Monday, May 5, 2008

Introductions please...

A while back, before all the hullaballoo of the graduation started, Dr Ducay pulled Ligaya, Tonette, and I separately aside and attempted to extract an introduction for each the other candidates for the honor of being the Most Outstanding Intern but we didn't fall for it, but we made them anyway. Hehe.

I was assigned to make one for Tonette, one that was as unbiased as I could possibly make, (haha, and I did), and I made one for Ligaya, just in case Tonette couldn't make one, knowing that she was cutting it close to the deadline, but knowing full well she'd come through as well. Dr Ducay promised to post them but still hadn't done so probably because she's off on her uhm honeymoon? Haha, I've heard Gaya's introduction for me and flattering as it sounded, it was refreshing to see me through someone else's eyes. Though I could never be as eloquent as her, here is how I see them.

Ligaya Solera


Ligaya is the complete package.

She was always smart, as she had excellent grades since probably infancy getting scholarships and finishing her pre-med degree in BS Psychology at UP Cebu. She is the eldest of two sisters and loving daughter who has never been this far away from home as now. She graduated among the top in her class at Cebu Insitute of Medicine in 2007 and came to Silliman Medical Center to explore places beyond Cebu as she has a penchant for travel and adventure, and on the oft-made comment of “wala pa juy nagmahay nga nag-PGI sa Silliman.”

She is intelligent beyond her years and is inquisitive and interested in learning even more. She is easily one of the calmest of our batch and often carries out her tasks efficiently and without much fanfare. She has the most receptive demeanor and she often quietly greets you with her trademark smile and soft-spoken with her words.

Not only is she great at her medicine but if ever there was a Renaissance woman, Ligaya would be one. She writes beautifully (those of you who want to see her work can visit her blog), and is also able to, secretly, perform songs and dance moves. She is as adventurous as they come and loves travelling so don’t be surprised if you see her in most of our outing pictures.

Ligaya Solera is a great doctor, a great friend and an even better person. She listens to her patients, does her work efficiently and effortlessly, diagnoses her patients, smartly asks and answers questions, has one of the highest marks in exams and admittedly “wa siya gamahay nga ni anhi siya sa Silliman nag-PGI.” This is why, among other things, why she is our batch’s most outstanding intern.


Marie Antonette Huyo-a


Tonette always knew that she would be a doctor.

As the eldest of three siblings, she was the only one to take interest in the field and would have an early start, having physicians as parents. Growing up she would watch her father’s procedures, an orthopedic surgeon, and her mother’s deliveries and surgeries, an obstetrics-gynecologist, and early on had her influence in choosing this field of life. She grew up in and out of the Philippines but eventually came back to study medicine at Cebu Institute of Medicine graduating last year 2007. She came to Silliman Medical Center to further her knowledge and training, and exploring new places beyond the safe confines of her home in Cebu.

Talking to her, you would know that medicine comes naturally to this petite smart woman with a clipboard of histories and often rattling off patient’s progress in the wards off the top of her head.

She usually comes off soft-spoken and shy to people who do not know her, but for us who have had the pleasure of working and simply being with her, we have come to admire her for her quiet brilliance.

One might say that confidence is an issue, and that may be the case. However, her theory is sound as she often gets good marks in exams, knows what to look for in the laboratories, alert to emergencies and answers the occasional revalida question during rounds.

Asking the personnel and staff to remember her in the wards of this institution would be a bit difficult because, in all the years that I’ve been blessed to know her, she has always been content to work behind the scenes, working quietly, effectively. Most likely, she was the doctor you referred your RBS to that you got the order to give insulin from or the doctor who inserted the IV line on the most difficult of patients. She was the intern you trusted to accompany a consultant laden with patients because you were also with another doctor making patient rounds or the intern you trusted while you took a few minutes of sleep during the duty. Most likely, she was that PGI who ably followed up your orders, referred you the results, and carried out those measures you ordered in the chart.

She is not without faults, of course, but they are few compared to her strengths, and her tireless work ethic, great attitude, and overall quiet brilliance make her our batch’s most outstanding intern.

Tonette got the nod for the top honor, but Gaya had her own awards as well with Best in IM and Pediatrics.

And I truly believe they will even be better as doctors.

1 comment:

Ligaya said...

waaaaah!! doesn't sound like me at all.

hehe bitaw kuya bri, thanks for that intro, i'm touched and i will really miss you guys