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What have I learned from Research Statistics?

As I can remember during my undergraduate years, statistics is the practice or science of collecting and analyzing numerical data. It was used, particularly, when students engage in research (PO#4); same thing with the research in Medicine. Last August 28, 2019, we had a discussion about Statistics with Ms. Edwilyn Madelo-Lim. The discussion covered a variety of topics that would be useful to the group, especially when we approach the part where we will be collecting for our research study. With statistics, we need a systems-based approach (PO#6) to make sure that the data we’re using is concrete and systematic.

During the discussion, Ms. Madelo explained what is the difference between descriptive and inferential statistics. For this, I learned that Descriptive Statistics refers to the analysis of data that helps describe, show or summarize data. On the other hand, Inferential Statistics allow us to make predictions or inferences about a population from the data gathered using samples. Aside from that, the part where I have learned so much from, she discussed the levels of measurement for statistics where we either use Nominal, Ordinal, Interval or Ratio. She also gave us examples and in return asked a few of the people in class to create their own examples for each of the levels of measurements available. She also asked some of my classmates to identify what are the Dependent, Independent and Confounding Variables in a situation she flashed on the screen. Through these activities, we were able to practice and enhance our communication skills (PO#2) and competence (PO#1) to come up which is which and classify each examples accordingly. 

Research is a lifelong learning process (PO#7) that challenges the researchers, like us medical students, to engage in research (PO#4) and look for answers that could be put to good use while following the ethical and professional standards (PO#9). In research, statistics plays a big role in helping to determine the number of respondents/research participants needed for the study. This will be of big help when we start implementing our research study on the evaluation of the mentoring program in CDU-CM.

Statistics is needed to effectively conduct a research and all group members should know the basic information on what to do with the data once study is implemented. Proper procedures must be followed to avoid unnecessary mistakes. Once data is collected, researchers must have knowledge on how to interpret data. Hopefully, statistics will further develop our critical and analytical skills, allowing us to understand a subject more deeply.

[louellanina]

CMO 18 series of 2016 + CDU-CM VMG

What is CMO 18 series of 2016?

“In accordance with the pertinent provisions of Republic Acts 2382, otherwise known as the “Medical Act of 1959” and Republic Act No. 7722, otherwise known as the Higher Education Act of 1994”, in pursuance of outcome-based quality assurance system as stipulated under CMO No. 46 s. 2012 and for the purpose of rationalizing medical education in the country with the end in view of keeping pace with the demands of national relevance and global responsiveness, the following Policies, Standards and Guidelines (PSGs) for the Doctor of Medicine Program are hereby adopted and promulgated by the Commission.”

What are the 10 Program Outcomes of CMO 18?

1. Demonstrate Clinical Competence 2. Communicate Effectively 3. Lead and Manage Health Care Teams 4. Engage in Research Activities 5. Collaborate within Interprofessional Teams 6. Utilize Systems-Based Approach to Healthcare 7. Engage in Continuing Personal and Professional Development 8. Adhere to Ethical, Professional and Legal Standards 9. Demonstrate Nationalism, Internationalism and Dedication to Service 10. Practice the Principles of Social Accountability

After I finished reading and skimming through the CMO 18 series of 2016, I have come to the realization that in order to become a competent and trusted physician, in the future, several skills and factors must be followed. PO #2, #3, #5, #7, #8, #9 and #10 had struck a chord with me. In order to lead a team of healthcare professionals, one must know how to communicate effectively and engage in continuing personal and professional development. Also, as a citizen of the country, we should always remember to demonstrate Nationalism and Dedication in serving our fellowmen first. 

Being a medical student is not easy; it is a tough competition where the strong (not necessarily in the physical aspect) remains and that the ultimate goal is to finish the journey and attain the ,MD after. I consider myself very lucky to be a part of the CDU-CM family, for their VMG is in line with the Problem Outcomes of the CMO 18 series of 2016. CDU-CM also practices PBL (Problem-based learning) which allows the students to practice how to communicate effectively and build camaraderie among fellow classmates and future colleagues. This curriculum by CDU-CM will help shape and produce well-rounded doctors that is ready to serve the anyone, anytime.

These 10 Program Outcomes by the CMO 18 series of 2016, serves as guidelines for us future physicians. As early as now, we have to remember to apply these Program Outcomes and take it by heart. Also, I have to keep reminding myself to commit on following the vision, mission and goals that I have set to not stray away from my ultimate goal.

I admit, this is only the start of my journey and that it will soon be a tough job. But to be worthy of graduating from Cebu Doctors’ University - College of Medicine, we need to persevere, dedicate ourselves to our studies and follow the VMG set by the institution. For these will help me become an effective doctor in the future - giving an all-out service to my countrymen.

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My TweetChat Experience - #CDUCM, #HealthXPh

Twitter is a microblogging site that allows people to posts blogs in a limited number of letters and words. It has been around for so long that I could remember my elementary self, creating twitter to follow famous celebrities (like Selena Gomez and Demi Lovato). As I grew older, I realized that twitter is not only about following celebrities and typing down wha I was doing back then (hello high school self!), but it also involves interacting and participating in tweetchats with just a use of a hashtag.

Last August 16, 2019, Dr. Helen Madamba announced to our research group that we will be having a tweetchat from 5pm - 6pm; just look or type in #CDUCM to be able to participate in the said tweetchat. Not knowing how this works before, I was amazed at how easy and fast it is to see posts with just a use of a #. In the tweetchat, Dr. Madamba asked us to share our ideas and opinions about research, and our personal vision, mission and goals as a medical student and how does it align with the vision, mission and goals of Cebu Doctors’ University. A few minutes after Dr. Madamba posted about the tweetchat, a great number of students participated in the activity. Through the #, I can see loads of different answers and varying views from my classmates - some of which I can relate to. I could tell that the tweechat activity brought my classmates and I together by participating and showcasing our own opinions to the questions that were being asked. On the next day, August 17, 2019, we did another tweetchat but this time with the #HealthXPh.

#CDUCM

#HealthXPh

After the activity, I realized how social media creates a big impact especially when it comes to sharing your own thoughts and ideas to certain topics. With just a tap of a few buttons, you can be heard across millions of people and get instant feedbacks from people with different views - who could either agree or disagree with you. Throught the #, I was also able to see how people have varying opinions about the importance of research and ways on how to improve and better research for future researchers. Useful, I could say, but we also have to be very mindful when it comes to sharing something in social media; be respectful and accountable.

The tweetchat activity has taught me that we can use social media to spread our knowledge and thoughts to different people. Even if we are still medical students, our opinions and voice matters. Also, the activity helped us communicate with fellow classmates and build connections with other healthcare professionals that we might be working with someday.

Overall, I found the tweetchat activity very fun and engaging! People today are so immersed in using social media that everything they read on the internet, they believe it. This time, why not use social media to bring factual information to everyone? This activity also brought my classmates and I together to participate in something we have a common knowledge of but with different opinions to share.

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My Idol Physician (A Case Study)

                               photo from http://giasison.com/about-2/

“When life drills you down it pays to press on your personal stop button & pause but that shouldn't equate to giving up. It will get better.”

- Dr. Gia Sison (via twitter.com/giasison)

According to Dr. Gia Sison’s “About” in her blog, “she is a doctor specializing in Occupational Medicine and is a graduate of the University of Santo Tomas. She is also a breast cancer survivor and advocate, serving as the Philippine Leader for Livestrong Foundation.”

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As I was mindlessly scrolling through twitter, I stumble upon a “Dr. Gia Sison” who is quite famous in the microblogging site; since her posts garnered a number of reposts, reblogs and likes - especially among peers and friends that are in the medical field. I may not be an active user of the app, but I can tell that she was indeed an icon. A few minutes of stalking her account, I got curious about her and found myself typing on Google search, “Who is Dr. Gia Sison and why is she so famous?”. Articles upon articles were showing up on my screen and I can’t help but click on each one of them.

I found out that, Dr. Gia Sison is a breast cancer survivor, which according to one online article “it was not a war she was prepared to fight”. Her fight with cancer was indeed a hard one but instead of succumbing to the pain and illness, she persevered through her battle with the disease and it was not a lost cause for she has succeeded in fighting off the deadly disease. She is now back in practice (in the medical field), goes to the gym and is very grateful to be alive. She is also a mental health advocate, using her social media platforms to educate and inform the people how important it is that we give emphasis and focus on the rising number of mental health issues in our country.

Upon reading all of these facts and information about Dr. Gia, made me look up to her. I want to become a voice of reason and a place where I could serve and inform people with correct and factual information, especially regarding health and medicine. I also want to be an advocate of Mental Health Awareness; to be able to spread to everyone that it is not easy to be consumed by your own negative thoughts and to be drowning in the “darkness” and sadness of doubts and fears. Lastly, to be as strong as her - to gain the fighting spirit to go through life even when there are too many obstacles to face.

Thinking about it, isn’t it cool to be able to be heard across millions of people with just a press of a few buttons? Social media is that powerful and Dr. Gia Sison used it as a tool to reach everyone, or if not everyone then hundreds and millions of people inside (and maybe outside, as well) the country. As future physicians, it is our duty to inform the public of the correct and factual information about health and medicine. We should break the notion that social media is harmful and a bringer of “fake news”.

To summarize everything, for me, Dr. Gia Sison is a wonder woman. Making use of the tools fit for the age of technology as a way to communicate and reach out to people; to be heard across millions of people with just a tap of your fingers. To add to that, I hope in the near future, my research work will inspire people to continue the legacy of looking for an answer to questions that could be of help to improve and better medicine and health.

References:

http://giasison.com/about-2/

https://www.rappler.com/rappler-profiles/battle-scar-breast-cancer

https://www.aprilmag.com/2018/06/06/dr-gia-sison-filipino-mental-health-advocate-and-cancer-survivor-gives-back-using-twitter/

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How does your Vision, Mission and Goals align with CDU’s Vision, Mission and Goals?

My personal Vision, Mission and Goals align with CDU’s Vision, Mission and Goals in a way that I instill the values that CDUCM wanted their students to have and always hold, to become a successful physician someday. To always remember to serve the less fortunate first and that medicine is a lifelong learning process. Nothing is impossible if you just work hard and never forget to ask the Lord’s guidance.

[louellanina]

My Personal Vision, Mission and Goals

As a medical stu - let me rephrase that - as a student in general, we should have our own vision, mission and goals to look back to and to help guide us through our journey as a student. And here are mine:

Vision

To become a competent physician ready to commit and serve her fellowmen with unending compassion and professionalism, by 2024.

Mission

To be a student committed to focus on her studies and determined to pursue her goals to become a successful physician someday. It is also my mission as a student to pass my activities on time and be on track with my time management plan, while being able to enjoy the journey of being a medical student in CDUCM.

Goals

⚫️ To be able to fully understand the discussions and remember what I have learned and apply it someday in actual work.

⚫️ To be able to build a good relationship with my group mates, batch mates and the faculty of CDUCM.

⚫️ To develop a good attitude (like being on time, approachable, and easy to get along with) that will be will be helpful in becoming a great physician someday.

⚫️ To continue and never give up despite the challenges that I will soon be facing in this journey.

⚫️ To enjoy this journey and create new friends and memories that I will be taking along with me always.

⚫️ To always remember to ask for the Lord’s guidance; I have always been a firm believer that it is 10% hardwork and 90% God.

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Who is L?

Hello there! ❤️

You may be wondering, who is L?

L is short for Louella; a 23 year old Registered Nutritionist-Dietitian in Cebu, PH. 

All throughout my life, it was my dream to become a doctor (kindergartener L was such a dreamer). To be able to fulfill that, after graduating in high school, I went and applied to a medical school right away. 

I knew I REALLY wanted to become a doctor but I was so lost when choosing which pre-med course to take. So I took up the one most suggested by people.

I tried so hard and did my best, thinking this is it - a straight path towards my dream. But I was wrong. Failures are inevitable. So, I had to take a detour and followed another path. 

Although that detour took me to another place, the fire and passion to become a doctor was still there and 2 years later here I am; trying to chase after that dream again.

So, I want to welcome you all to my online headspace, where I try to chronicle my journey through medicine - may it be the joys, excitements, anxiousness and struggles that I will soon be facing. So buckle up and enjoy one hell of a ride!