I would like to share some of my thoughts with regards to the questions for tonight's #HealthXPH tweetchat on career choices:
T1. What specialty/field are you in, and what is the most interesting thing about this field for you?
Doctor for all seasons. I am an obstetrician-gynecologist. We take care of women. This is like taking care of the whole family since the woman is the pillar and the light of the home.
Mobilizer. The training in OBGYN requires you to coordinate and work in multi-disciplinary teams because we need to make sure our patient gets what she needs:
During childbirth, we need the nurse or midwife and the pediatrician.
In gynecologic surgery, we need the anesthesiologist, the surgeon, the internists, the OR nurses and even the orderlies.
In women protection, we need to coordinate with social workers, police and community advocates.
Clinician. OBGYNs hold clinics for women from womb to tomb, providing outpatient care and performing office procedures. The OBGYN is involved with diagnosis and management of reproductive health diseases.
Surgeon. An OBGYN is a surgeon with surgical procedures involving the female reproductive tract, with cesarean section as the most common major surgical procedure. As the saying goes, a good surgeon should have an eagle's eye, a lady's hands and a lion's heart.
Public Health Advocate. As empowered women empowering women, OBGYNs promote health and wellness, screening and early diagnosis for early prevention. Maternal health is always a priority in healthcare because of its impact in public health.
Researcher. As women's health is considered a public health issue, maternal health and reproductive health is always included in research priorities. Being an OBGYN allows me to participate in research activities.
T2. What inspired you to go into this field? What fueled your enthusiasm?
Aura. I was rotating in Fabella hospital as a clerk when I first assisted a normal vaginal delivery. The parturient was having twins. Despite not really knowing what to do, I was calm and patient, which the patient appreciated amidst the pains of labor. The assisting midwife told me that I had the "aura" of an OBGYN... At that time, I had my eyes on a surgical residency, but the observation stayed with me until the day I had to finally decide on my residency application.
Flexibility. Ultimately, I envisioned that I would like to have my own clinic, make an impact on community health and be able to perform surgery. I realized that obstetrics and gynecology ticked off all the items on my checklist, and comparing how prim and proper "amazon" OBGYNs presented themselves during conferences compared to the rugged surgeons, I chose to pursue my residency in obstetrics and gynecology, and later on a fellowship in infectious diseases (but that's another story altogether).
Empowerment. Today, I am fortunate to be able to do what I love to do. When I finished fellowship training and transferred to Cebu, my grandmother ordered me to rest and not work for a few months. Then I got bored. I asked permission from Dr Helen Amorin to volunteer to go on duty at the labor room doing labor watch. It was something that felt natural to me, to simply be present and lend support to women amidst the pain of labor, coaching them that difficult roads lead to beautiful destinations. There is light at the end of the tunnel and that after experiencing horrific pain is the joy of holding one's baby. We are blessed to participate in the miracle of birth, taking care of women from womb to tomb.
Stigma Reduction. Imagine delivering also women living with HIV. In addition to the challenges of pregnancy itself, they need to deal with stigma and discrimination. As empowered women, we empower these women to claim their own rights and to ensure that they get the treatment, care, and support they need for themselves and for their children.
Administration. Amidst the hustle and bustle of the COVID19 pandemic, I was somehow dragged into hospital administration unintentionally. The skills of coordination and facilitation and organization that we need in obstetrics and gynecology is also useful in managing institutions and health facilities in general. Although this was unplanned and God seemingly led me into this, I am glad that I am able to make a contribution towards strengthening health systems.
T3. What advice can you give to someone who is still starting a career in your field?
Know your WHYs and choose something that you love doing so that there will be joy in your work. If not, then find out what is NEEDED in your area so that you can strategically contribute to nation building and improving healthcare service delivery, because the country needs quality healthcare. The Filipinos deserve quality healthcare service delivery.
In the end, we should remember that being a doctor is more than a job, it is a vocation. Medicine is more than a career, it is a love for humanity. The relationship with patients is based on trust. We studied as best we could in med school because we knew that one day what we learned could spell the difference between life and death, and that the patient's life would be in our hands. Choose your career based on what you do best, based on what is needed the most and based on what your heart desires.
