Welcome Ceremonies Speech for AY 2017-2018
Writing my (most probably) last speech in the college and rereading my first one for the school year. Archiving this here so I can look back at these in the future
Dean Mejia, members of the Dean’s management team, professors, staff, students, magandang araw sa lahat
We have 180 new students entering the college. I think that’s the most the college has ever accepted for one batch at wala pa atang ni isang linggo na hindi ako napaisip, “Paano kaya sila magkakasya sa Buenafe Hall o sa 72 theater?”. 40 of our new students came straight from high school. I’ve had the opportunity to talk to some of them and several were born in year 1999 or 2000. Grabe, how time flies. I spent last night thinking what to say this afternoon. Tipong, if I were back in LU3 or in LU1, what would I have wanted to know then that was crucial in my journey in the College of Medicine.
Last Saturday, we bid our goodbyes to class 2017. In a speech by one of their classmates, one line stayed in my head until now. In verbatim, the speaker said, "Never let the feeling of inadequacy be your dead end, but a fuel to ignite the passion and compassion within."
Medicine is no easy journey. It is not like undergrad or LU1 and LU2 where you can cram studying for an exam overnight or in two days. In med school, you will NEVER feel completely ready for any exam, maski isang buong linggo kayo nag-aral. This you have to know as early as now. When I was in LU3, I was feeling down. I couldn’t focus on studying. Sometimes I would spend nights staring at the ceiling or go out of class for hours just to sleep. Pero masama yun. Wag niyo ako tularan kasi huhuliin kayo ni Dr. Dimacali.
To add to that, I had really stellar classmates who can ace the examinations as if they were born to be a doctor or who’d speak perfectly well in class. Habang ako, ayun, madalas hindi ko maabsorb yung lessons. Imagine, since I was three years old I would pretend to be an OB-GYNE delivering a baby and I’d spend summers in my parents’ clinics helping out, preparing for the day I’d finally get that MD, and then suddenly, I began doubting myself. Nasa tama ba akong kurso? Bakit laging parang kulang? Hindi ata ako dapat ng UP Med. Hindi ako bagay dito.
This, I say to all of you, once you doubt your presence in the UP College of Medicine, don’t give up easily. Eventually, you’ll learn that failure is part of life, and that it is with each failure, that we are able to learn more. Appreciate your toxic small group discussions or ward works. Yung mga ward works na para kang artista sa movie tapos may pumapatak nang pawis sa sobrang kaba. To be honest, they are my favorite because they were the most high yield of all experiences. Don’t feel bad if you do not get exempted for finals. Isipin niyo na lang, at least marereview kayo. Don’t fret if at times you cannot differentiate which part of the body your slides are from or if you cannot see what your professor is pointing out in Radiology lectures. Minsan kailangan talaga ng wild imagination sa Radiology at Pathology. Don’t feel stupid for not knowing how to properly handle microorganisms. After I had a furuncle from handling Staphylococcus aureus, natuto akong mag-incise on my own at kung ano ang dapat inumin na gamot kahit di pa kami nag-aaral ng Derma. O diba, advance! Remember that it is not bad to feel inadequate, so as long as you are not complacent. Use your feeling of inadequacy as your inspiration to work harder. Not for you to get that laude or to get those special awards, but because our future patients deserve our best.
Lastly, whenever you lose sight of your dream, ask yourself "Para kanino? Para saan?”. It may be for yourself, for your family or for your future, but hopefully, by the time you receive your medals and diplomas in a few years, the answer will be “to serve the underserved”
To the class of 2022, I am very excited for all of you. This was one of the batches I was looking forward to because some of you were classmates back in high school while others I have acquainted with the past four years here in UP Manila.
To the INTARMED 2024, enjoy your two years before LU3. Promise, it will be your most free years.
To our professors and staff here today, we entrust our years in UPCM to you. Hopefully we pay your efforts back by giving our best specially after we leave this college.
To Dean Mejia and the rest of the dean’s management team, I am looking forward to working with you in your last term in the college.
To MSC41, thank you in advance for all the help. Nakakainspire kayo sa tuwing nakikita ko kung gaano kayo ka-dedicated sa student council at sa student body. Maraming salamat.
and to all the students here today, push lang!
Thank you and good afternoon to all
