Sunday, February 17, 2008

Diplomate

Every year, three years of exhausting duties, sleepless nights, and hundreds of textbook pages read culminate in one make-or-break examination for each batch of internal medicine graduates in the Philippines. A pass mark would mean recognition as a member of the Philippine College of Physicians, the umbrella organization of all practicing internists in the country.

And... I passed!

I am now a certified internist, at least in the Philippines.

Apparently, all the Starbucks coffee I took by the gallon for six weeks really paid off.

Anyone who has studied for a major certifying exam knows how overwhelming the information you have to review in such a short time is. You just try to cover what you can and hope what you are able to review is what comes out. You also just hope against hope that whatever you weren't able to review you already have as stock knowledge. No matter how hard you study, you are never going to be prepared.

I took my internal medicine board certifying examinations last January 27, 2008. Last Thursday, I finally got the results - a pretty great V-day gift in lieu of roses. Just like my medical board exams, I don't really know how I managed to pass. I am just really, really glad that I did.

Congratulations to everyone who made it! (I'm entry number 81. :))

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(Post script: I planned on writing about our crazy, rainy quirkyalone weekend in Bicolandia tonight; but having just arrived from the eight hour drive and given the pressing need to pack for another out of town gig I fly out to tomorrow morning, I simply didn't have the time. But I will write about it very soon!)

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

congratulations doc!
naku you just reminded me to have mia checked up :)

Manggy said...

CONGRATS MA'AM!!! Well-deserved. Without revealing too much, did you find it easy at all?

I think you should not go through the month without receiving flowers. @>-->-- Here's a virtual one from me, in congratulations and Happy V-Day as well. Pending some real ones for when I see you again and if I magically have real flowers with me, heh heh :)

Anonymous said...

Hey, congratulations! Only people who have really been through the process have an appreciation of what it takes.

Thanks for the South Park link BTW...

dr_clairebear said...

@everyone: thanks for the good wishes! :))

@manggy: it was a weird exam, not exactly a good reflection of must-know topics. i've always hated multiple-true-or-false questions, so that part was really difficult. buti na lang our oral exams were done na last September! ;)

Anonymous said...

Congratulations Claire! Let's celebrate. :)

docemdy said...

Congratulations. This will open a lot of doors.

I've always wondered why the PCP chooses Feb 14 to make the announcement. If you pass, you're doubly happy. If you don't, it sort of dampens Valentine's plus you seem to be the only one who's not giddy that day; social support too is low because everybody is busy with other things.