THE country has 3,826 new licensed physicians based on the records of the Professional Regulatory Commission (PRC) following the release of the result of the recently concluded Physician Licensure examination administered by the Board of Medicine.

Some 5,958 total examinees undertook the exam in 14 examination venues spread over some parts of the country last October 21, 22, 28, and 29, 2022.

Bacolodnon, Dr. Katrina Ma. Antonia Jalandra-Jover, a graduate of the University of St. La Salle College of Medicine Batch Astra 2021, was among those who successfully passed the Physician Licensure together with 30 of her batchmates.

She took the examination at the Central Philippine University in Iloilo City.

“I decided to start studying on August 1 this year and it was the first day after our post-graduate internship,” she said, recalling her preparation for the test.

Saying it was a bad idea, Jalandra-Jover said she did it because she wanted to enjoy the last days of her PGIship, which is the last phase of the basic training of a soon-to-be-physicians

“I had two months and two weeks to juggle those 12 subjects and I had to schedule everything,” she said, adding that it was a 30-page per day routine.

Although it was exhausting and tiring, she stressed that prayers and perseverance do get someone somewhere, and it was all worth it.

“Cliche as it may seem, but I always had that vision in me to help especially the ones in need and being a doctor is a vocation,” Jalandra-Jover explained.

The new physician stressed that she felt the profession was really for her and that she does not see herself in any other field aside from being a doctor.

During the exam, she said that it was unpredictable and all they could do was to put their faith in the Lord and ask for His guidance.

After the oathtaking, she plans to work in an infirmary in Kabankalan for two years, and “we'll see what happens next,” she said.