One Loud Roar

Since I have been "thinking about the future" so much in the past few months, it's only now that I decided to write about the awesome Board Ops done by the San Beda College of Medicine Alumni. The Board Ops is the brainchild of the late Father Manny Basil Apostol, OSB, who has been a staunch supporter of the College of Medicine since time immemorial. He patterned it after the Bar Ops of the College of Law wherein we will have our own study room complete with food, coffee, tea, computers with question banks, etc. Unfortunately, Father Basil died right in the middle of this project and it was up to our alumni to carry out the plan.

Despite the so-called delay (that I didn't even feel at all), it has worked out really well for us. They've done an excellent job in providing us a study room complete with computers, coffee and tea, water and sodas, couch, and food. All you have to do is to study and they will provide you with your needs.

Le study room

Sir Albert setting up the computers 

Day 1 supplies. As the days passed, we had different selections available.
Some of us also brought snacks for sharing.

Happy campers :)

We had food delivered to us from AM snacks to dinner. Most of the time, it comes with free hugs from our favorite people in the Med Office. Whew! Hugs for support, you guys!

Packed lunch from Dom Felipe Cafe

My PM merienda sometime in August

Catered lunch buffet on a Saturday y'all!

And for the pièce de résistance, our friends from the alumni association arranged a special review with our professors. That really helped us a lot because it cleared up a lot of concepts that we are still having trouble with.

The Surgery Trio: Drs Kho, Aleta and Domingo
Laugh trip while learning :)

It doesn't stop there because it gets better and better. The entire College of Medicine is involved in it, hence the name: The Red Army. And one of the students made an emblem with the words "One Loud Roar". 

A few days before the exam, we had a send off mass and a small gathering wherein we were given pencils and a St Benedict's medal that were blessed by the monks. During the exams, we received a wake up call from the board ops volunteers on the first day of exams if we choose to be woken up. We also had a bus service going to and from MLQU. What I love about the Board Ops is a section near the gate that I'd like to call the "Lion's Den". It's where we pick up our food and drinks and get to rant about how annoyingly difficult the exam was then end up getting words of support, encouragement and wisdom. And by the way, the board ops also provided light breakfast, snacks and lunch. Talk about service deluxe!

God bless you more, good people! :)

On the last day of the exams, we also had a thanksgiving mass inside the monastery chapel. It's a place that is reserved for the monks but we were fortunate enough to be invited inside.

With friends

Until the end of the board exam, they've organized an after party for us. Although the board ops have ended, it was a new beginning for all of us because we became good friends with our upperclassmen. We came in as a bunch of kids who were fresh off internship but came out as licensed doctors. Not only that, this is marks the beginning of a new tradition in the San Beda College of Medicine that is further strengthened by camaraderie, loyalty and friendship. As we are very thankful for this board ops, our batch pledged to help the next year's board ops to make it even better for the February and August 2015 board exam takers. 

Bedan MDs of 2013 and 2014

That in all things, God may be glorified!

Some photos courtesy of Roaring Pride 2013 Viber groups, Red Army Facebook Page, and Dra. Princess Tabangin.

Take Me Away!

If you know me personally, you would know of my neurotic dream of travelling, specifically through backpacking. Ever since the end of clerkship, that was what I wanted to do but then I have no funds and my dear old overprotective dad wouldn't allow me to go on that trip, hence the lack of funds. Internship is a different story because I have to study ASAP for the board exams. Sadface.

Now that I have means to save up for this, I got this habit of reading about the countries I want to visit. Since I'm a noob at this, I will take baby steps by deciding to head out to Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam in one go. You might say that I'm a little too weird by not taking baby steps in my home country. I have thought of that as well but I think this will be my big leap from "parasitic extended adolescent" to a "working extended adolescent". Hahaha. Baby steps to backpacking but a big leap from being parasitic to independence. Seems legit. If you still don't get it, just read on Erik Erikson's developmental tasks so you'll know that I mean. 

Anyway, I'm feeling a bit proud of myself now that I've figured out the Bangkok - Siem Reap - Phnom Penh - Ho Chi Minh City route overland by bus. But I'm still thinking of including Hanoi, Vietnam (for Ha Long Bay), and Luang Prabang and Vientiane in Laos so that I can close the Indochina loop in one go. Medyo malupit pang research ang gagawin ko if I'll include Laos.

Photos from Conde Nast Traveller

And then again shet lang ang biyahe by train and bus, okay. Here's what I found out:

1. Ho Chi Minh to Hanoi - ~30hrs by train

2. Hanoi to Luang Prabang, Laos - >24hrs by bus

3. Luang Prabang to Vientiane - >10hrs by bus but the road is located in between steep cliffs plus the kaskasero drivers. I don't want to die! Lels.

Flying is the best option since I'm pressed for time but it'll leave a huge dent in my pocket. I could just set another journey naman starting at Bangkok - Vientiane - Luang Prabang - Hanoi.

Whatevs. Ipon muna ako. I have to make this happen because this is one thing that I want to do before starting residency training next year.