| (no subject) |
[Jun. 22nd, 2008|11:51 am] |
I've been thinking about this for a while. It's time to let go of Livejournal - blogging on it, anyway. I could detail my reasons, but that would just defeat the purpose of ending this LJ.
Nevertheless, I've had my LJ for four years (first post April 2, 2004) so I think it deserves a proper goodbye. And here it is. |
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| 106 books of pretension |
[Apr. 27th, 2008|04:49 pm] |
I picked this meme up from some celebrity blog. Strikethrough for books I've read before. Italics for books I've read before but haven't finished.
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| DOH probes rectal surgery on YouTube |
[Apr. 18th, 2008|12:47 pm] |
In brief, a couple of medical personnel used a cellphone camera to film a rectal surgery extracting a perfume bottle from a gay man's rectum. The video showed them making fun of the patient. This video was posted on YouTube. The unwarranted violation of the person's privacy has been harped on and people have made their indignation known. I don't think there's a need to comment on that further. (Read about it in PDI.)
I did want to comment, though, on the homophobic undertones of the case. Duque was quoted, "Regardless of whom you did it to, it was bad." Although it was never explicitly stated, the quote suggests that the identity or person of the patient (read: sexual preferences and practices) were made an issue and Duque had to disregard it. It was as though it was on people's minds that this violation of privacy were marginally more excusable than if it had been done to a heterosexual patient. It was as though everyone thought that being gay meant you deserved to be treated with less dignity, respect or even courtesy.
What's sad isn't just that Duque is afraid there are people think this way. What's sad is that many people actually do.
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| Marital musings |
[Apr. 11th, 2008|05:44 pm] |
Marriage seems like a really hot topic these days.
First there was that PIDC Quarterfinals motion on legalizing polygamy, followed by the news the next day about the raid of a polygamist house somewhere in the U.S.
Then yesterday I saw The Other Boleyn Girl. The movie's a must-see, by the way. I'm not much of a history buff, much less a European history one, so I can't really say anything about it's historical accuracy. It was still interesting to watch Catherine of Aragon, Anne Boleyn and Mary Boleyn creating spaces for themselves within the outrightly patriarchal structures of Henry VIII's court. (I now know who Kristin Scott Thomas is. Pantira na 'to sa OSCARS: Romulus My Father to Eric Bana to Other Boleyn Girl to Kristin Scott Thomas to Horse Whisperer...)
Now I'm reading a book by Stephanie Coontz called Marriage, a History: How Love Conquered Marriage. It's an interesting read. The back of the book says:
At a moment when people are clamoring to protect "traditional" marriage, this explosive book...bluntly asks, "What tradition?"
The main argument is that pretty much every marital aberration under the sun has already been practiced in some culture at some point in time. The truly unique element of today's marriages (originating sometime in the late 17th century) is the idea that love is an important consideration in deciding to marry. In the past, marriage was considered too important a political and economic arrangement to be decided by something as irrational and fleeting as love. Today, since we place such a premium on love as a reason to marry, we might be gaining more personal fulfillment or satisfaction out of the institution, but it possibly comes at the cost of marital instability.
I've barely started, but it's been interesting so far. The little tidbits (like how one Japanese magazine allegedly said, "Young People, don't hate sex!") are pretty cool. The idea that love, rather than moral decadence, is the reason why the institution of marriage is on the rocks today is refreshing. Hmm. |
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| See you at Level IV |
[Mar. 19th, 2008|12:09 am] |
The only thing standing between me and my summer vacation is the comprehensive exam on Friday next week. And since this is just a no-bearing evaluation of how much we've retained from the past 2 semesters, I think I can say I've successfully completed my first year in med school.
Our prof ended our last lecture by saying, "See you at Level IV" (that's 2nd year proper in UP-PGH), to which we members of the UP College of Medicine Class of 2012 loudly cheered. Those words were pretty much the best thing I've heard all year.
It's hard to describe how I feel, what I went through this year. Maybe if I can do it justice, I'll write an entry about it in the future.
But right now, all I can say is that I'm proud I made it, and I'm fucking proud of every single person in my class. If we make it all the way, in the future we'll know that this wasn't gonna be the toughest year of our medical education, but it was still the first one. And that means something. |
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| City-wide bike sharing |
[Mar. 16th, 2008|02:14 pm] |
Yes, I don't know how to ride a bike. But this is still really cool. |
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| World Kidney Day 2008 |
[Mar. 13th, 2008|08:04 pm] |
 Because the kidneys are, so far, my favorite organs.
"Superficially, it might be said that the function of the kidney is to make urine; but in a more considered view one can say that the kidneys make the stuff of philosophy itself." – Homer W. Smith http://www.worldkidneyday.org/index.php |
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| Anticipation |
[Mar. 13th, 2008|12:30 am] |
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After more than two months of yearning for vacation, the year really is winding down. Just took my last two module exams for my first year of medicine. If I keep my fingers crossed, maybe no finals for me and all I would have left is the comprehensive exam on the 29th. |
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| Screening PE |
[Mar. 10th, 2008|02:33 am] |
We have to perform a screening physical examination (SPE; a head-to-toe examination of a real-life patient) in a couple of hours. And we're gonna be graded on it. After almost two semesters in med school, I don't mind the grading anymore, as long as I pass. It's the feeling of being eaten alive by the physician-turned-interrogator/torturer that makes me anxious about stuff like this.
To prepare for this activity, they gave us a video to study. Toward the end of the video the voice over goes, "The SPE can be performed by an experienced physician in less than 10 minutes. A medical student, on the other hand, may take more than 30 minutes to complete this procedure."
As early as last week, we were already informed that we have a time limit to demonstrate the entire SPE before our preceptor/examiner. The time limit is 15 minutes. That's med school for you. |
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| The so-called right to education |
[Mar. 8th, 2008|12:29 am] |
Well, medical education anyway.
I've been studying for my exam on Medical Jurisprudence on Tuesday and I read about a case against a five-time flunker of the National Medical Aptitude Test (it's like the SATs for students applying to a Philippine medical school).
You see, there's a three-flunk rule: After you've flunked the NMAT three times, you're not allowed to take the NMAT anymore. (Although I dunno how that's possible because you end up with a percentile rank so there's no passing cut-off. Don't care. This never concerned me.) The guy who managed to take it 5 times (and flunked all 5) wanted to take it again. When he wasn't allowed to, he took DECS (This was in 1989 before the department became DepEd and before CHEd was established.) all the way to the Supreme Court for abridging his constitutional rights to quality education and equal protection before the law.
The SC was so eloquently elitist. It spoke of how the right to quality education was not absolute (What would the tibaks say?) and that "what equal protection requires was equality among equals." Anyone is free to be an aspiring physician, but to get a chance to actually become a physician, you have to show that you're entitled to it.
"While his persistence is noteworthy, to say the least, it is certainly misplaced, like a hopeless love."
The honorable Supreme Court. Gotta love it. Haha. :) |
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| Holding my breath |
[Mar. 6th, 2008|11:17 pm] |
| [ | mood |
| |  excited | ] |
| [ | music |
| | Hinder - Lips of An Angel | ] |
I was just waiting for us to pass our research paper ("Virgin Coconut Oil is Non-Mutagenic and Anti-Mutagenic: Results of Ames Test and Comet Assay"--woohoo! Go Buenafe to Delgado!) and then I was gonna let it all hang loose.
Today, we passed our paper. But today we also realized that we have summary preceptorials on Monday (full physical exam!), medical jurisprudence exam on Tuesday, and our last module exam on (the complete disaster that was) human development. I guess I'll have to wait a little bit longer, then.
This is the most planned-out summer vacation I've ever had. First stop: Iloilo. |
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| A reason to live |
[Feb. 29th, 2008|12:24 am] |
"I no longer needed a reason for my existence, just a reason to live. And imagination, free will, love, humor, fun, music, sports, beer, and pizza are all good enough reasons for living."
--Ricky Gervais |
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| This is unsettling |
[Feb. 25th, 2008|12:15 am] |
| What is Your World View? | | You scored as a Postmodernist | | Postmodernism is the belief in complete open interpretation. You see the universe as a collection of information with varying ways of putting it together. There is no absolute truth for you; even the most hardened facts are open to interpretation. Meaning relies on context and even the language you use to describe things should be subject to analysis. | | Existentialist | | 81% | | Modernist | | 81% | | Materialist | | 81% | | Postmodernist | | 81% | | Cultural Creative | | 75% | | Fundamentalist | | 38% | | Romanticist | | 19% | | Idealist | | 6% | |
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| RIP Anatomy |
[Feb. 4th, 2008|12:13 pm] |
| [ | mood |
| |  contemplative | ] |
Today is my last day as an official student of anatomy. This distinctive occasion was marked by a lab exam on the histology of the reproductive system. (Our last gross anatomy lab exam, which was on the kidneys, ureters and bladder, was given two weeks ago.) It seemed only fitting that I began my career as an anatomy student by failing my very first histo lab exam and ended it by failing my very last.
It was definitely an experience. (Talk about cliches.) Figuring out that my grasp of anatomy is mediocre at best, I ditched all thoughts of entering a surgical specialty. Even then, much as I would prefer anatomy to rest in peace, I'm afraid it will probably haunt me for the rest of my life. |
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| UP Centennial meme |
[Jan. 12th, 2008|12:43 pm] |
| [ | mood |
| |  lazy | ] |
1. Student number?
2003-05282
2. College?
College of Social Sciences and Philosophy. Atsaka rin pala UP College of Medicine (I keep forgetting na ang Diliman at Manila ay kapwa napapasailalim ng iisang UP system.).
3. Ano ang course mo?
BS Psychology sa Diliman at ngayon ay kumukuha ng Doctor of Medicine sa Manila.
4. Nag-shift ka ba o na-kickout?
Neither. :P
5. Saan ka kumuha ng UPCAT?
UP Diliman. Sa Eng'g.
6. Favorite GE subject?
SocSci 2 (Social, Political and Economic Thought) under Ma'am Grace Jamon.
7. Favorite PE?
Hmm. Lawn tennis? Ang dami kong nakilala doon na naging kaklase ko ngayon sa med.
8. Saan ka nag-aabang ng hot guy sa UP?
Hindi naman ako nag-aabang e.
9. Favorite prof(s)
Dr. Greg del Pilar (psych measurement), definitely. Kasama na rin sina Dr. Peachy Mendoza (perception), Eric Manalastas (personality) and Chei Billedo (social psych).
10. Pinaka-ayaw na GE subject.
Kas 2. Ang bulok-bulok kasi ng prof ko.
11. Kumuha ka ba ng Wed or Sat classes?
Delpi's psych measurement class. Never regretted it. Surprisingly, yun lang ata ang tanging class na never kong tinulugan sa buong stay ko sa UP.
12. Nakapag-field trip ka ba?
Di nga e. Unfortunately.
13. Naging CS ka na ba or US sa UP?
Tig-apat na sem. :) Pero siyempre nung undergrad lang yon. Hehe.
14. Ano ang Org/Frat/Soro mo?
Tanging ang UP Debate Society lamang.
15. Saan ka tumatambay palagi?
Noong first 3 years, sa Econ. Nung huling taon, sa Vinzons.
16. Dorm, Boarding house, o Bahay?
Bahay ng tita ko.
17. Kung walang UPCAT test at malaya kang nakapili ng kurso mo sa UP, ano yun? (Given ang mentality mo nung HS ka)
Hmm. Psych pa rin siguro.
18. Sino ang pinaka-una mong nakilala sa UP?
Mga blockmates ko. Sina Celle at Dan siguro.
19. First play na napanood mo sa UP?
Di ko na maalala kung alin e.
20. Name the 5 most conyo orgs in UP.
Siyempre ang BA and Econ orgs.
21. Name 5 of the coolest orgs/frats/soro in UP.
No judgment.
22. May frat/soro bang nag-recruit sa yo?
Oo. Haha.
23. Saan ka madalas mag-lunch?
Sa Diliman, CASAA. Sa Manila, Rob.
24. Masaya ba sa UP?
Never a dull moment.
25. Nakasama ka na ba sa rally?
Never.
26. Ilang beses ka bumoto sa Student Council?
Three out of four undergrad years.
27. Name at least 5 leftist groups in UP.
STAND-UP, LFS, SCA, Saligan sa CSSP, Alay Sining
28. Pinangarap mo rin bang mag-laude nung freshman ka?
Sa undergrad, nakamit. Sa med, wala nang pag-iilusyon.
29. Kanino ka pinaka-patay sa UP?
Sa akin na lang yon.
30. Kung di ka UP, anong school ka?
Ateneo na siguro. Sa mga magulang ko yun lang talaga ang options e. UP dahil UP sila pareho at Ateneo dahil Ateneo ang tatay ko all the way to high school.
Mahal kita, UP! |
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