Eihmile Kreistein “Em-em” Salgado is an old soul; or rather, she is an old mind.
Highly intuitive, and extremely political, Em has been known to people close to her to be quite driven, to have a mind of her own, and had even formed startlingly sharp opinions even before hitting puberty.
So when the results for the Physician Licensure Examination came out, it was kind of a given that her name was included.
“It was a great challenge,” the 25-year-old graduate from West Visayas State University admits to DNX.
There is, after all, the pandemic, so onsite classes – so crucial and could actually be key the pass/fail record of students – were out of the question. What happened instead was – because of a series of REALLY unfortunate events – review had to be done on an online platform, and the change in forum has inevitably led to a delay in the examination date.
Some might have thought of dropping out altogether; some DID drop out because they could not bear the mental pressure.
Em opted to trudge on.
“The biggest challenge, perhaps, was making the decision to pursue despite all the uncertainties. And being able to simply take the exam is already a milestone that one should be proud of,” Em says.
But, of course, the road to a medical degree was not an easy one.
“As I was reviewing for the boards, I have realized that in a medical student’s life, there will always be this possibility of being lost along the way. This PLE 2020 is one of the many instances which definitely made us think twice of our decisions in life. Being one of the most important exams in our journey as medical doctors, PLE is not to be taken lightly. It requires commitment and preparation,” she says.
Commitment. Preparation.
A lot of faith in the self. And those two feet on the ground.
Does she consider herself successful?
“Success is a subjective concept,” she philosophizes, “For me, success is taking steps towards the life that you have envisioned. In fact, there really is no validated secret of any sort. You simply just go through the life that you have chosen to live.”
And just like everybody else, passing the Physician Licensure Examination (PLE) is a product of hardwork, perseverance and sacrifices. In my part, the unconditional support of my family, together with a faith in a God who fulfills His promises, makes all the difference. I have always prayed to be graced with a “license to heal” not only for myself, but more especially for those people who hope for me.
The bonus, of course, is sharing success with your loved one. Em’s boyfriend, Teofilo Rabanes, Jr. also made it through the roll.
“Having someone whom you can confide to, may it be a family member, friend or special someone, is important for every board exam taker. The burden from all the pressure and anxiety is made a little less when you know that there are people whom you can count on. Being able to reach this milestone together inspired me to hope for a brighter future,” Em says.
Another important thing, she says, is never losing sight of your faith.
Em credits part of her success to God, and her favourite quote as of the moment, which gives her strength, is this:
“Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame…” (Romans 5:3-5).”