us with God-given talent our activities where low us to tap into our other is definitely another side to me things that kept ground us and al it! They show us that there sane, together with the other design, you names. They are there to keep you . of these moment our famous “Summer Swagger” hool. The faces rough medical sce the ones who will th batch going, like go u yo as rm ar ose bonds you fofacing challenges with. They e time comes for your point: cherish th th Onto my fourth are of the people you will beh each and every exam. When eat, get enough sleep, you see everyday make sure you make it throug come primal (merely hoping to st passed out on your be there to help s, when your goals start to be that exit exam because you juthat they understand you clinical rotationow enough to make it through helping you through. Know u need them. So cherish or hoping you kn these people will be the ones advantage of them because yo oes. Do not take from-duty night), o are in your sh e because they to em. Be there for them. hes you to valu ople, it also teac arning to divide pe e them. Respect th lu va to u le yo l school teachesce commodity this Time is. Fromity of it as you see ev e least: as medica ar Last but not thl school, you realize what a sc s, school, to witnessing the br indefinite measure of time. In medica family, friends, personal need very eyes. Time gives us an this time, and how we use save. It is this among your fe slip away right before your we are called to wisely. your patient’s li are to live and that life thatour efforts. So use this time we l al at of th spired outcomes this life determines the made decisions in this time, that path. Some haveu to do this for yourself. s ou du ar d an for oose the long but I ask yo others dreamed their families, a doctor is to ch To choose to be s, others from the approval of personal dream and not a goal own this dream, you will by their friend that this calling is your owneaking point and, if you do noter to drown out all those Please make suredical school will test your br time comes to test you, rememblls you “this is MY dream you. Because mee who will forge on, when that at voice in your heart that te e is just as important break. For thos scourage you and listen to th too hard on yourself. Failurs. Most importantly, thoughts that diwaste of time”. Remember not beh us the most valuable lesson urself to fall in love (it and this isn’t a ses in this field as these teac and, if time permits, allow yo as all the succes entire journey, love yourself throughout this decision you will ever make). ced both y say I experien will be the best H, I can genuinelneed those bad days to MP AS in ol ho sc medical e you’re that you yourself becaus my five years of always remember Looking back atand best days of my life. But urself this far, so believe injoy the ride. It’ll all be , relax, and en the worst days better days. You have gotten yo om me. Sit back appreciate the of an adventure! So take it fr in for one hell know it. over before you Sincerely, MD-MBA Michael Teotico, 14 20 h Batc ALUMNI ISSUE | 18

at I still ly safe to say th en we ab ob pr 's it , 12 ars back wh H Class of 20 ng like only a few ye Pioneers of ASMP In behalf of the ready made it this far. It seems s you're *trying* to read, drinki e an al th tr WE of e me le ev sa ng that fety bubb can't beli seat, highlighti re in the same sa the were in that same coffee just to stay awake. We we but one goal is to be Doctors of at of that nth number comforts of the idea that we have her day in medical school. Or th e th s are e anot in d an ol scho you can't surviv l your other non-medical friend on at th k in th t gh life while al yone is moving Future. You mi worst year in your ladder while getting rich. Ever, getting married e th be st mu is th y up in the career of the population partying their wa ing in the normal distribution RMAL. Take a deep breath and be NO with their lives Well guess what. YOU. ARE. NOT. tween the categories of extended be be . e ds rv ki cu ng n ow lity. It will and havi have created your ining and accept the responsibi u Yo . ct fa at th accept Stop wh double degrees. adolescence and ? Good. it mfort you all worth it. Got sibling, let me co e friends, st de el ur yo as , es l clos ne with the niceti oup of medschoo Now that we're do not in this alone. From your gr p and internship group, and e out hi by saying 'you ar trans group, org group, clerks u're in this alone? Once you're yo p, d ou at an gr th ni C el um MPH al n you fe to your LE ties with your AS pugadlove, how ca u ultimately your your class rooms, you jump in du ng old days in ASMPH. When yo ci of ns e, ts mi em or re ad s mf ac co al spit orate, in the rs in different ho at. government, corp consultant teache your alumni in hospitals, the s. How can you feel alone with th ve pe ha ro ow you the t you think? graduate, you mentor you and sh g of No Atenean Left Behind, don' to y ad re ch ar se in re out the true mean It really brings that: ted ing, did you know l of orgs. Those that were star sc ni mi re of c pi fu to e nd . rs th ha (D a in y d e et 'r ha While we we only ical Soci RecWeek because DOCS (Dr. Francis Lee Hok), Surg rtin Generoso), and - We didn't have ), Ma es d (Dr. Edsel Ay indanum an by 2012 were Vox ga, Bam Angustia, Cristal Laqu Ve Ryan Dalman, AG Liwanag). if they SCOPE (Dr. Harvy more sports even r game. or 2 d ha ne yo players pe almost ever ll the number of 12 Palarong Med, - During the 20 that game. Just so we could fulfi . And it was didn't really play e in Cell Module ted. Of ur ct le a s wa ng dissec buildi ve your cadavers ass in the ASMPH - Our foremost cl y Lab. Yes, the room where you ha om t! held in the Anat ve cadavers for that module ye ha 't ship. Ang course we didn MPH. The mother to make AS l il st us s d continue e thing bind outside world an between us but on .

There are years So say hi when you see us in the ll be all worth it . pugad. Our home when I say that in the end, it wi us proud! Trust me

Hello children!

Sincerely, -MBA Tal Laquindam, MD Batch 2012

19 | ALUMNI ISSUE | JANUARY 2016

ALUMNI ISSUE | 20

21 | ALUMNI ISSUE | JANUARY 2016

ALUMNI ISSUE | 22

YUNG MAY SUPERPOWERS KA PALA...

MGA EKSENA SA ASMPH

comics by Zara Salazar and Bern Iglesia

YUNG GAMOT NA PALA ANG HANGIN...

23 | ALUMNI ISSUE | JANUARY 2016

YUNG NAKAHANAP KA NG BAGONG BFF...

ALUMNI ISSUE | 24

YUNG NAGHAHANAP KA PALA SA WALA...

25 | ALUMNI ISSUE | JANUARY 2016

YUNG CLOSE NA KAYO NI NANAY...

ALUMNI ISSUE | 26