“Med school”. A course that hosts aspirants getting lost in the tangle, 20-minute naps (or no naps at all), and a whole lot of self-doubt. A college that everyone fears entering, extensive training that is far from the countless episodes of Grey’s Anatomy.
Each medical student has their fair share of rewarding and demeaning stories. Every graduation season, their stories are being looked forward to by netizens when they post their graduation pictures in their togas.
Along with their picture, are the stories worth telling, with vulnerability and inspiration.
Charissa Santiago from Cagayan de Oro posted hers on Facebook. Santiago remembers the lowest grade she got in her Physiology quiz on the Autonomic Nervous system.
She remembers herself being on the verge of tears, having a panic attack when she did a last-minute study on the stairs, and possibly clasping to her notes hoping to pass the test.
She revealed that distressing moment that a lot of her classmates passed the test.
She didn’t. Charissa scored 24/100.
It was an eye-opener for an aspiring doctor. But above all the lectures and exams, what she remembers the most are the moments when her patients didn’t just see her as a medical practitioner— she was their refuge.
In her post, she wrote, “I remember sharing my blood with my patient, pumping the heart of a man whose heart suddenly refused to function, comforting a patient with cancer as he cried and shared about how much he loved his family.”
Throughout her clinical training, she saw how life evolved and how it withered. How humanity exists and there is still unconditional support and appreciation.
“I remember my first time holding a newborn baby still warm from the womb and seeing love flood her mother’s eyes as she met her infant for the first time postpartum. I remember holding an elderly man’s hand through an uncomfortable procedure and experiencing the gratitude of said elderly patient after simply changing his clothes. I remember being there during a patient’s first and another patient’s last. I remember hearing the watchers say they trust me in taking care of their lolo, having my patient tell me that he trusted me, and hearing a room of watchers and patients say thank you on my last day,” she added.
Moreover, she sends her message to future doctors and imparts the life lessons that have been embedded in her since day one.
“Dear last pager and hopeless medical student, These are the moments you’ll live for. These are not just moments you’ll remember. These are moments that will mark and define you. More than just becoming a great doctor, focus on becoming a good one. You won’t remain ignorant forever, but embrace the feeling and let it keep you humble during moments of victory. Press on. The struggles you face today will pale in comparison to the fulfillment that is to come,” she said.
She thanks her patients for being her mentors and inspiration in the times when she felt like quitting.
“To all the patients I had the opportunity to care for, thank you. You kept me human when exhaustion pushed me to start working on autopilot. You gave me a reason to continue when I lost myself and wanted to quit. You are all my reasons,” she shared.
To end her post, in her new vantage point she dedicates her passion to people through her genuine care and hopes to be a great example for the doctors who will come after her.
“Though I may not be the brightest, I can only hope that I made a difference with the sincerity of my care. May we become better doctors who will make better doctors for the glory of God and the service of you,” Santiago wrote.
Source: www.facebook.com/charissasantiago
