Future Plans

In roughly a month's time, I'll be graduating from the internship program of The Medical City. I didn't notice the year go by. By the end of April, I'll be out of work (it's not as if I receive a salary for the work I do). It's time to leave the comforts of the hospital and concentrate on hurdling the Philippine Medical Licensure examinations. I have exactly 3 months to study for the board exams. The exams will be given on the first two Sundays and the first two Mondays of August (FOUR days!!!). Although my short-term vision is set on passing the boards, I've also started to think long-term.

I've said early this year that I expected big things to happen in 2007. Well, I've finally and officially decided to try and get a residency position in the United States and train there in Internal Medicine. I plan to take the 1st 2 steps of the USMLE (the licensure exams for the US) this year, sometime toward the end of 2007. That means I'll have to do MORE studying after the Philippine board exams since the thrust and focus of the 2 exams are very different. I've already tried to lay out on paper my plans for the next two years (the time I need to get a residency position in the US). The main goal here is to obtain an internship position (that's equivalent to 1st year residency in the US) in a reputable east coast hospital in July 2009. It will take a lot of time, a LOT of money, and a lot of waiting. But I've decided it's going to be worth the wait and all the effort.

I already have some hospitals that I'm interested in but I think I'll keep that to myself for the mean time. It would be nice to get a training spot in a California hospital (most of my relatives are there). But getting a license in California is just too tedious and time consuming. I've also heard that east coast hospitals are more open to foreign grads that California. Nevertheless, I'm sure if it was meant to be, I'll get into the hospital the Lord wants to bring me to.

It's going to be a bumpy ride for me this year. I'll need all the prayers I can get. Ultimately, the Lord has my future in His hands and I rest assured that wherever I find myself in the next 2 or 3 years is the best place He intended me to be in.

*****

I haven't written in almost 2 months! Just an update on internship. I'm currently in Pediatrics now, rotating at the Nursery/Neonatal ICU. The babies are VERY cute and I'd love to post pictures here but I can't (you wouldn't want to see your baby's picture on the internet in some stranger's blog, would you?). After ENT, I've gone through Radiology and Psychiatry.

My time at Psych was very interesting. I used to be scared of psych patients. I didn't look forward to starting my Psych rotation -- in fact, I dreaded it. But it turned out that my time at the Psych ward was a total eye opener. I've met many interesting and funny patients in that unit. I've also met people who are so deeply scarred by a pivotal event in their lives that it caused them to become so sick as to be nonfunctional. The psychiatric diseases are totally different from medical diseases because the pathology in psychiatry cannot be seen since the mind is an abstract concept. Maybe one of these days, I'll post one of my admitting histories in this corner so you guys can see what I'm talking about.

That's it for now!

Comments

JenMP said…
Wow, God has a LOT going on this year with you. Just wanted you to know that we are praying for you!
Anonymous said…
ey, since you're thinking about doing your residency on the east coast, why not consider northern virginia! there are a lot of great hospitals around here. since you're now in your pediatric rotation, maybe you can give tricia some insights coz she's having twins! you're always in my prayers. i hope to see you soon! take care always and may God continue to bless and keep you.

-dindi :p
karlmd said…
hey jen. thanks for the prayers. i'm really gonna need it this year.

***

hey dindi! i'll look into virginia too but i haven't come across a hospital from there i think. i'll do a search. hehe. tricia's having twins? wow. i hope she does well with her pregnancy. could you email me her address? i don't know if i have the right one. thanks!

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