GOODBYE , ILOILO MISSION HOSPITAL

I have now completed my 3 years of training in the Department of Family & Community Medicine. Wow! I am now a Family Physician. And I will be leaving Iloilo Mission Hospital, my home for the last 3 years. I had a bitter-sweet emotions swirling inside of me....

So last February 1, 2012 was our graduation day along with other departments, Internal Medicine, OB-GYNE and Surgery. I delivered my message from the graduates towards the end of the program.

Here is my speech:

Good afternoon Dr. Pedregosa, Dr. Jalbuena, all the consultants present today, fellow graduates, and guests…

When I started training here a little more than 3 years ago, I would usually get lost at the labyrinth-like hallways of the hospital. Though at times, I still get confused where to turn right when I am suppose to turn left, but in a way, this labyrinth had been my home, our home for the last 3 years. So how do you say goodbye to place that you call your home, a place that has taken a great part in moulding who we are today? Yes, it seems just like yesterday that we were just pre-residents, I guess time flies when you are having fun. And I don’t say that sarcastically. I guess what I’m saying is that this hospital has been really a home for us because here we have found an adopted family & true friends. It helps if your working environment is a place where amidst all the toxicity you have friends that you can laugh, joke and bond with, making your work load lighter. Yes, it does make a difference. We, Family Med residents, do get our share of toxic duties, and some who would fill in our shoes even for a day would say, “Huo, budlay man gle inyu nga ubra nuh?”, though sometimes we try our best to make it look easy by camouflaging it with a twirly skirt or a pink lipstick or in the case of our boys, a well-matched outfit & well-combed hair. Iloilo Mission Hospital is a place where we grow as a doctor and as a person. We have made some mistakes along the way but we came out victorious because we could use it to make us even better doctors. We too have our triumphs, big & small and this hospital is very attentive & generous in recognizing that. It is nice to see a streamer with your name on it posted in front of the hospital. And we should appreciate things like that being done for us. This is the place where we hone our skills as a doctor, improved our patient & doctor rapport and test our abilities to face challenges head on. If the walls of this hospital could talk, it would have been blabbering right now with stories, funny & the not-so-funny. It was during my stay here in this hospital where I have had my heart broken & the walls again could attest to that but it was also in this place where I manage to find love again. This is a place where we experienced our ups & downs, an interesting rollercoaster ride. So thank you Iloilo Mission Hospital for treating us like a family & not like a transient border ni kuya.

Thank you to our dynamic hospital administrator, Dr. Pedregosa. You make the job as a hospital administrator look effortless but we know that for a fact, you have a lot on your hands. And seeing how you handle everything is quite refreshing and admirable. If we want to be leaders, we have You to look up to. And on top of your many many obligations, you manage not lose your enthusiasm & sense of humor and you still have enough energy to run 3-4 laps around Sport Complex. I can’t even ran half of the circle without being breathless

To our chairman & training officer, Dr. Jec and Dr. Bullo, Dr. Alerta and all of the FM consultants, thank very much. You just don’t know how grateful we are to have you as our mentors. It is a nice feeling when you know that your consultants is on your side and sometimes behind us to give us a slight shove when we needed it especially when we get too complacent. You always have new innovative ideas to share, to challenge us and are always there to support & encourage to aim high & never to settle on mediocrity.

To Dr. Jalbuena, Doc Rems, thank you for being there for us. As well the rest of the community of IMH, you did an amazing job. We salute you!

To all the parents of my fellow graduates and my parents whom I wish were here right now but unfortunately have to fly back to Saudi Arabia last week, this success & milestone in our life is very much yours as our own because without your sacrifices, patience, encouragement and love, we would have never became doctors in the first place. So thank you forever & always.  

To my fellow graduates, congratulations, we made it! Though we are leaving, we take along IMH with us because wherever we go or whatever path we chose, we carry the name of Iloilo Mission Hospital, so let us make our hospital proud. To God be the glory. Good day! 

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