Pediatrics is divided in 4 rotations. OPD, NICU, ER, WARDS for 2 weeks per rotation and my first rotation was OPD.
OPD is heaven for pedia rotators. You start at 8 in the morning and end at noon. You'll now have to log your census and then go home at 5 pm. On duty you'll get pulled out to ER or wards but that's up to 7 am only then you'll have to go to opd at 8 am again. duty to from duty is very tiring but more so of those in ER and Wards.
In OPD, you have to be fast in history taking in PE, then refer to your resident. If there's anything you do not know, search the net. It is very helpful if you read on common cases the night before. If still you do not know and for time's sake, you may ask your intern. Be ready for residents and junior consultants who would ask questions, do not hesitate to answer.
You'll have plenty of time in OPD so take it as opportunity to study. But yeah, what study. I would fall asleep as soon as I lay on the sofa or my bed haha!
The cases I personally encountered during OPD were:
- pediatric community-acquired pneumonia
- Hand, foot, and mouth disease
- - acute gatroenteritis
- Boils
- Cellulitis
- Otitis externa
- Otitis media
- Valvular heart disease
- Complete heart block in newborn
P.S. From boils down, only I had these cases. I don't know why but yeah. I also had a follow up opd case of acute gastro-enteritis who turned out to have arrhythmia and skipped heart beats.
The funny thing is I hated cardiology because I'm so weak at cardio but then I told God I wanted to be good at cardio and so He sent me these cases. And every time I'm pulled out to ER, I would have a patient to consider cardiac pathology, or costochondritis necessitating ECG which I will have to read. Then I found out that such case in the ER is rare and if there is, the er rotator to cardio patient ratio is even lesser than one is to one when one time I was there I had two and then another time, I had one. HAHA! At least I'm getting good at reading ECG.
GUIDE:
* Take history taking and physical examination seriously.
- You'll be used to writing everything as normal when if you really did your physical exam, you'll find abnormalities especially arrhythmia.
Saturday, August 17, 2019
CLERKSHIP FIRST ROTATION - OBSTETRICS AND GYNECOLOGY
Clerkship in Ospital ng Maynila
All PLM students in PLM will have their clerkship at ospital ng maynila and those who are scholars until third year, regardless if you lost it once, will have your senior internship also at ospital ng maynila.
OBSTETRICS AND GYNECOLOGY
So clerkship came and I was so afraid of it to the point of having so much anxiety before entering clerkship. Yet it was inevitable. What was funny is that I was joking my friend that she would get OB as first rotation but deep inside, I could already feel it would me my first rotation and it did.
OB rotation in ospital ng maynila is very notorious in making people quit. During the first week of my rotation, one of my groupmates quit medicine. During the first two weeks, we were expressing how much we want to quit. Some were breaking down almost every day. I was however, still enjoying. In part that is because I loved OB. During second to third year, people would sleep at OB lectures but I didn't. I was always wide awake during OB-Gyne lectures and asleep in all other subjects. I also don't know how I maintained scholarship and caught up hahaha. So I was having fun but it was really difficult. In everything, you have to be very very fast or else you'll get scolded at or demerits for being inefficient. OB residents are also known for being snub and bad tempered. THIS I SAY! DO NOT BELIEVE EVERYTHING THAT YOU HEAR UNTIL YOU EXPERIENCE IT!
While it is true that you'll get scolded at sometimes, OB residents are nice people. You just have to do your job fast and efficiently. Aside from skills, what is being built up in OB is your EQ. It will break you to the point of making you quit or it will make you so that you'll be able to endure your anything, mentally.
My highlight in my OB rotation was realizing that maybe ob-gyne is not for me. It is not that I'm not good at it. I actually find myself excelling in the field but I feel that I have lost my love for obstetrics and gynecology. We have this anesthesia rotation in surgical departments including obstetrics, and I find it fascinating. I was enthralled when one of our anesthesiologists let me give the anesthetics to the patient. From preparation to spinal tapping to administering the anesthetics to the end. I liked skills and now I'm considering it.
Also, there is this big factor that I am considered as a toxic person in ob. we had 4 mortalities in ob during my rotation and three of them, they associate it to me when only in two of them I was actually in OB. the other one, I was an anesthesia rotator which is at the second floor. What hurt me was, one resident said I'm too toxic when i was already away but my toxicity still reached them. Also, there is this one resident who hated me to be in the ER. There was one time that resident had a minor operation and had difficulty and took so much time, longer than a cesarean section. That resident saw me as soon as the operation was finished. The resident's (sorry, I don't want to label the resident's gender to keep identity) eyes widened, teeth clenched. The resident told me off, said "diba sabi ko wag ka dito? anong ginagawa mo dito? hirap na hirap ako sa oparation!" Again it was attributed to me. The last of our mortality who was attributed to me while I was away, the same resident told me to go home instead of being there. the resident did not want to see me or know that I was still there and so our clerk's monitor who was also a resident asked me to leave early.
At that time, I slumped at my bed. I cried. Did i want them to die? Did I wish for it? I almost considered quitting because of it. I entered medicine because I wanted to know life but it seemed that I became a harbinger of doom was what filled my mind. I cried and prayed.
There are residents who when they see me, would ask me to leave their patients alone. They would tell me they have a toxic patient and ask me to stay away from those patients. One, who have a high position in the department even said that I could carry such toxicity until residency which really hurt me. I only want to do my job and genuinely want to take care of patients. I take it both as a learning experience and duty as a doctor but then I am treated as such. This is why I loved OB.
Other departments also label toxicity to people but I don't know how they are treated there. Here is my take. It is a mere superstition. If indeed toxic patients arrive during your tour of duty, then the more that you'll have opportunity to learn to manage such cases. It is up to you to believe it or not but who I believe in is my God. This is how God shapes me, prepares me to be where I am needed. Whatever other people say, I will endure and trust in my God. I do not know of that path He laid before me but I know that it is the best for me. I just have to walk head on because I do not walk alone. He is and will always be with me.
Still, I am thankful of what OB-GYN for everything that I learned there. I became good at IV insertion, I knew the hospital mechanics, I developed being fast, I knew what to do during codes, my mentality was made stronger, and I opened my door to other fields. For now I still do not know what field to specialize in but I pray that God would show me and take me where I am mostly needed.
Thank you OB-GYN department.
My next rotation is Pediatrics.
All PLM students in PLM will have their clerkship at ospital ng maynila and those who are scholars until third year, regardless if you lost it once, will have your senior internship also at ospital ng maynila.
OBSTETRICS AND GYNECOLOGY
So clerkship came and I was so afraid of it to the point of having so much anxiety before entering clerkship. Yet it was inevitable. What was funny is that I was joking my friend that she would get OB as first rotation but deep inside, I could already feel it would me my first rotation and it did.
OB rotation in ospital ng maynila is very notorious in making people quit. During the first week of my rotation, one of my groupmates quit medicine. During the first two weeks, we were expressing how much we want to quit. Some were breaking down almost every day. I was however, still enjoying. In part that is because I loved OB. During second to third year, people would sleep at OB lectures but I didn't. I was always wide awake during OB-Gyne lectures and asleep in all other subjects. I also don't know how I maintained scholarship and caught up hahaha. So I was having fun but it was really difficult. In everything, you have to be very very fast or else you'll get scolded at or demerits for being inefficient. OB residents are also known for being snub and bad tempered. THIS I SAY! DO NOT BELIEVE EVERYTHING THAT YOU HEAR UNTIL YOU EXPERIENCE IT!
While it is true that you'll get scolded at sometimes, OB residents are nice people. You just have to do your job fast and efficiently. Aside from skills, what is being built up in OB is your EQ. It will break you to the point of making you quit or it will make you so that you'll be able to endure your anything, mentally.
My highlight in my OB rotation was realizing that maybe ob-gyne is not for me. It is not that I'm not good at it. I actually find myself excelling in the field but I feel that I have lost my love for obstetrics and gynecology. We have this anesthesia rotation in surgical departments including obstetrics, and I find it fascinating. I was enthralled when one of our anesthesiologists let me give the anesthetics to the patient. From preparation to spinal tapping to administering the anesthetics to the end. I liked skills and now I'm considering it.
Also, there is this big factor that I am considered as a toxic person in ob. we had 4 mortalities in ob during my rotation and three of them, they associate it to me when only in two of them I was actually in OB. the other one, I was an anesthesia rotator which is at the second floor. What hurt me was, one resident said I'm too toxic when i was already away but my toxicity still reached them. Also, there is this one resident who hated me to be in the ER. There was one time that resident had a minor operation and had difficulty and took so much time, longer than a cesarean section. That resident saw me as soon as the operation was finished. The resident's (sorry, I don't want to label the resident's gender to keep identity) eyes widened, teeth clenched. The resident told me off, said "diba sabi ko wag ka dito? anong ginagawa mo dito? hirap na hirap ako sa oparation!" Again it was attributed to me. The last of our mortality who was attributed to me while I was away, the same resident told me to go home instead of being there. the resident did not want to see me or know that I was still there and so our clerk's monitor who was also a resident asked me to leave early.
At that time, I slumped at my bed. I cried. Did i want them to die? Did I wish for it? I almost considered quitting because of it. I entered medicine because I wanted to know life but it seemed that I became a harbinger of doom was what filled my mind. I cried and prayed.
There are residents who when they see me, would ask me to leave their patients alone. They would tell me they have a toxic patient and ask me to stay away from those patients. One, who have a high position in the department even said that I could carry such toxicity until residency which really hurt me. I only want to do my job and genuinely want to take care of patients. I take it both as a learning experience and duty as a doctor but then I am treated as such. This is why I loved OB.
Other departments also label toxicity to people but I don't know how they are treated there. Here is my take. It is a mere superstition. If indeed toxic patients arrive during your tour of duty, then the more that you'll have opportunity to learn to manage such cases. It is up to you to believe it or not but who I believe in is my God. This is how God shapes me, prepares me to be where I am needed. Whatever other people say, I will endure and trust in my God. I do not know of that path He laid before me but I know that it is the best for me. I just have to walk head on because I do not walk alone. He is and will always be with me.
Still, I am thankful of what OB-GYN for everything that I learned there. I became good at IV insertion, I knew the hospital mechanics, I developed being fast, I knew what to do during codes, my mentality was made stronger, and I opened my door to other fields. For now I still do not know what field to specialize in but I pray that God would show me and take me where I am mostly needed.
Thank you OB-GYN department.
My next rotation is Pediatrics.
PLM-CM second year-third year
This is a relatively short blog because there's not much in second and third year. This will contain the general experience in both years not on individual subjects and expectations. If you are already in PLM and needs advice on second and third year subjects, feel free to ask and I'll see if I could help.
Second year.
Your life in second year will be study, exam, sleep cycle.
Almost everyday you'll have examinations and just like in first year, you'll feel like you don't have time anymore especially that you have saturday class. BUT IN REALITY, you still have lots of time. Trust me. You have lots. You'll realize in third year eventually if you still don't feel like it.
So, the secret in second year is studying wisely. Listen to lectures so studying would be like a recap of your lecture. Focus on the lecture because that is what is important but still read and study your book. I know there are transes but reading the book is a huge difference. To those who lost scholarship in first year, fret not! It's easy to be reinstated in second year.
Second year guide:
* Study wisely
* Ace the exams
* Enjoy your life
<br>
Third year.
Surgical Pathology will consume your time.
There will be lots of reporting and group works so cooperation and time management are the keys. Also, be an efficient member. Do not be a burden to your groupmates. If you're having difficulty, tell your groupmates, ask for help. If there are problems, address them as early as possible to avoid worse conflicts. Study as much as you can during this year because you won't have time to study during clerkship.
Third year guide:
*Cooperation and time management are the keys
* study as much as you can
This is a relatively short blog because there's not much in second and third year. This will contain the general experience in both years not on individual subjects and expectations. If you are already in PLM and needs advice on second and third year subjects, feel free to ask and I'll see if I could help.
Second year.
Your life in second year will be study, exam, sleep cycle.
Almost everyday you'll have examinations and just like in first year, you'll feel like you don't have time anymore especially that you have saturday class. BUT IN REALITY, you still have lots of time. Trust me. You have lots. You'll realize in third year eventually if you still don't feel like it.
So, the secret in second year is studying wisely. Listen to lectures so studying would be like a recap of your lecture. Focus on the lecture because that is what is important but still read and study your book. I know there are transes but reading the book is a huge difference. To those who lost scholarship in first year, fret not! It's easy to be reinstated in second year.
Second year guide:
* Study wisely
* Ace the exams
* Enjoy your life
<br>
Third year.
Surgical Pathology will consume your time.
There will be lots of reporting and group works so cooperation and time management are the keys. Also, be an efficient member. Do not be a burden to your groupmates. If you're having difficulty, tell your groupmates, ask for help. If there are problems, address them as early as possible to avoid worse conflicts. Study as much as you can during this year because you won't have time to study during clerkship.
Third year guide:
*Cooperation and time management are the keys
* study as much as you can
PLM-CM 1st year medical student
As a 1st year medical student in PLM and as a biology graduate, it was difficult. It was difficult because everything is fast paced. As what I have written at my earlier blog, 2 days lecture would cover half of your undergrad semester lecture. Also, they won't spoon feed you. There are lectures of course, and the powerpoints are subject to the mentors if they would give it or not but surely you still should read your books because not all questions in the exams are based only on lectures. They are book-based. This is maybe an advantage of Biology graduates. That is, we are well-rounded, we read books. It's like we're jack of all trades. This however does not apply generally, it still depends person by person. It was just a little difficult for me to cope up with how fast everything is going and you have to pass. Honestly, I was already telling my mom to prepare in case I'll fail first year in PLM. I was already thinking of schools to transfer to just in case haha.
In first year, you would also feel the UP and "non-UP" segregation. It's understandable that it's your first day, first week, first month and so you'd approach those who you knew or those of same school. But there is really this sense of superiority among UP students (again, I'm not generalizing) as they clump together, and you'll find "non-UP" students also clumped together. At those times I realized that it was a good choice for me that I dropped my slot at UP Manila, which was also biology, and chose UST instead. I thought, and I am sure I would also acquire such mentality. Again, I'm not generalizing and I am just writing what I have experienced as a first year medical student in PLM. Of course, there were UP students who would approach you first. One of them, actually was one of my first friends in medical school and he also expressed his disappointment at some of his schoolmates because of such mentality.
I had this experience in which, one of my groupmates who was a UP graduate asked me to do something in chemistry experiment when he himself does not have anything to do. He would give me tasks and then this vulnerable disappointing me would follow. I told myself I would be very friendly in medical school because I am not seen as friendly in college but then I noticed the abuse and so I stood my ground. There was also this one time when that certain person asked about a physiology experiment then I answered. He did not believe then he asked another who was also from UP, who said the same thing as I said then he believed. I kicked a chair and muttered "eh pareho lang naman, ano yun? bwisit" Haha yes, I do not care if he heard of not, if he saw or not because I'm fed up with him. One of my friends who was meek, saw and heard everything and she was laughing. I told her how I don't care anymore. She also knows of how that guy has treated me and others who were not from the same school as him. See, this was my problem in college, I am very outspoken but I know where and when to speak.
Always, always, stand your ground. Whatever school you are from, drop it. You are now in PLM and all of you are PLM students regardless of your undergraduate schools. Teach each other and build up connections.
On academics, I couldn't emphasize more on STUDY, STUDY, STUDY! I repeat, STUDY, STUDY STUDY! WISELY! but of course enjoy the little things. You have a lot of time during first year. You will realize that as you go to second then third year, then in clerkship year you'll want to go back to first year. At first you'll think that you have a lot to do. It will seem like you have no time for yourself but trust me, all the time is yours in first year so use them wisely. Enjoy your first year because you still have looootttsss of time for yourself. Don't skip meals, don't skip beauty routine, invest in skin care, always spend time with your loved ones because being in medicine is not an excuse. Don't wait until it's too late to spend time with family. Every opportunity to see them and be with them, grab it, trust me, I regretted a lot and am still regretting.
On failures, do not take it to heart too much because everything is fast paced. If you fail an exam, take points and ace the next exams. Avoid carrying negativity over to the next exams and subjects because it will only pull you down. If you do not understand a subject even if you tried to, do not hesitate to ask another who you think understood it better. You can also ask our mentors. Be honest that you cannot grasp it clearly.
As I have said in my previous blog, PLM-CM is notorious in cutting down students in first year, in my time that is. I started off as a scholar then I lost it by .01. But don't worry, it's relatively easier in 2nd year because you have adjusted well already. And I had this one subject which I honestly failed to focus on despite low marks. I thought it was only minor and it was on the same day with anatomy which is a major subject and always have practical exams so I prioritized anatomy. Also, if you are used to 1.0-2.0 in college, do not be distressed by 2.75. Instead, be grateful that it's not 3. We're zero-based and it's difficult to achieve high grades such as 90. Passing grade is 75 and we're more than happy to just pass that. But of course strive for 90+, or at least maintain scholarship which is a very big help. And if you're stellar, then 90+ is very easy for you so help others please.
You are already studying medicine. Failing does not make you lesser or dumb. You have passed medicine and are now in the most difficult medical school as they say. Stand your ground, always. You are more than you think you are.
Guide to first year summary:
* Time management is the key
* Study wisely
* Always aim for improvement and progress
* Do not dismay too much on failures, take it as a spring for you to even be better.
* Build connections
* Spend time with loved ones
As a 1st year medical student in PLM and as a biology graduate, it was difficult. It was difficult because everything is fast paced. As what I have written at my earlier blog, 2 days lecture would cover half of your undergrad semester lecture. Also, they won't spoon feed you. There are lectures of course, and the powerpoints are subject to the mentors if they would give it or not but surely you still should read your books because not all questions in the exams are based only on lectures. They are book-based. This is maybe an advantage of Biology graduates. That is, we are well-rounded, we read books. It's like we're jack of all trades. This however does not apply generally, it still depends person by person. It was just a little difficult for me to cope up with how fast everything is going and you have to pass. Honestly, I was already telling my mom to prepare in case I'll fail first year in PLM. I was already thinking of schools to transfer to just in case haha.
In first year, you would also feel the UP and "non-UP" segregation. It's understandable that it's your first day, first week, first month and so you'd approach those who you knew or those of same school. But there is really this sense of superiority among UP students (again, I'm not generalizing) as they clump together, and you'll find "non-UP" students also clumped together. At those times I realized that it was a good choice for me that I dropped my slot at UP Manila, which was also biology, and chose UST instead. I thought, and I am sure I would also acquire such mentality. Again, I'm not generalizing and I am just writing what I have experienced as a first year medical student in PLM. Of course, there were UP students who would approach you first. One of them, actually was one of my first friends in medical school and he also expressed his disappointment at some of his schoolmates because of such mentality.
I had this experience in which, one of my groupmates who was a UP graduate asked me to do something in chemistry experiment when he himself does not have anything to do. He would give me tasks and then this vulnerable disappointing me would follow. I told myself I would be very friendly in medical school because I am not seen as friendly in college but then I noticed the abuse and so I stood my ground. There was also this one time when that certain person asked about a physiology experiment then I answered. He did not believe then he asked another who was also from UP, who said the same thing as I said then he believed. I kicked a chair and muttered "eh pareho lang naman, ano yun? bwisit" Haha yes, I do not care if he heard of not, if he saw or not because I'm fed up with him. One of my friends who was meek, saw and heard everything and she was laughing. I told her how I don't care anymore. She also knows of how that guy has treated me and others who were not from the same school as him. See, this was my problem in college, I am very outspoken but I know where and when to speak.
Always, always, stand your ground. Whatever school you are from, drop it. You are now in PLM and all of you are PLM students regardless of your undergraduate schools. Teach each other and build up connections.
On academics, I couldn't emphasize more on STUDY, STUDY, STUDY! I repeat, STUDY, STUDY STUDY! WISELY! but of course enjoy the little things. You have a lot of time during first year. You will realize that as you go to second then third year, then in clerkship year you'll want to go back to first year. At first you'll think that you have a lot to do. It will seem like you have no time for yourself but trust me, all the time is yours in first year so use them wisely. Enjoy your first year because you still have looootttsss of time for yourself. Don't skip meals, don't skip beauty routine, invest in skin care, always spend time with your loved ones because being in medicine is not an excuse. Don't wait until it's too late to spend time with family. Every opportunity to see them and be with them, grab it, trust me, I regretted a lot and am still regretting.
On failures, do not take it to heart too much because everything is fast paced. If you fail an exam, take points and ace the next exams. Avoid carrying negativity over to the next exams and subjects because it will only pull you down. If you do not understand a subject even if you tried to, do not hesitate to ask another who you think understood it better. You can also ask our mentors. Be honest that you cannot grasp it clearly.
As I have said in my previous blog, PLM-CM is notorious in cutting down students in first year, in my time that is. I started off as a scholar then I lost it by .01. But don't worry, it's relatively easier in 2nd year because you have adjusted well already. And I had this one subject which I honestly failed to focus on despite low marks. I thought it was only minor and it was on the same day with anatomy which is a major subject and always have practical exams so I prioritized anatomy. Also, if you are used to 1.0-2.0 in college, do not be distressed by 2.75. Instead, be grateful that it's not 3. We're zero-based and it's difficult to achieve high grades such as 90. Passing grade is 75 and we're more than happy to just pass that. But of course strive for 90+, or at least maintain scholarship which is a very big help. And if you're stellar, then 90+ is very easy for you so help others please.
You are already studying medicine. Failing does not make you lesser or dumb. You have passed medicine and are now in the most difficult medical school as they say. Stand your ground, always. You are more than you think you are.
Guide to first year summary:
* Time management is the key
* Study wisely
* Always aim for improvement and progress
* Do not dismay too much on failures, take it as a spring for you to even be better.
* Build connections
* Spend time with loved ones
Wednesday, August 14, 2019
CHOOSING PLM as MEDICAL SCHOOL
Hello!
I'm currently in my 4th year/clerkship/junior internship year in Pamantasan ng Lungsod College of Medicine. Aside from documenting my Med life, I hope that my entries would be of help to those who are having difficulty in choosing which medical school to go to. as I have experienced before entering med school.
Before laying out the pros and cons of PLM Med, I'll start off with my backstory which led me to choose PLM.
I am a graduate of UST Biology Batch 2016. I didn't apply at UST med despite sure credentials (1. Roman Catholic 2.UST graduate- Biology, yes they do prefer UST Biology grads 3. Graduated with a Latin honor). The reason was mainly because of financial difficulty wherein there are tuition fee, Dorm rent, and monthly allowance which will surely be a huge burden to my family. Though I started premed at UST because I also wanted to continue medicine there, I guess the captain of the ship had other route on His map. And so I applied at UERM which is more expensive than UST but the difference is that I get to save dorm rent since my brother lives relatively near UERM. Then I applied at PLM, mainly because of the relatively small tuition fee.
My considerations in picking medical school were: 1. Tuition fee 2. Quality 3. Facilities and Equipments.
PLM
1. Tuition fee - depends on category, but ranges from 30K to 90K per semester, excluding the monsters who only pays miscellaneous fees of around 5K. For humans, I repeat, our range according to category is from 30K-90K.
2. Quality - Even though PLM-CM is very young compared to other medical schools, they are always within the top 5 med schools during PLE. PLM-CM graduates are also sought-after.
PLM-CM curriculum is also Outcome-based so study for yourself. Do not rely on lectures. STUDY! STUDY! STUDY! Our mentors may or may not give their ppt. They do not give handouts. You really have to study. Also, don't expect high grades especially during first year, AKA reaping year. If you used to take a bath in unos, you'll get used to being plunged in dos and treses but don't worry, don't be sad. I know you will be shocked and hypotensive at first but such grades in PLM-CM is normal. Imagine a scholarship maintaining grade of 2.5. Too low to be a maintaining grade right? Haha during my time, only half of the scholars were able to maintain scholarship from first year to second year. It was that difficult to maintain.
Fast-paced. Really. Fast. So fast. Haha! Do not believe? Two physiology lectures have covered one undergrad semester which is 10 hours vs 6 months. And there are still other subjects, and there are lots of reporting. Yet because of this, you'll be forced to adapt and in no time, you'll see how much you have improved, until you start clerkship. Haha, clerkship. We'll get there.
PLM-CM graduates are highly sought-after. Do I still need to emphasize on quality?
Also, if it is your desire to really help the poor, then go to PLM. If not and you still would go to PLM, surely PLM will poke that empathy of yours during clerkship. You'll eventually acquire it.
Also, if it is your desire to really help the poor, then go to PLM. If not and you still would go to PLM, surely PLM will poke that empathy of yours during clerkship. You'll eventually acquire it.
3. Facilities and Equipments - You'll learn how to be resourceful haha! Compared to private med schools, do not expect high-end facilities and advanced equipments. We don't have that digital cadaver, whatever you call that. We have Snell's Anatomy and McMinn's Anatomy books to look at as we probe half the body of a cadaver and the other half to look and compare and maybe cut a little (secretly haha!) if another group has already labelled it. Yes 2 groups share 1 cadaver but our mentors are really good. They're excellent, just always be ready because they ask questions as PLM-CM is not fond of spoon feeding.
PLM-CM have its own auditorium, what we cal AVR or audio visual room. We conduct lectures and programs there but not all sits are intact so check your sit first before sitting. And if you're allergic to dust, uhm, just bring cetirizine haha! Really, don't expect a lot from the facilities. Do ocular first.
UERM
I do not really know much of this school but I have friends/barkadas from college who are now also clerks/junior interns at UERM and they seem fine.
1. Tuition fee - More expensive compared to UST
2. Quality - also high quality. From what I know, they are also Outcomes-based
3. Facilities/Equipments - You'll get what you paid for.
My mother and brother actually wanted me to choose UERM instead of PLM because of the high-end equipments. My brother said that resourcefulness is part of human nature which one could learn eventually therefore it is better to learn with everything already available.
My personal take is that if you plan to practice abroad, or in expensive private hospitals and if you have the funds, I think UERM is a good medical school to go to.
Why did I choose PLM-CM despite my mother and brother urging me to go to UERM? Well I also wanted to go back to time and choose UERM haha!
This is what happened.
I also could not choose which med-school to go to as I was accepted in both schools. I actually paid reservation fee in UERM which was 30K at that time because PLM has not released their results yet and there was this case in which one of our graduates, despite graduating cum laude, was not accepted in PLM. Of course I was in constant doubt. My mom told me to secure the slot and so we did. It was non-refundable and so yeah. yeah. T_T my mom's money T_T I'm so sorry mom. Sorry :((
Alright, back to the subject, I did ocular at both schools. I felt suffocated at UERM. I am from UST and the campus is very big with lots of plants and trees. It's like even if a lot of things have been stressing you out, walking around the campus could calm you down. UERM however, was just a building, white walls and floors. there are only few plants and trees, unlike PLM which has its own field. There are also plants and trees so that was one of the factors.
Yet I was afraid. PLM has a lot of UP students and I have inferiority complex before and I am not generalizing but most, if not all, UP students have this sense of superiority among "non-UP" students. I will expound on this in another entry. I was afraid of going head to head with them. I didn't trust myself. I was full of doubt. I was having thoughts of failing. Also, PLM is notorious of reaping students (failing students), especially during first year. I was already thinking what if I could not make it?
Baccalaureate mass came. UST baccalaureate is very special and really beautiful. It was the best of my highlight moments in college. Well I was sitting, in line with my friends. Parade of flags was ongoing and I had this small chowking flyer in my hand. As I was thinking and doubting myself, very troubled, I was folding the piece of paper into a small paper boat. I was praying, always. At that time, I was asking God on which school should I choose. I was asking about where would he take me. I was looking at the small paper boat in my hands when our class president approached me. We sometimes get on each other's nerves but we're on good terms. that time she was smiling and she told me "nakaabot ka". I did not understand at first. I though she was referring to the award in literature because I also passed some of my literary works which were first placers in contests. I asked her "ano? saan? panong abot?" Then she said, "laude, nakaabot ka". As I clearly heard her, I stood up then we hugged each other. I was so happy.
I looked at the small paper boat. He answered. God told me that no matter how high the waves are, no matter how scary the ocean is, no matter how small my boat is, even if it is made of paper, He is with me therefore I should not doubt, because that paper boat will be unsinkable.
Then 90's songs played, fireworks lit up the sky. I was smiling. My heart was in peace. I was decided. I was smiling, filled with joy.
Faith led me to choose PLM over UERM.
Do I regret my choice? From time to time, I do. That is because PLM-CM training will really kick you out of your comfort zone. But I will keep on going and have faith in my God. My regret is my will but God's plan is what is best for me, not my plan.
NEXT ENTRY - FIRST YEAR MED LIFE
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