MARTIN Angelo Zanoria of Cebu Institute of Medicine (CIM) was in another timeczone when he learned that not only was he going to be a doctor but that he finished top 2 in the 2018 Physician Licensure Examinations.
Zanoria was in the United States when the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) released the results of the September examination, where he finished second with a rating of 90.92 percent.
He was surprised about placing second out of 4,542 who took the exams, because his goal was simply just to pass.
"I felt a sense of relief that the results were finally out considering the long delay in our examinations what we have gone through. Finishing top 2 was just icing on the cake, really," Zanoria said.
He is the youngest of four siblings and he is the final piece that completed this family of doctors.
His family was, after all, the ones who inspired him to pursue this career. His family, friends and the CIM community were his support system.
"I was fortunate enough to have grown up in a family of doctors. They gave me the inspiration I needed to pursue the profession myself. My parents are very supportive. Being doctors themselves, they understood what I was going through and they kept me grounded when I felt overwhelmed. I also would like to add that my sisters, my girlfriend, and my friends were also there with me along the way," he said.
Zanoria added that having studied at the CIM prepared him for the rigors of the licensure exam.
The CIM was hailed as the top performing school in the license examination, with 99.33 percent of its examinees passing the test.
"My professors were very helpful. They gave me a different perspective from what my family gave me. In high stress professions like medicine, having a strong support group is not just important, it’s essential," said Zanoria, adding that mental health, which is often overlooked, should also be addressed for people taking licensure exams.
Like any other student, reaching the top was not easy for Zanoria and he had his fair share of disappointments.
He admitted that during the clinical clerkship year of medical school, he had problems studying and taking exams for the first three years. And it took time before he was able to successfully juggle all the aspects of a medical student's life -- duty schedules, school paperwork and dealing with different kinds of people.
"I'm still getting used to it actually but I feel like I’ve definitely gotten better over time," Zanoria said.
With the anxiousness of waiting for the results finally out the window, the real vacation can finally start as Zanoria looks to enjoy the rest of his holiday in the US before embarking on the next phase of his medical career: residency.
Zanoria is planning to enter residency training soon and he considers taking up either Internal Medicine or Surgery for his specialization. But for now, he is taking the time to rest and plan his next move.
"Medicine is a marathon and not a sprint," he said.
Another CIM student in the top 10 is Aaron Lemuel Yu Ong. He ranked seventh with a rating of 89.92 percent.
“I think ever since I was young, I’ve always wanted to become a doctor and I just want to be able to help people through medicine. It was always interesting to me so I decided to take up medicine,” he said.
Ong added that when one is in dire straits, one must learn to grasp at straws.
The PRC announced that out of 4,542 examinees, only 3,717 passed.
"There is no secret to success. It takes hard work, perseverance and dedication to your chosen profession," Zanoria said.
Below is the complete list of passers.
(JGS)