CANCINO, CHRISTINE MHARIE S.
BK4: LaunchPad Prosple: Embarking on Career Seas
Ever since I was young, I have always been certain that I wanted to work in the medical field. Being a doctor will consistently be at the top of my mind when people ask me what I want to be when I grow up. But as time passed, I started to realize that this path wouldn't come easily. I have a plan: to take nursing as my pre-med program then go directly to medical school to fulfill that dream of becoming a doctor. I chose this as my pre-med because I admire nurses for always being the first line, and exposed to patients, which I believe would be an advantage for me as I continue in medical school. Being a nursing student will be challenging, I know that for sure even before entering this program, but it is the challenge I'm willing to try.
3 years ago, I came to Feu as a nursing student. I did have an idea of what to expect because my sister who is a nurse, has been very supportive and has been preparing me ever since I told her I wanted this career. However, despite this preparation, entering the program still felt surreal and intimidating; I never quite felt ready. I found myself overwhelmed because everything felt new to me—I realized I knew very little and struggled to adjust. By my second year, I’d already learned studying techniques that work for me. I would always remind myself that I was not studying to just pass my exams or to ace all my return demonstrations. I was studying because it's my future responsibility to care for patients. Second year was also the beginning of our clinical exposure where I was able to apply what I learned in our lecture to real patients in the community and hospital settings.
As I look back on my three years as a nursing student, I can say that the third year was the hardest but this was also the year when I realized that being a nurse is what I wanted to do. Our clinical duties helped me realize that I enjoy taking care of patients and being able to help them as a nurse is fulfilling. There are times when I have self-doubt about whether I was on the right path, each clinical rotation and patient encounter served as a reminder of the dream I once held. Every new learning experience leads me back to my commitment to this profession.