Future MD

Documenting my journey as a medical student and other things aside.

[futuremd]

Hi everyone! Your futureMD is now an MD(with an MBA) last June 4, 2016. I created a new blog under my name at makieduardo.tumblr.com. Will still blog about life as a doctor in general there. For questions etc. just message on that new blog. Thank you! (BTW Saving this in my Core Memory ❤️💛💚💙💜 as '💛')

[futuremd]

Lesson learned in Internship: Take every opportunity to redeem yourself.

I can only describe my Internal Medicine Rotation as my lowest point in Internship. There were just numerous moments of stressing out on small things. There also plenty of moments that I tolerated a lot of verbal abuse and non-verbal abuse by some nurses and a particular resident.

I never really intended to join a Quiz Bee. More so in the field of Internal Medicine. I guess it was a touch of luck but greatly a leap of faith that I took with my group.

As I look back on the experience, I realized how faith and discipline go hand in hand. I will not deny that I tried reading IM Platinum at the shortest interval that I can. With such coincidence, discussing a hematology case helped me get through hard questions in hematology and oncology.

I can’t really claim it as my own effort, yet undeniabily we gave it our best. Overall mistakes were only 4 in the whole rundown of questions. God is amazing. from hunch to definite knowledge, everything went well.

To everyone studying…just continue studying. To those rotating, just continue to put your mind and heart on the job. Those things will reveal themselves when the time comes. ;)

#medschool #internship #internalmedicine #harrisons

[futuremd]

I'm not sure whether this is the very first time that I'm sharing my usual sleeping position during my duty nights, when the patients are gone for a moment. I actually never thought I would be like this when I entered medicine or how I would've ideally envisioned the life behind hospital doors and curtains. I've actually been through worse conditions- dirty floors, corners with critters and all. Nevertheless, it's always a blessing to have a benign duty..meaning you get the chance to sleep. Yet the best feeling in a day's duty is to be able to sleep well knowing that you did your part and have been told to get a rest. To those medical students still starting out, at some point you will reach this situation. Be ready. :) As for those people who shame doctors for sleeping, please do understand that we too are human. Majority of the week we don't really get to sleep on a comfortable bed. We put ourselves to the limit of our physical and cognitive abilities just to serve people who more or less have no clue or care how to take care of us. We can only think of the loved ones and countless moments we missed with them.

[futuremd]

Being Duty last Christmas Eve made us miss our families, but it is just the beginning of the years to come in residency training.🎄❤️🌟😇 (at The Medical City)

[futuremd]

Pedia was a meaningful rotation for me. Last year it used to be my dreaded one for I don't like crying babies and children. This year, I've learned to appreciate managing young patients and never be afraid to regress once in a while.

[futuremd]

Judged

We all have that moment of being already judged of our capabilities as future doctors by absurd expectations. 

-When you cannot retract an abdominal field the way they expect you to be.. (In tune to Ed Sheeran’s  Thinking Out Loud hahaha)

-When you cannot stay alert anymore from being sleepless on duty..

-When you want to pursue a male-dominated specialty..

-When they feel it is the nurse’s job instead..

-When your resident threatens a demerit to enslave you..

-When others listen to hearsay things about you..

-When being single doesn’t give you further reason to slide a duty..

-When no one wants to scrub into a long surgery even if you are from duty

Anyway, I’d like to end the song loop in my head right now haha. Few months to go to end the slavery. When I recall such moments, I’m just glad I’m alright with the patients, and that matters more than ever to me during this year.

[futuremd]

To more good days ahead 😊 #internship #medicalschool

[futuremd]

I'm apparently one of those people who love Happy Meals #neuronbreak #mcdonalds #happymeal

[futuremd]

That's a first... Those simple things can make someone's day extraordinary. It got me thinking of how I can change the delivery of health care towards the patients I encounter. Little messages and little seconds count! :) #extracaramel #randomideas #starbucks

[futuremd]

What To Do When Your Tank Gets Empty

I have already been through some months in the final year of medical school and I deeply apologize for the gap of stories I left behind while I was in clerkship. I'm planning to fill up random stories that I have experienced in the most meaningful way as soon as I get my free time. Well, for most students and especially those who are there at the hospital, I can therefore relate to you the moments when my tank got empty some certain weeks ago. I can only describe it as a jumble of the following concerns: -My sudden lack of compassion towards the quality of my work and my patients -Those inevitable moments of despair and rumination about the opportunity costs of this whole medical school journey -The Facebook Timeline Envy- Whether it be food, travel, relationships or those humble brags you get from people once in a while -The added stress of a medical hierarchy that can cripple everyone to have a good duty and quality of life at work and the best medical care given to the patients I really did have many things on my plate months ago and it came to a point that I was over the edge of my locus of control that I wanted to quit for good. I was not kidding at all. But I didn't give up did I? Else, I won't be writing this post anymore to advice any medical student, clerk or intern out there not to give up their dreams. ;-) After an afternoon talk with one of the living gods of Surgery in the country and our school coordinator, a time of rest and reflection, prayer and encouragement from family and friends, I'm back again and will be back for good until I reach my dream. So here's what you need to do when you're already getting over the edge and having a huge burnout decision to stop: 1. Only decide once the skies are clear- Not talking about the weather, but decide only what would be best for you if your logic is not overpowered by your emotions anymore. Time cannot be bought, much more the lifetime experience of regret may be something worse than facing your problems. 2. Have your problems written. Write about those external and internal factors that have caused you to feel that way of giving up. 3. Talk about your problems with someone you trust. As they say nowadays, "Even walls have ears". Not everyone you tell your frustrations or sob stories will care about you. 4. Identify whether those problems are unique only to you or whether other people like you also experience the same dilemmas. You may only be experiencing something that everyone must go through, yet you may have magnified things out of proportion. 5. Contact your mentor in medical school or anyone who can help in the administration. Always remember that they saw something in you in the first place to select you as their medical student. Inform them if your are in need of a break. People get tired too and it would be worse to work with a heavy heart in the care of patients. 6. Always ask yourself why you wanted to become a doctor in the first place. Have a heart-check once in a while. 7. Don't stop :-) Things always have a way of getting better. Don't be disheartened by problems..whether academic, work-related etc. Learn to complement yourself and give yourself a pat on the back. Eat your favorite comfort food after a hard day's work. Reward yourself once in a while. 8. Focus on that goal...wearing your full medical regalia and going to bed with a smile because you've done something meaningful to someone's life in even the simplest circumstances. Write that goal, read it every morning to remind yourself that it is within reach a day at a time. :-) I hope those few things can help someone. Send in your tumblr messages if you need some advice or questions. ^_^

[futuremd]

Surgery Meanterns... #joke #surgery #medicalschool #internship (at Surgery Suite, The Medical City)

[futuremd]

Still visible at dinner #tagaytay #cliffhouse

[futuremd]

Tagaytay food in our tummies today. It was a foggy 22C weather up there. #nonmedrelated #food #tagaytay

[futuremd]

I love those Sundays that I'm off. Today I spent the day with my mom to Tagaytay City and we had a food trip and attended mass in the area. 👭🚗 #Sundate #YL8weekends #nonmedrelated #family

[futuremd]

It was my first time to meet 2 very special patients last night. They even gave me a loom band before we left their floor. I really really really hope that their surgery will go well. Very sweet kids!☺️❤️#oneofakind #breakthroughsurgery #craniophagus

[futuremd]

Doctors to the barrios anyone?☺️ #DOH #publichealth

[futuremd]

Investment talk during our MBA class in Finance. The auditorium reminds me of that Eco class in HIMYM. #Finman #MBA #AGSB