TUOB to be true (My VCMC PGI Experience)

June 26, 2020- Today is supposed to be our graduation day. We are supposed to walk with our white long coats. However, COVID19 pandemic is ongoing.

Post-Graduate Internship (PGI) is the last phase of being a full-fledged physician. Aside from graduating medschool, you have to satisfactorily complete this to take the Physicians Licensure Examination (PLE). The rest of the qualifications are stated in Philippine Medical Act of 1959.

Around the last quarter of 2018, I was in the verge of combustible maze of Senior Clerkship. Suddenly, Association of Philippine Medical Colleges (APMC) announced that it was the matching season of PGIship.  Internship matching is the process by which post-graduate interns (PGIS) are assigned to certain hospital (of their choice) for the duration of their post-graduate internship. APMC facilitates the said matching. Okay, I was overwhelmed by the flames of clerkship so my mental state (with thoughts of quitting) was not in the mood of choosing a hospital of choice. So I just heard some of my friends that were saying "Sa VCMC ta magPGI kay nindot didto". I was not yet rotated in Visayas Community Medical Center (VCMC) at that time. Our clinical clerkship program in Cebu Institute of Medicine (CIM) included VCMC as an affiliation for Internal Medicine (IM) rotation and IM was part of the last quarter of my rotation. To make the long story short, I included VCMC as my hospital of choice and I was matched on a Valentine's Day of 2019. I was thinking of unmatching VCMC since I was quite unsure and I haven't rotated there yet. I decided to switch to my clerkship hospital base. And I suddenly thought, what if I will judge my VCMC experience first? It may be my last hospital rotation but will still have time. Oh well, on the last 2 weeks of March 2018, I was rotated in IM VCMC. Oh wow, even the guards are were so sweet. They greeted me with a sweet smile even during my previous status. The nurses were so kind even to clerks. The IM residents were treated us as colleagues. And I made my final decision, to stick to VCMC.

Fast forward, I graduated medicine last June 25, 2019 then had the first day of training last July 1, 2019. Then I met a new set of groupmates. We were rotated first in Obstetrics and Gynecology. It was quite challenging rotation with nerve wrecking and mind boggling endorsements as well as paperworks together with labor watch, deliveries and OR assists.  Sadly 2 of our groupmates fled with the wind and only six of us left- me, Arianna, April, Carmel, One and Ram.Let us not forget the sliding schedule AMEN. Sadly, I wasn't able to join our acquaintance party since I had pneumonia (Disclaimer: That was not COVID19)

Mondays with *fill in the blank*

                             




Then our next rotation was Internal Medicine. As always, I was bombarded with Emergency Room admissions with matching code with my flesh heels on. We already knew that fish was like a punishment when we were late in the Dietary. (Wait fish is yummy but the bones are way too hassle.) Christiana's sari-sari store with chips, essential needs, candies and of course chocoballs and munchkins were fad. And yes, we were always the last in the Emergency room. While the other PGIs were sleeping in the callroom, me and One2 were like okay, we were the ones left again.
Then the highlight during October was our Halloween Party. Departments of Surgery, Family Medicine, Pediatrics, OB-GYNE, IM competed on respective sophisticated presentations. It took us around several weeks to practice with Ari as our dedicated choreographer. It was indeed fun experience with matching crawling steps with our beloved and ever hardworking MHAM Interns- Ryan, Shads, Glady, Neil, Pat and Jerlan. Together with the IM residents, we danced despite of the rain (and thunder). Though we didn't garner a place, it was still a great and fulfilling experience.

There came our four months of Family Medicine rotation. On the first month (FAMED IN), We acted like residents. We sent updates to our consultants and were trained how to make doctor's orders. We met our lovely Junior Consultants- Dr. Cyril, Dr. Sanchez and Dr. Canas. We also became closer to the OPD nurses. Aside from that, we had fund raising activities like rummage sale and Star Wars block screening. We also witnessed the resident's graduation and also had a great Christmas Party.

On our 2nd half which was FAMED OUT, we rotated on different electives. First I was rotated in JPark for occupational medicine. I didn't had any partner and I missed my groupmates. There was even a time I almost got lost when I commuted to JPark. I was like the Dora the Explorer of Marigondon. Good thing Dr. Arcibal, the hotel physician did not made me felt left out. I met the wonderful hotel nurses- Miss Bon, Miss Blanche, Sir Sam, Mam Danica and Sir Gian. Wait, I performed IV insertions and isolated two foreigners which were rarely done by previous PGIs. I also encountered a Korean kid with seizure.

However weekend after my JPark rotation, there came the news of the first Person Under Investigation (PUI) in Cebu for Novel Corona Virus Disease (Later became COVID19).

Then the next rotation was Radiology with the ever sweet Mam Amie and we practiced reading XRay Films. Ari was already my partner that time.

Then we had our Sinulog Celebration and VCMC was the part of the Cebu City's medical team.

                                 

 Then I went back to Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center (VSMMC) for my Psychiatry rotation and it was like Lord, kadaghan nakong kaila anywhere. I was tasked to take care of referrals from the main hospital and assisted Psychia residents in OPD. We also had our Valentine's Day celebration with Harana 2020 and VCMC Valentines couple (as well as for our fund raising activity). There was also a time that we helped One to distribute the flowers and did harana to the doctor's offices.

Above all, as endorsed by previous PGIs, your VCMC PGIship will not be complete without knowing the life story of Dr. Simplicio Guinocor. We assisted him during our EENT rotation. He is one of the CIM alumni with a true persona of Physician With A Heart. Aside from clinic based ENT and Ophtha discussions, he taught us life lessons with matching coffee and banana.

Lastly, we ended our FAMED rotation with family case on a 17 year old boy with Infective Endocarditis. Several weeks prior, we went to a house visit in Minglanilla and that was indeed fun.

We had our Surgery rotation back then with matching food during Pre Op and Post Op Conference. We also had high yield endorsements by the surgical residents and Dr. Rallon. We had operating room assists. Me and Ari prepared for our scheduled CME Lecture about Tokyo Guidelines. However, in the afternoon of March 12, 2020, while I was nervous for the CME Lecture the next day, Dr. Sabio informed me that the CME Lecture will not push through due to COVID 19. Prior to that day, WHO announced COVID19 as a pandemic. On the following days, interns were pulled out. On my last duty on March 15, we were on skeletal duty with Ram as my partner. I had a series of OR assists without knowing that might be my last OR assist in my entire medical career. (I am not planning for cutting specialty). I was on a previous duty on March 16 then on March 17, PGIs as mandated by APMC were pulled-out.

Three months may have passed but I still left my heart in VCMC. That was a bittersweet goodbye. I still thought of my residents, nurses and staff of VCMC regarding their safety. Still, thank you so much VCMC for molding me to become a great physician someday. I wish I will be a consultant in this hospital in the future. I have no regrets in choosing VCMC. I still endorse to my juniors to have their PGIship in that hospital. For our my groupmates, Team Issues, thank you so much for choosing to be with us together. It was great working with you. I consider you as a family in this journey. To batch Operon, thank you so much for letting me know most of you and for establishing friendship. Our batch is unique that we are experiencing this pandemic. Still congratulations to all of us.

To our cheerful and respectful security guards,
To our diligent and generous dietary and canteen staff,
To our assistive and accomodating radiology and laboratory workers,
To our funny and easygoing transport personnel,
To our polite and hardworking nurses,
To our thoughtful and brilliant residents,
To our inspiring and teaching consultants,
To our progressive and considerate administration,
To our patient and sweet CME secretary,
And
To our loving and for a lack of a better word, amazing CME Director,

We are all grateful to be part of the family that is VCMC. Our PGIship was no doubt very fulfilling and memorable because of the strongest and most valuable tangible asset the hospital has..its human resources. So on our supposed graduation day, we wanted to make sure that COVID-19 wouldn't be able to stop us from showing our appreciation. So thank you everyone for the PGI experience that was (no pun intended) tu-ob to be true. We love you VCMC! 


July 11, 2020We had our virtual graduation. It was a bit emotional when I saw the graduation pics of the whole batch Operon. Without the pandemic, we're supposed to be together and we'll definitely take a batch picture in front of the chapel with our white long coats. Anyway, I never thought that I will garner awards in this said graduation day- most especially the Best PGI Group in Internal Medicine

VCMC engraved my heart since junior clerkship. This institution molded me to be a physician with a heart.

To the residents and junior consultants, I am sorry if I may made yourselves busy since pancit canton and spaghetti are my favorite dishes. Thank you so much for all the learnings you imparted to me.

To Doc Eribal, our CME Director, thank you for accepting me with open arms and for believing in us.

To my groupmates, thank you so much for accompanying me in this journey. You are one of the best.

To Batch Operon, my lovely colleagues, thank you so much for everything.

To entire staff of VCMC, thank you for giving me the sweetest environment.

To my mommy, ate and my dad in heaven, I hope I made you all proud.

VCMC, someday my wings will be established, I will go back to you with gratitude.

To the Filipino people, especially my fellow Cebuanos, I will serve you with all of my heart and soul as a doctor.

To God up above, thank you for planning this journey.

Your "strong independent woman",

PGI Lawas

I learned a lot in VCMC (repeat one million times)

NOTE: Why tuob?
Tuob or steam inhalation was controversial nowadays in the political and medical world as well as in social media. We do not endorse it as a treatment or prevention of COVID19.