By: Franco Miguel Nodado
Photos: Dr. Ruth Mary Pada
West Visayas State University Medical Center’s (WVSU-MC) Department of Family and Community Medicine (FCM) Residency training program has been recognized as the 5th top-performing institution among 132 institutions in the Philippines.
The program’s outstanding performance was gauged based on the combined scores of Levels II and III examinees in the Family Medicine In-Service Training Examination (FITE), administered by the Philippine Academy of Family Physicians, Inc., on January 29, 2023.
In addition to the program’s overall success, Dr. John Kevin Arrivas, a Level I resident of the program, secured an impressive 10th place in the national ranking. Dr. Lurence Anne Pañer, a Level III resident, also bagged 10th place among her peers in the country.
Dr. Arrivas was “surprised” as he “did not expect to belong in the top 10 for this year’s FITE.” On other hand, Dr. Pañer “couldn’t believe it” since she was not included in the initial announcement of PAFP. However, she felt “ecstatic” as this proved that she has “chosen the right career.”
Dr. Pañer shared that upon seeing the exam blueprint, she felt “overwhelmed.”
She then downloaded all the reading materials and encouraged her co-residents to share the burden of reading all these and highlight the “must-knows.”
Dr. Pañer added that the monthly exams prepared them for the oral and written national exams.
Meanwhile, Dr. Arrivas gave his advice for future FCM practitioners: “FCM will be the specialty that will lead the Universal Health Care. There will be lots of opportunities for those who want to work as a primary care provider.”
“My tip for them is to be kind and compassionate for the least of us and keep the desire burning for learning and growth,” he continued.
“For those who want to join this path, I suggest that you should make sure that this is really something that you want. You should also learn not to compare your own set of knowledge and skills with those of your peers. Always bear in mind that “A jack of all trades is a master of none, but oftentimes better than a master of one,” Dr. Pañer shared.
WVSU’s Family and Community Medicine residency training is a three-year program only established in 2020.