"5 days before the boards"

"5 days before the boards"

by:

Virgilio F. De leon Jr.

During my first board exams in UE Recto one of the things I noticed was the stillness in the air , sure there were a lot of anxious faces about to take the exams and they were either grim faced with a samplex or a hand out or jovially facing come what may, but there was something really oppressive about the atmosphere in that campus. Call it the collective Anxiousness of Doctors who are taking the boards for the first time( like me) or those who are taking it for the second time who have more to prove and then those 

that are now in the ropes ( third takers whom failure means a year remedial course before they can take the boards again).

Imagine going through medical school in a nut shell for 6 months or for those who just got off internship even less. Imagine the volumes and volumes of data you have to read through...again. Not to mention that ever mounting "Patok" pile of samplexes that your well meaning friends , mentors and street hawkers supply you with. Its absolutely ridiculous. 

In computer terms you'd have to cram terabytes of data into a processor that well can only handle things in the megabytes or for some just kilobytes at a time. You need an updated pentium of a brain , its just sad that there is no upgrade to our limited brain capacity. In one of my really tiring review sessions I imagined that the Matrix was real. 

That all I had to do is to talk to an operator on my Nokia 9210 and get everything I need.

"Operator I need Samplexes...Lots and Lots of Samplexes..."

The operator would reply , "Samplexes coming right up..."

I was laughing at myself. If only it were that easy then we would have balot vendors and gas boys diagnosing diseases and curing them in a snap. No need to go through Med School. Everyone can cure themselves with but a wave of a hand! Of course I never shared this thought with my group mates. It is quite normal to break down while preparing for the exams. It takes testicular (or in the case of the ladies Ovarian ) fortitude to go through all of these things. As my wife pointed out , it was a choice we all made either consciously or unconsciously. That meant I cant whine about how hard it is ( but that's what I'm doing right now). 

I do digress don't I? reminds me of that guy who gave a testimonial in my Review Center who kept going off tangent. Must be my old age catching up with me. 

Dumdedumdedumdum.

Back to the August 2009 Boards , I was assigned to a room with 10 other De leons. One of them was my block mate in med school who like me opted to take the scenic route of our medical career. This room was in the 5th floor , so imagine pudgy little me scampering up 5 flights of stairs. I am just a happy little camper when I get to the top. 

Now on the first flight of stairs the Words "Do Not Panic" were printed in bold red letters. This is a fire safety sign but I believe it also applies to board takers, Many have probably noticed this sign but did not attach any ominous meaning to it. Me being sadly superstitious did. whenever I pass it I give it a meaningful stare and I ask "And just how do you propose to do that?"

"Do not panic , indeed."

There are 1200 questions in the board exams. 12 subjects. Some subjects you'd probably never even break a sweat at but some subjects seems to have out of this world questions and it doesn't matter if you have read every reviewer or book , chances are you will never find the answer. Now by my friends calculations you need an MPL that would total 900 points all in all to pass. That's equivalent to 75 in all of the subjects. The question running in everyone's mind is am I really ready for this?

"Do not panic" the sign says again.

During that day I closed my eyes and each time I prayed. A silent prayer to get me through the day. I should have prayed for answers for I was an inch short of the glory. So for February that's what I will be asking for. Answers. Lots and Lots of my answers. I'm sure the real Operator above will grant me that.

"Answers coming right up..."

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Writers Note: This was written 5 days to the February boards of 2010 as a means of letting off steam and just to laugh a bit at the predicament I was in. For those who are about to take the board this Feb 2013. Goodluck and may the real operator give you the answers you seek...