Beauty and Brains

The Year Level 5: ICC Year blog posts - stories and anecdotes, patient encounters and hospital drama, and the many colors of UP med school from the perspective of a third year. Here's the ninth entry, under our one-week rotation in the Section of Dermatology.

Outside the Section of Dermatology, there's a sign in embossed golden plates that says, "No ugly people allowed."

That's not true, obviously, but that everyone in this section is exceptionally groomed, exceptionally dressed, and exceptionally fresh (compared to the rest of their colleagues in the hospital) is the farthest thing from a lie. Plus, the toilets are one of a kind: functioning bidets (not that I ever bothered dumping a shit there). Naturally, it may come across as ironic that the most literally flawless people in the hospital are made to deal with all sorts of skin afflictions.

With Section Chief Dr. Georgina Pastorfide.

With 3rd year resident Dr. Emy Onishi, who graduated top of her class at the University of Santo Tomas Faculty of Medicine and Surgery.

This is a truly outstanding rotation. Everyday, we saw at least three patients - did the histories and physical examinations - and then discussed their cases with the consultants or residents (and it was only natural that most of us preferred the latter). A lot - A LOT - of learning in a span of five days!

We had  a public health lecture on leprosy last Friday. The highlights were an empowerment wall on which we encouraged the audience to write their messages or sentiments via Post-it notes, and a balloon wall, with the balloons containing myths on leprosy, and behind them, a print-out of the new Miss World Megan Young (because, you know, beauty is found within).

 Setting up.

 Check out that balloon-covered face.

 Warm-up before lecture.

 Tongue twister time!

Bravo to this rotation: the first time I gave a 4/4 in the student evaluation!