Wednesday, December 22, 2004

Hinulugang Taktak: after thirty years

After thirty years (?), we finally return to Hinulugang Taktak. Not bad looking. The smell wasn't that good though but the pictures can lie about that... :)

Tuesday, December 21, 2004

Evaluation of DFHSIS Submitted

Finally, we submit the final report on the DFHSIS evaluation!

PCS Registry: Orientation of Point Guards

Met with residents from UST, FEU, JR to discuss their roles in the upcoming computerization of the PCS Registry.
Chairman's conference room, UP-PGH Department of Surgery

Monday, December 20, 2004

MIU Thanksgiving Lunch at Mexicali

We had our 2004 thanksgiving lunch at Mexicali Robinsons Place. Good to see everyone there. This was followed by gift giving at the MIU office over Gonuts Donuts :)

SBAC Moves Forward

The BuddyWorks Special Bids and Awards Committee met with the bidders and answered questions.

We're in for a busy Christmas break...definitely a marathon meeting on Dec 28 to 29.

Friday, December 17, 2004

Presentation of DFHSIS Eval in Bohol

Was in Bohol from Dec 15-17 to present the results of the DFHSIS eval. All in all a very good experience. Opportunity to bond with DOH people. Also to learn a lot about how much help the health system needs. Good talks with Drs. Nick Bautista and RD Rogelio Chua.

Tuesday, December 07, 2004

Surgical Informatics: State of the Art

Enhancing Surgical Education with Technology

60th Annual Clinical Congress December 7, 2004.
Palawan I
Moderated by Dr. Arnold Angeles

Monday, December 06, 2004

Proof of Concept

The Sentrong Sigla people were no-show.

We have to move on though. I think Armand and Malou are good allies as well as Dr. Encinares. We just have to move on.

Goodbye 25 orders of Jollibee :)


Saturday, December 04, 2004

Dingalan, Aurora: Epilogue

I arrived last night at 10pm, drenched after walking from Iglesia ni Cristo up the oval to the house. (Good thing my CFC-MMF vest was there to keep my head from the rains:)

What a day.


Dingalan, Aurora: Part 2

There were about five hundred people waiting for us. The choppers landed 50 meters apart and it was a good thing that we had soldiers to help us with the load (come to think of it, wala na pala akong binuhat mula sa helikopter!).

T. Ellen set up the tables as T. James drafted the careflow. I waited for the signal and started seeing the adult patients.

Were they really sick? Well for those with wounds, I guess that's a no-brainer. But for most, it was hard to believe that they really had headaches, tummy aches, dizziness and all those other ailments. I was slowly getting carried away with my suspicions when I was presented with a kid with bilaterla subconjunctival hemmorhage. Pitiful sight even for a doctor like me. But what was more heart wrenching was that all his five siblings had died a few days before from the landslide. He was the only one left.

Sorry for the doubts. I had no right to be righteous in the midst of the misery of these people. For all you know, they wanted the medicines just in case they're in for another misfortune.


Russian roulette, chopper style: Dingalan continued

While waiting for the choppers, we had a short chat with Gen Romeo Tolentino (who apparently is a member of CFC. I'll save my comments about our discussions later but suffice it to say that there are fundamental differences between how I see it and how he sees it. But the fact that we're using his choppers, I decided to keep cool.)

There were 2 Huey choppers and 1 Sikorsky. I was told to take the Sikorsky since it had two engines. I ended up on the Huey that loaded all our stuff (are we overloaded sir pilot?). How to describe my first chopper flight? It felt safer than a ferris wheel ride (no jolts -- I learned later that our pilot was a lady!).

I was placed on the door/window side of the copter (I requested for aisle but there was no difference in turned out). BTW, there were no doors! Before lifting off, the soldier manning the side guns/door told me to hold on to my seat. I was already strapped down and it was kinda weird for him to say that but I followed. I learned why in the middle of the flight when I tried to point out to something on the ground. My left arm was nearly pulled out of socket by the wind. It was so strong and amazingly, just centimeters from where I was seated.

Don't tell Portia. (hi mom!)



Ateneo Grand Homecoming

I attended the Ateneo homecoming - really to buy Ateneo paraphernalia (and to grab a bite). Instead, I had a long talk with Ching CheeKee and Atty Ben Olivas (79). Jimmy Hofi was there too.

Dinner was crispy pata and beef-liversteak. But what made it most enjoyable was talking with your mentor and exchange ideas as peers. I would think CK was most pleased to see her 'kids' swarming up to her, trying to get her attention.

Sigh. Ateneo. The programming is just to deep. As I shared to CK, after looking around and seeing all the powerful men of civil society: what has Ateneo contributed to society after forming all of them?

I guess I would have to answer that question myself first. Then I would know.

Will doctors be extinct? Discussions on the way to Dingalan: Part 3

Will doctors be extinct soon? Why do we ask this question? Let me share what I know:

1. Every year, the Department of Surgery PGH gets about 150 applications for our 15 slots for residency. Last year, we got 60. This year, we had 23. The trend is going down fast. We might not have enough next year.

2. Every year, 15,000 new graduates take the National Medical Admissions Test (NMAT). UP only allows the 90th percentile to apply so that amounts to about 1500 eligibles. This year, only 2000+ are taking the NMAT. Do the math.

3. Last year, a number of Intarmed students decided to take up nursing instead of proceeding with the seven year medical curriculum.

What do all of these mean? It means the medical professions is losing its attractiveness. It means there is a 'force' greater than the conventional pull of medicine which is depleting its usual source of new recruits.

It means something must be done or else we will not have enough MD manpower to run this country by 2010.

Blog Day One

Hello all. I am now starting my blog. Am quite interested on how technology works and we might have use for it later on with our community work.

The CFC MMF team is heading off to Aurora tomorrow. Please pray us and for the people in Dingalan.