Doktor para sa Bayan

The Doktor Para sa Bayan: Academic Excellence, Research, and Community Service

Batch Primacordis is the first graduates of the CNU-VSMMC College of Medicine with 22 medical scholars conferred with a medical degree.

Marc Jebrick Ilustrisimo is the first and sole cum laude and a recipient of several academic awards.  

“CNU-VSMMC was not just a school, it was a promise, that no matter your background, you deserve a fair shot at becoming a doctor.  The chance to pursue medicine did not come for free as it was paid for by the taxes of jeepney drivers, kasambahays, teachers, OFWs, and by the hundred million Filipino taxpayers.”

A Solidarity Drive for the medical students of the CNU-VSMMC College of Medicine made me realize that I would want to continue teaching these students even without salary.  Hearing the aspirations of our students to become future doctors and healers is very inspiring, giving me hope to seeing the universal health care become a reality someday... 

The "Doktor Para sa Bayan" Act (Republic Act No. 11509) was enacted with clear, ambitious goals to address long-standing challenges in the Philippine healthcare system. The expected outcomes are centered on improving the country's doctor-to-population ratio and ensuring equitable access to healthcare services, especially in remote and underserved areas.

A "Doktor Para sa Bayan" is expected to be a well-rounded physician—academically competent, community-oriented, resilient, and deeply committed to serving the Filipino people, especially those who need it the most.

A "Doktor Para sa Bayan" is a unique individual who combines intelligence, compassion, and a strong sense of duty. They are a beacon of hope for communities that have long lacked medical care and are a vital part of improving the health and well-being of the entire country.

Dean Jarungchai Vatanagul shared that the three pillars of the college of medicine include: (1) academic excellence and accountability; (2) research and advocate for evidence-based health policies; (3) compassion and commitment to service.

Join us tonight on Blue Sky at 9PM MLA time on #HealthXPH to discuss the "Doktor Para sa Bayan": Academic Excellence, Research, and Commitment to Service

T1.  In your opinion, what attributes do you expect a "doktor para sa bayan" to have and how do they manifest these characteristics?

T2.  How should these "doktor para sa bayan" be trained differently from other medical students?

T3.  Aside from legislation, what other kind of support do you think the "doktor para sa bayan" would need?

We give of our essence, and not of our excess!

Tonight was special because we were celebrating the birthday of a great man - one that changed the face of a big government hospital and the culture of government employees.  Considering he requested that he not be given gifts and instead raise funds for the medical students of CNU-VSMMC College of Medicine.  How selfless can one be to use his birthday, which comes but once a year, as a fund-raising activity for his "baby" the future "doktor para sa bayan".

There were three pillars that keep us apart from the other medical schools in the Philippines: Academic Excellence, Research and Service to the Community.  In all these, our students have shown what they could do!  No more hiding, now they're shining like they're born to be.

Our students are being nurtured differently, made para sa bayan, made to serve the Filipino people!

Publication is currency!

Tricia Robredo's post said "publication is currency" and it got me thinking that I keep on encouraging people to doing  research and publishing, but failed to focus on my own career in research.  My last publication was in 2013 and that was a disaster!  Totally focusing on work made me forget that I also needed to work on myself - my health, my wellness, my lifestyle.

Tonight's #HealthXPH tweetchat is about physician's lifestyle changes and how it impacts patient outcomes.

I observed that I do not respond well when others impose their beliefs in me.  When others bluntly point out my failures and weaknesses and try to dictate what I should and shouldn't do.  I appreciate more those who maintain a supportive attitude without judgement.

People who cannot be replaced easily

 

Strong leadership is not always democratic.

PHA Visayas Townhall Meeting

Information.  Innovation.  Transformation. Empowering Hospitals for Sustainable Growth.

Self-Discovery as a Healthcare Worker

I saw a reel on Facebook about how highly functional performers get depressed, internally exhausted and burned out.  This triggered for me a moment to reflect internally on my strengths and weaknesses so that I could adjust the way I do some things in my daily life.

Self-discovery as a healthcare worker is a powerful tool for personal growth. It helps you to systematically evaluate your inner world to better understand yourself and make more informed decisions.  Self-discovery for healthcare workers involves developing self-awareness to understand one's own needs, emotions, and limitations in the demanding healthcare environment. It requires cultivating self-care practices to manage stress and prevent burnout, and integrating professional growth through reflection on successes, mistakes, and skills. This process leads to improved patient care, better interpersonal relationships, greater personal satisfaction, and a more resilient professional identity.  Focusing on strengths and weaknesses considers our internal world before we venture into our external environment.  We can't control what happens around us, but we can control how we react to the trigger.  After all, didn't Michael Jackson also sing "I'm talking about the man in the mirror..."

Key components of self-discovery include self-awareness, self-care, professional reflection and boundary setting.

Self-awareness breeds fulfillment and is a source of power that makes leaders creative, better communicators and confident.  Self-care is actively practicing behaviors and habits that promote physical, mental and emotional well-being to prevent stress and burnout. Self-care interventions has core elements from both "people-centered" and "health systems" approaches, underpinned by the key principles of human rights, ethics and gender equality.  Professional reflection involves thinking deeply and critically about what happened, why it happened, and what can be learned, leading to better decision-making, stronger skills, enhanced well-being and improved outcomes for yourself and those you serve.  This allows us to continue developing beyond qualification, with increasing encouragement for lifelong learning.  Boundary setting is establishing clear limits and expectations of how you want to be treated in relationships to maintain perspective and avoid being overwhelmed by your work.

Join us on #HealthXPH tonight at 7PM on BlueSky  to support this analysis of self-discovery as a healthcare worker.

STRENGTHS.  These are qualities that you already possess:

• Increased self-awareness
• Clarity on values and passions
• Enhanced decision making
• Improved resilience
• Better relationships

T1.  As a healthcare provider, what strengths can you bank on to ensure quality service? 

WEAKNESSES.  These are internal hurdes that need to be overcome and areas for potential improvement:

• Overthinking and Analysis Paralysis
• Emotional discomfort
• Resistance to Change
• Increased vulnerability
• Difficulty with Self-Acceptance

T2. As a healthcare provider, what weaknesses do you see in yourself that needs to be further improved?

Other messages from Jim Katzaman:

IMPACT.  The strengths and weaknesses of a healthcare worker have a profound and direct impact on patient care, infuencing everything from safety and medical outcomes to patient satisfaction and trust.

• Clinical Competence and Expertise
• Effective Communication
• Empathy and Compassion
• Attention to Detail
• Critical Thinking and Problem-Solving
• Teamwork and Collaboration
• Organization and Time Management
• Professional Behavior

T3.  How do you think self-discovery as a healthcare worker would impact patient care?

Flood Control

We have been hearing about climate change for more than a decade now, and it seems this year 2025 we are experiencing the prophetic warnings with volcanic eruptions, typhoons and flooding.