Chasing your dreams? Al Patrick Cajandab Alajas made his’…
MHAM CM’s pride: 2016 Physician Licensure Examination 1st placer Dr. Al Patrick C. Alajas
All through the years, inheriting the pride of being a product of the Matias H. Aznar Memorial College of Medicine rooted from the founder’s identity is an unparalleled thing that all MHAMians must be proud of.
Needless to say, MHAM has produced a number of nameless thousands who, in their indomitable spirit have excelled in the medical field and lived life to the fullest as dedicated physicians. Topnotchers, achievers, name it, MHAM has it. To name one, Dr. Al Patrick Cajandab Alajas was greatly part of it.
Looking back across the past years when he was still a young boy, Alpats- as he is fondly called, used to have a much liking to numbers as he loves mathematics more than he loves candies. “Mathematics has been my favorite subject ever since and I really wanted to become an engineer because I want to follow my father’s path who is an engineer”, said Dr. Alajas in an interview.
Dr. Al Patrick Alajas: The young boy who wanted to become an engineer but was destined to become a physician
Born in Ormoc City but was raised in Punta Princesa, Cebu City, he wanted to be trained and be skilled in the field of engineering during his younger years but things turned out in a different way when his parents separated ways when he reached high school. All of a sudden, his desire to become an engineer dwindled as he began to dislike his father rooted from the marital separation from her mother. His life’s direction has changed its wheel and everything has changed. If someone were to step in his shoes he or she would merely have a glimpse of growing up with separated parents and how he braved life’s challenges including financial burdens.
As he recalled, this 27-year old brilliant physician took his studies just like any other typical student. Contrary to what most peoples’ assumption that he was both an achiever and consistent honor student, Dr. Al graduated in elementary on 2002 at the Colegio del Santo Niño without any academic award although he is intellectually gifted. It was only during first to third grade when he was among the top ten students. However, in 2006 he graduated his secondary education at the Don Bosco Technology Center in Punta Princesa where he maintained for four years as top one student.
His preparatory course with the degree, Bachelor of Science in Nursing at the Cebu Normal University had paved him to pursue Medicine. He would have wanted to take Biological Sciences as a pre-medical degree but it was his beloved mother who urged him to take up Nursing for opportunities abroad. Needless to say, he had been a dean’s lister during his first year and completed the Nursing degree in 2010 and passed the board examination on the same year.
What prompted him to take up Medicine was the thought that no one from his family who became physicians and it was also timely when he was being recommended to take the Southwestern University–Matias H. Aznar Memorial College of Medicine scholarship program.
In no delay, he went to a medical school and eventually became a MHAMian scholar. Within four years he managed to maintain being in the Med-dean’s list. In 2014 graduation, he was among those who received the cum laude awards.
With all the hard work coupled with profound determination, this 27-year old MHAM CM product placed himself being on top among 483 passers during the March 16, 2016 Physician Licensure Examination with 88.67 percent grade out of 1,044 takers nationwide.
Thus, Dr. Alajas led the other MHAM passers including his co-MHAM scholar Dr. Francine Diloy who placed 9th with a rating of 85.08 of the same examination.
One-on-one with the top 1
Behind his academic excellence and outstanding performance in the medical field, this top 1 awardee struggled from borrowing books since he could not afford to buy his own considering its expensive prices. Instead, he borrowed books from the school library and had become a consistent book-borrower from the very start. Nevertheless, the 2016 Physician Licensure Examination proved that he was and is a determined MHAMian on his own.
In a recent interview with MHAM’s pride, Dr. Alajas shared that during his college days he was one of those who can truly, madly, deeply relate to the saying that “Dota is life”. Unknown to many, he was hooked with video games that made him a consistent dota 2 player together with other dota geniuses inside the internet cafes. It was only deterred when he started taking up Medicine as he promised to become a full-pledge physician. Indeed, he made it more than that.
This dota 2-hyped player who earned the most signifying academic excellence nationwide also shared that behind his achievement he will always be grateful to God-the giver of gifts and to the people who helped him in chasing his dreams. He also credited his success to another MHAM CM 2015 Physician Licensure Examination top 1 placer Dr. Venil Lovely Estella Bolambao who had been his Clinical Instructor and who guided him throughout his entire medical schooling. During the first Sunday of the board examination, Dr. Al find it so easy and presumed to have a perfect score and after the four sets of examinations his faith tells him that he will make it to the top ten. Unamazed but with impeccable humility, his prediction to land on top as he gauged it effortlessly was jubilantly celebrated by MHAMians after the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) released the official result two days after.
MHAM CM’s pride: 1st placer Dr. Al Patrick Alajas during the Oath Taking of New Physicians at the PICC
Joining the other top ten awardees who also include his batchmate Dr. Francine Diloy, he received the most signifying lifetime award at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) last April 18, 2016 accompanied by MHAM CM Dean Dr. Arlene M. Diaz, her beloved mother and an aunt. It was followed with various invitations, guestings, speech-op and other ovelwhelming recognitions including the recognition ceremony from his Alma Mater who could have given him a car but he preferred to have it on cash to be more practical. True enough, Dr. Al received Php 450,000 instead of a wigo. Afterall, cars can wait, as he quipped.
MHAM CM Recognition Ceremony: (L-R) MHAM CM Chief of Clinics and Associate Dean Dr. Ma. Socorro Manaloto, Dean of the College of Medicine Dr. Arlene Diaz, Chairman of the Board of Trustee and President Mrs. Elma Aznar-Sierra, 2016 1st placer Physician Licensure Examination Dr. Al Patrick Alajas and Dr. Allan Librando of the Anatomy Department
To date, Dr. Alajas is now affiliated at the Department of Health (DOH) Region VII as the Medical Coordinator for the Schistosomiasis Control and Elimination Program. “It was my plan to have a one year break right after the board examination and will soon proceed to either Internal Medicine or Radiology. For now I am earnestly fulfilling my duty on this particular program and part of my field work is more on planning and handling the community and to conduct research on how to eliminate the parasites that cause schistosomiasis in the area”, he added. Jokingly aside, this young doctor is still in love with dota 2 and had set aside his love life because for him, everything comes at the right time with the right person.
Moreover, it is his inmost desire to go back to his dear Alma Mater and share his knowledge on the field of Medicine by becoming one of the doctor-professors of MHAM CM and will eventually give back what he had learned and acquired through teaching. This MHAM product is soon to be in the teaching field and destiny can tell that he will be joining his former professors and mentors within the walls of his Alma Mater in due time.
“My heartfelt advice to all MHAMians who are aspiring to become full-pledge doctors is by way of sharing my philosophy in life wherein I valued my sacrifices with meaning. Studying Medicine is not easy and for me, making the sacrifices as an investment for the future is what makes it more meaningful. Along the way, you are the deciding factor to chase your dream and no one can dictate nor take it from you. What you invest is who you will be”, he concluded.
MHAM CM College Secretary and Alumni Relations and Services/Community Extension Services Director, Dr. Ma. Yvonne M. Lanuza in a separate interview described ‘Alpats’ as a student armed with the determination to pursue medical education as a way to advance his mission and vocation. Having been employed with MHAM for twenty years now, she said that Dr. Alajas continuously uplifted the name of MHAM as the home of medical achievers in the country. For her, this MHAM product treaded the path on to his medical career enthused with the values that epitomize a great physician- persistent perseverance, a joyful and humble spirit and a sharp, analytical mind.
“To those of us in MHAM CM who knew him very well enough during his academic years, there was no doubt that he would bag the topmost slot in the Physician’s Licensure Examination. Long after his graduation, Al Patrick would always be seen in the campus before and after his daily visits to the library where he would immerse himself intently in his review and in acquiring more knowledge from the library’s line of new references. In the college he has impacted on me as a student who was always willing to fight all odds quietly but purposely using the gifts God has endowed in him amidst life’s challenges. I would often tell him to aim for the highest slot in the board which he bashfully affirmed with a smile”, said Dr. Lanuza.
MHAM CM College Secretary and Alumni Relations and Services/Community Extension Services Director Ma. Yvonne Lanuza MD, MPSM, CFC in an interview
In a fast-paced world we are now living, having a dream is just a start and it takes courage and perseverance before one can say that in the end it is all worth it. For Dr. Alajas, to aim high is just a matter of a willful determination before one can finally soar high. What matters is the ability to persevere and to find the strength to endure the challenges along the way. There might be bumps and bruises along the journey that at times becomes quite frustrating but one must conquer them courageously and chase the dreams in the end. Afterall, life is about chasing dreams- far from chasing pokemons. (Ana Liza Abao)