New year's resolution

I was never really a fan of new year's resolution. You tend to do it in the first few days of the year then back to the old ways again. I remember back in elementary and high school, my teachers will tell us to make an essay of our very own new year's resolution. Of course, I was forced to make up some devious resolutions. I always write something about doing my assignments and doing better at exams. On the next year, I'll probably write the same thing.

Now as a professional, new year's resolution seems more of a responsibility. It's probably the best time to change for the better. In the laboratory, we usually change some lab procedures or work instructions just to make things work better in the lab. Some labs start to change their logbooks at the start of the year, some changes their scrub suits or buy new sets of uniforms and some even hire new staffs for the start of the year.
On a personal level, my new year's resolution was always to have a good attendance sheet. No absents, no tardy! And yes, I WAS always tardy. For the last few years, I was most of the time late. But this year, I am proud to say that for the first time in my professional career, I probably had just one or two tardies. I don't want to owe it all to my new year's resolution. It's more of a I-got-a-new-job-and-I-have-to-make-a-good-impression kinda thing. Hahaha!  Oh well, I'm not suggesting that you should not make a new year's resolution. People make new year's resolution just so that when someone asks them, they would have something to say. Make a resolution if you really want to change. Whatever makes you better as a professional and as a person is up solely up to you. It's the start of the year; it's a good way to start anew.

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!!!

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Please comment or share your New Year's resolution (if you have one). Thank you and God bless!

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Holiday Duty

By this time, you probably know if you're on duty on the night of the 24 or on Christmas day. Or maybe, you're on duty on the eve of New Year. Honestly speaking, I don't want to go to work on any of those days. But you don't have much of a choice. For us medical technologists, going to work on Holidays is like going to work on regular days. If you're working in a hospital for years now, you probably embraced this fact already. But if you're really been working for so long and you're in your "senior" years, you probably passed this stage and you're off during Holidays. Hahaha! Just kidding! Although most of the time, there are less number of patients that go to the lab. Sometimes inpatients are decreased in numbers too. It might not be physically demanding because the amount of specimens are low but the fact still remains that you are inside a hospital and you are still working.
It's a lot of responsibility to be a Med Tek. You are obliged to sacrifice your time for your family to give time for your patients. Even without recognition from your patients, you will still be there. Even with a "double pay" during Holidays, it still can't replace the time that was taken away from you from probably having a Noche Buena or a simple Christmas meal for the family. We really don't get much from Holiday duties except the fact that we pat ourselves on the back and saying "good work".
Personally, I'd like to think that there's a consolation when you work during the Holidays. Let's face it, who else would go to work on Holidays? Some jobs might be working on Holidays but majority of health professionals, including Medical technologists, definitely would. Hospitals would never close; they go 24 hours a day and 7 days a week. So do Med Teks, I guess. So here's the consolation I was talking about, since it's Christmas, I firmly believe that we will have more blessings. Kung naka-double pay tayo ngayong Pasko, siguro doble din ang blessings. It may not come in terms of money, but the self-fulfillment that you sacrificed your personal time to be of help to others is priceless. As Med Teks and health professionals, we may not be financially abundant but we are definitely spiritually blessed. And in Christmas season, during this time of giving, we just don't give away gifts or presents. We give ourselves and commit ourselves to our line of work and to our needy patients. Our presence might be appreciated or not; recognized or ignored; and, complimented or denounced. It really doesn't matter. We did our job, we did our commitment, and we gave our gifts.

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!!!

Sa lahat ng duty sa pasko o sa bagong taon o sa gabi ng 24 o 31, enjoy na lang tayo. Dala kayo ng madaming food para masaya. Gaiwng parang Christmas Party part 2 ang duty! Magpa-picture ng madami tapos inggitin yung mga off! Hahaha! Iwasan ang alochol ha, duty pa e... pag out na lang!!!

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Please comment or share your holiday duty experience. Thank you and God bless! Merry Christmas!

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Simbang Gabi starts tomorrow

The first day of Simbang gabi  will start early morning tomorrow. The first of nine will surely be attended by countless parishioners. More often, people only do simbang gabi on the first and the last day, which is Christmas eve. I hope the majority will complete and attend more mass and be more devoted, just for a change. Aside from the mass itself, I personally enjoy the feeling of anticipation that Christmas is near. Nine days before Christmas! Woohoo! Christmas break and Gifts!!! But who would not enjoy Simbang gabi? After the mass, you buy and eat puto-bumbong, bibingka or maybe suman. Add some hot tsokolate or kapeng barako and you're set! And since it's still dark, some lanterns and Christmas lights are still on and you get the chance to enjoy them. In short, you feel the spirit of Christmas as it gets nearer. You won't find this on any country! It is, as they say, more fun in the Philippines! So sleep early, wake up early, get yourselves fixed early and head toward your parish church and be on the first Simbang gabi of the year!



I did a little web search on the history of Simbang gabi, it's a bit vague but here's what I found out:

Lantern making

On my last blog post (Busy December), I mentioned something about a lantern contest we joined. It is a competition between the different departments of our institution. The objective of the contest is to make a lantern representing the region assigned to you. You also have to wear a costume representing your region during the lantern parade. We represented Region XII or better known as SOCCSKSARGEN. We designed our lantern based on a Fanoos (or a Ramadan Lantern) because we thought that there a lot of Muslim in Region 12. So we basically made a Muslim-based or a Muslim related lantern. We covered the whole frame of the lantern with plastic cover and 5 colors of cellophane. We cut and shaped a lot of old pirated CDs and placed it on the outer layer of our lantern, giving it a mosaic effect. The cut-outs were forming a fish-like effect because of tuna which related to the region's major export product. The size of the lantern is 2 1/2 feet in width and about 2 1/2 feet in height (about 5 1/2 feet with the tail). Overall, I personally think that the lantern gives you the impression that it is Muslim-related but it does not lose the Christmas spirit of a parol. The combination of the colors and the glimmering effect of the CDs are vibrant. I personally think it is very unique (probably the only one of its kind.haha.). It is very eye-catching in the morning especially when the sunlight gives a reflection on the CDs, but it also looks outstanding in the evening when its lights are turned on. Well, you be the judge. Check some pics I posted:

~We placed second on the Lantern and placed third on the costume~

This is our explanation or the meaning of our Lantern:

"Ang aming parol ay kumakatawansa Region 12 o mas kilala sa tawag na SOCCSKSARGEN na binubuo ngSouth Cotabato, Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani at Gen. Santos City. Itong limang lugar na ito ay ipanakita namin sa aming parol na binubuo din ng limang kulay. Ang mala-bituin na hugis naman ng aming parol ay hango sa Ramadan Lantern o Fanoos, pinili namin ito dahi lmarami tayong kapatid na Muslim sa Region 12. Ang bituin din ang isa sa mga simbolo ng pasko. Ayon sa Bibliya, isang napalaking bituin o tala ang gumabay sa tatlong mago upang makarating sa Bethlehem kung saan ipinanganak ang sangol na si Jesus Christ. Ang disenyo naman ng aming parol ay hango sa pangunahing produkto ng Region 12, ang mga isda, partikyular na ang Tuna. Ang tuna at iba pang fish product ang major export ng Region 12. Sa Katholisismo naman, ang isda ay ginawang simbolo ni Jesus Christ ng mga sinaunang Kristiyano. Ang buong parol ay napapalibutan ng disyensyong isda na nanggaling mula sa mahigit na 200 recycled at ginupit na cds. Ito lahat ay hand-crafted at isa-isang ginupit at isa-isang nilagay ang humigit-kumulang na 650 pirasong cds na nagbibigay ng mala-Malong na epekto. Ang Malong ay isa ding kilalang produkto ng Region 12. Ang malong ay isang tradisyunal na kasuotan na sinusuot ng mga taga-Region 12 (gaya ng mga suot namin). Napili din namin na gumamit ng mga lumang cds dahil pangunahing produkto din ng region 12 ang DVD! DVD!."

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Please comment or share your experience. Thank you and God bless!

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Busy December

It's just a few days before Christmas, 15 days to be exact! Last week was a week of cramming! We prepared for our early Christmas party and we tried to meet the deadline for the lantern making contest. We did our best to finish our lantern which actually won today! (2nd prize! Yahoo!!!) We're still not finished with the lab decors yet because we finished the lantern first. Our Christmas tree is literally naked. Haha! The frame of our tree is made out of chicken wire shaped into a cone forming a pine tree like structure. It will be decorated with recycled lab materials. It's halfway done that's why I refer to it as naked. It's going to be pretty glimmering when it's all done. Wink! On a personal level, I have not started buying gifts for my friends and family. I guess I have to hide to my inaanaks too! haha! I have to buy gifts as soon as possible, I particularly don't like overcrowded malls. So I have to do my shopping early to avoid this. Plus, I have relatives and friends arriving from abroad this December. I have to manage my time and schedule to accommodate everyone. Whew! Just thinking about it makes me tired!


Hope all you guys are doing fine this BUSY and TOXIC December! Plan ahead and manage your time properly!

Share to all Med Teks, health professionals and to those who are experiencing a toxic December!

Please comment or share your experience. Thank you and God bless!

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Had a bad day?

Everyone experiences a bad day at work.  You’re doing your thing and suddenly you committed a mistake and everything seems wrong already. Much worse is if it happened on a Monday. Oh you just wished its Friday already. Well, things happen. As I quote from the movie Forrest Gump, “Sh*t happens!”. For us Med Teks, we must be able to adapt quickly since we are working in a fast-paced environment. It’s hard to break down in front of a lot work especially when a life of another person may be involved.

I would like share to you my personal tips that might be a bit of help when you encounter a bad day. You don’t really have much of a choice if you have these kinda days so you might as well do something about it and move on. Here’s what I think:

Relax. This would probably be the best tip I can give. When there’s an earthquake, fire or any disaster you can think of, everyone would tell you not to panic. They’re right. Same when you have a bad day at work. People tend to get irritated and frustrated. Just ease up and relax. When you miss your blood extraction of the day, you get discouraged and you feel that you don’t want to extract anymore. Again, relax. Call the next patient and extract again.

Take a minute. We never had the time to just pause for a while. But the truth is, we need it. I guess sometimes we have a bad day because we’re just so tired and so stressed out. I remember one time, I could not make good paraffin ribbons, I was not sure why but I just couldn’t. I stepped out of the room for a minute, went back in and finished my job. I think it would not hurt if we just relax for a moment, take a deep breath and have a break. I don’t think a few minutes would hurt especially if it can improve the outcome of your work.

Just do your thing.  It doesn’t matter if you have failed extractions, long lines of patients, countless urine specimen to analyze or numerous platelet counts to check from dengue patients, all you have to do is continue on what you do. Remember, just relax, take a minute if you have to, then work again. Don’t let the “toxicity” get the best of you. The flow of your work is continuous, patients will come and go, lab exams and lab works will continue to pile up or mellow down. It is unending. So just take the heat of the moment and do your thing.


Funny but true quotes that my fellow Med Teks have shared:
"Relaks lang, lamang tayo!"

"Ayos lang yan, may bukas pa naman e!"

"Ayoko na, endorse ko na 'to..."

"2pm na ba? 6am-2pm lang ako e..."

"Napagod ako, babawi ako mamaya... kakain ako ng madami!"

"Ang toxic! Inuman na 'to mamaya!"

(Disclaimer: The author of this blog does not endorse any quotes aforementioned. Although, I do believe it is quite funny.)

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Please comment or share your experience. Thank you and God bless!

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MT101 in PSMID convention

I was not able to attend the 48th Annual PAMET convention. Fortunately, me and my co-workers were sent by our hospital to go to PSMID (Philippine Society for Microbiology and Infectious Diseases) convention.
The PSMID convention was held at Crowne Plaza Galleria last Nov. 28-30. There were only a few Med Teks there; the majority of the delegates were doctors. And of course, Med Reps are all present. For those who have not been to any PSMID convention, let me share to you what I experienced and learned from this event.

First, the fun part! Just like the PAMET convention, Med Reps here are giving away a lot of FREEBIES!* Yehey!!! You just have wait for the long lines, sign some paper with your name and contact number and you got yourself a freebie. Funny thing about PSMID is all the Med Reps will call you "Dok" even though your I.D. tag says you're an RMT, I guess they're just playing it safe since most of the delegates were doctors. I also learned something new about doctors. They like freebies, maybe even more, just like we do. They were also willing to wait for long lines to get a free "eco-friendly" bag, may mga nanininigit pa nga e.hehe!

Aside from the free stuff (and the food), just like PAMET, there are also symposiums. I was able to attend three symposiums. During the second and the third day of the convention, there was actually a certain time where you can choose which symposium you wish to attend. This was done because some symposiums or sessions were industry sponsored. The symposiums that we attended were very informative and practical. All topics were focused on the prevention and control of infectious and emerging diseases. I believe that the doctors who were present would immediately put to use what they learned.

Overall, the convention was both educational and fun (parang field trip!). The convention was clearly loyal to its theme (Strategies, Intervention and Responsive Solutions in Infectious disease). Every session, research and symposiums were aiming to battle the infectious disease here in our country. I bet that the doctors have appreciated it more than I did. If I were to choose between PAMET or PSMID, I would say... Well, I don't really have a choice but to pick PAMET because I'm a Med Tek but I have to give props to PSMID. Buffet lunch vs Sit-down meal (PAMET), more freebies (personally speaking), and the freedom to choose on which symposium you want to be in. I just hope next time PAMET would have something about hazard pays or fixed minimum salary grade for Med Teks. Just saying...


*List of free stuff I got: 4.0gb USB, 9 bags: 5 "eco-friendly" bags, 2 extra-large bags, and 2 messenger/body bag, >10 ballpen, 2 prescription pad, 1 notebook, 8 tablets of vitamin samples, some antibiotic, spoon and fork with chopsticks kit,  and 1 umbrella.

**I also learned that the plural form of symposium could be either symposiums or symposia. ;)

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Please comment or share your experience on PAMET or PSMID. Thank you and God bless!

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Job hunt in Singapore

Most Med Teks have chosen to work in the Middle East. Some are in New Zealand, U.K., the North America and some other Asian countries. But what caught my attention was a very nearby country that has a rising economy and a good pay grade. I found out that you don't need a visa to get there so I took the risk and went on a job hunt in Singapore.

First, let me tell you what I thought was the advantages of working in Singapore. It only takes about three and a half hours to travel from Manila or Cebu to Singapore. We have the same time zone. This makes up for your homesickness. Why? Because if you're really homesick you could just go home during weekends. A lot of airlines nowadays are offering travel promos. You may want to book a Friday night ticket and go back to SG by Sunday evening. This may also be advantageous to people who are in a long distance relationship. If your partner wants to see you or surprise you, he/she could just visit you anytime because they won't need any visa to get there.

On my first day in Singapore, I went to a friend who was already working there and he let me stay at his place for a couple of weeks. Job hunting in SG is expensive. If you want to get a job there, you need all the resources you can get. When I was at his place, I immediately prepared all the things I need for applying. About one or two weeks prior my trip to SG, I already applied online. I was hoping that I could get shortlisted and get an interview when I get to SG. Back to my prepping, I took out my USB, and borrowed his laptop. I Google searched for the nearest 7-eleven store where I can get a SIM card for SG and an ez-link card (this is the card they use for transportation). I went to the store, bought a SIM card and an ez-link card, got back to my friend's place and printed copies of my resume (with my friend's address and my SG cellphone number). After that, I made a walk-in application at the nearest hospital which was Changi General Hospital. After the walk-in application, I went home and applied online. On the next day, I bought a newspaper and browsed the classified ads. I applied to all positions that I qualify. I also searched the internet for job openings, I used jobstreet.sg, jobsdb, st107, monster, etc. I made telephone calls to agencies and hospitals asking if they have openings. I also made a lot of walk-in applications to almost all hospitals in SG, and I applied online whenever I get back to my friend's place. Needless to say, I did this everyday for almost two weeks. It was definitely exhausting. I got lost sometimes.hehe! But everything was new to me so it seemed to be a bit of an adventure. I remember one time that I got lost, I was walking and walking and lo and behold, I could see the Merlion! haha!

Unfortunately, I did not get a job at Singapore. I had one interview though when I was already back here in the Philippines. The employer was kind enough to let me have a Skype interview to save the trouble for the trip. It was my first Skype interview and there were two interviewers but I was never really nervous. I guess personal interviews are more intimidating. It was for a job opening for a perfusionist. I did not have enough experience and I was not able to get the job.

The whole experience was actually an eye-opener for me. Here in the Philippines, I never had a hard time getting a job. There's always a place for Med Teks. Without prejudice, I kind of felt what nurses here in our country feels when they could not find a job. It was so frustrating. I went from hospital to hospital and no one not even HR personnel would talk to me. They would just point you to a drop box where all resume are collected. (I wonder if they even open it.hehe.) I would not discourage you though because I still believe that SG is a good place for Med Teks to work. The culture is asian, the cuisine is asian, there are a lot of Filipinos there, what else could you look for? They offer a good salary, some even higher than the common offers of the Middle East. Plus, SG is near us. It is really harder though to get a job at SG. Harder than the usual application you do for other countries. But just like any other job hunting, all you need is a lot, and I mean, a lot of patience. (For those who want to work abroad, you may want to read my recent post: to leave or not to leave)



(Although I was not successful in getting a job from SG, I'll try to share with you some tips that I learned when I was there and some tips from my friends who are already working there on my next post.)


"Whenever you are asked if you can do a job, tell ‘em, ‘Certainly I can!’ Then get busy and find out how to do it." 
- Theodore Roosevelt

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Medical Technologists and "Amalayer" patients

Medical Technologists and "Amalayer" patients

It is impossible that you have never encountered an "Amalayer-like patients". If you don't know what Amalayer is, you probably haven't used the internet or watched the news lately. It has gone viral in the web and just for the sake of those who really don't know what Amalayer is, check this video:

I know you can relate! hahaha! I just feel sorry for the lady guard. Even if the girl was right, I don't think anyone deserves to be treated that way. This actually happens in the out-patient department of the laboratory. I guess this often happens during or after blood extractions. If we have CCTV in the opd, we probably have a collection of stuff like this. This is actually just a norm for us. A patient or a relative of a patient suddenly freaking out and makes a scene. Just to share my experience, I had one incident that is similar to the video above. A relative of a patient was so furious that she threatened that she would sue me for allegedly losing her blood bags she bought at Phil. National Red Cross. Later that day, I called the PNRC and found out that she left the blood bags there.
 
If you're a customer or a service oriented employee, you already expect a lot of complaints from your customer or patients. Whether you're a nurse, a rad tech, PT, front desk clerk, receptionist or a Med Tek, you can never escape the fact that we can never win this kind of arguments or situations. Patience is a virtue and in this type of situation, it is an understatement. But what we have to understand is that this is our job, and the best that we can do is to be professional. For those who experienced Amalayer-like situations and remained calm and professional, then I congratulate you for a job well done. Let us continue to be understanding and caring to our patients. For the Amalayer-like patients, well... See you tomorrow and God bless!

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Check the seminar page

For your convenience, I updated the seminars page. I will probably update the page at least once week depending on how many seminars I find. I hope it will help some of you to save the trouble of looking for seminars in the web. I also update the Job openings page at least two to three times a week. You could also check our facebook account for job postings.

Here's the latest seminar I found out:

9th Postgraduate Course in Infectious Disease and Tropical Medicine
"Perils, Progress and Promises in the Practice of Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine"

Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) Auditorium, Training Center
Filinvest Corporate City Compound, Alabang, Muntinlupa City
March 14-15, 2013

Early registration fee: Php 1,500.00
On-site registration fee: Php 2,000.00
Click this for more details


For all our nurse friends:

BASIC IVT TRAINING FOR REGISTERED NURSES

December 20,21,22 2012

Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) Lecture room 2 and 3, Training Center
Filinvest Corporate City Compound, Alabang, Muntinlupa City

Registration fee: Php 2,800.00 (inclusive of foods and kit) Php 500.00 processing fee to ANSAP
Bring a photocopy of PRC license and two 2x2 id pictures with green background.
Click here for more details ===>  http://www.ritm.gov.ph/Announcements/Dec%2020-22,%202012,%20IVT.pdf

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QuickInfo: Rabies in the Philippines

"Rabies is a menacing disease which kills around 200 to 300 Filipinos per year. It’s 100% fatal, but it’s also 100% preventable. Know more through our first QuickInfo upload on Rabies in the Philippines."

Source: http://www.ritm-research.org

QuickInfo: Rabies in the Philippines

Source:http://www.ritm-research.org

Long Distance Relationship (Part 1)

I don't think long distance relationships are uncommon to Med Teks. I believe that it is experienced by many Filipinos. Your partner might be a Med Tek, a nurse, a doctor, an engineer, an architect, a seaman, a cook,a domestic helper or any other form of work available abroad, the fact still remains that you are distance apart. Long distance relationships might look close as Manila to Davao, or as far as Cebu to Dubai, but it still bears the same weight and the same amount of loneliness. (check my post about working abroad, click here)

Long distance relationship. If I were to ask 10 random Med Teks if they think that long distance relationships would work, I would assume that more than 5 out of 10 Med Teks would say "no".  It is undeniable that this type of relationship is quite difficult. If I may quote a colleague, "yun nga na araw-araw magkasama naghihiwalay pa, yun pa kayang magkalayo!". Although it is quite true, many are still in this type of relationship. The physical aspect of the relationship is hard, but the emotional part is harder. Let me try to explain that. When you celebrate your monthsaries or your anniversaries, you are alone. This occasions should have been celebrated with a partner but he/she is absent. That's the physical aspect. You suddenly feel the emptiness, the longing for her/his embrace or the touch of their lips, or as simple as the grasp of his/her hand. That's the emotional part. That pain when you feel like you can smell their scent but could not feel their warmth. Like a ghost in your mind, you could only see but you can never touch. What a burden. Hirap noh? Never remind a person whose in a long distance relationship about Valentine's day and Christmas (you may also want to avoid the line: "Pasko na! Ang lamig ng simoy ng hangin!" ).

Job openings

Most probably, the readers of this blog are Med Teks. I figured that while browsing the blog, you may also want to look for some jobs here in the Philippines and abroad.. Check out the Job Openings page I just added. I'll try to post as much job openings as I can. There are links available where you can search jobs from other website.

(I am not endorsing any website nor any job positions. Be careful in choosing jobs abroad. Always check the agency status at the poea website.)

For All Phlebotomist

A Phlebotomist's Sentiment

(The untold story of the person who extracts your blood)

Phlebotomy. The act of drawing or removing blood from the circulatory system through a cut (incision) or puncture in order to obtain a sample for analysis and diagnosis.

It is my everyday responsibility to draw blood from patients who are either fasting, sick, infectious, critically ill or those who are just simply having their routine check-up. This is my norm. Society probably thinks of it as the simplest task that is performed by the laboratory. Probably. But would the word “simple” or “simplest” suffice the description of the duty as a phlebotomist?

Perhaps not. The technique is rather hard and takes a lot skill before you can manage to have a confidence of drawing blood. Honestly, even those whose have years of experience can still encounter some difficulty.  

This is the real picture. We wake up early in the morning to make it to our 6am shift. Most of the time, most of us don’t even have our breakfast. I guess that makes us the same with patients who are fasting. So we really get annoyed when patients complain about how hungry they are. Of course you can’t tell it to their face. But if patients would really want to be first in line, then why not come earlier? That seems logical to me.

I understand why people don’t like us. Who would? How can you like somebody who is going to stick you with a needle? Blood extraction would definitely hurt. I clearly understand why nurses get the commendations because they can show and express their affection when taking care of a patient. I would like a person who smiles at me and asks me what I want, what I need, what I feel then fixes my bed while I am still at bed. But definitely not the person who enters my room, pierce me with a needle then leaves me saying “thank you!”. But despite being disliked, this is my job.

MT101 takes on FLIPTOP

I have alway been intrigued about the infamous "rap battle" scenes made famous by FLIPTOP. This organization claimed that they are the first Filipino Battle League which features both Tagalog and English competitions. I have actually been watching this league since early last year through youtube videos.

It's pretty much entertaining and believe it or not, educational. The lyricism, as they call it, and the content of the lines used in rap battles are exceptionally witty and intellectual. Mind you, if you have a low IQ level, you might need the videos replayed just to understand what they're saying. The use of profane language is common to almost all of the rap battle but I think it wouldn't be called  battling if they were to praise each other (although, compliment battle has been done already). Curses and foul words overflow during battle but amidst this, there are also a lot of funny but smart lines that probably captured the majority of fans and youtube followers.
Fliptop has also been noticed by the entertainment industry. They have been spoofed by GMA's Comedy TV show Bubble Gang. Ogie Alcasid presents himself as "Boy Pick-up", the undefeated champion of pick-up lines battle.
I view Fliptop as something different, I think that this league showcases new talents that would make new artists. It also brings a new generation of writers, lyricists, poets and even government critics. The political views of this emcees are as sharp as those of our current journalists. As they fully express their freedom of speech, their writings, lyrics and lines are solid, extreme and limitless. In a battle, the use of simile and metaphors would probably make their english teachers or professors proud. Their verses also features a lot of wordplays, nameplays, references, bars, political views, jokes and punchlines that far exceeds anyone's expectations. The emcees are also quick-thinkers as they adapt with their opponent and give rebuttals. I just think that we need an open mind when we watch their videos. In my humble opinion, if this is the new generation, then we have to congratulate them for literary excellence!


Here are some pics from last May's event (Dos por Dos Tournament) at B-side, Makati:

One of the most famous emcees in fliptop, Loonie (center)

Dello (right) has a fliptop video rap battle that has 10 million+ views.

BLKD (left) is known for his witty lines and bars.

For newbies of Fliptop, I recommend these videos (less cursing,hehe!):

english: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T7JJQe1A-_4

tagalog: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KaguQeHSnO0


For the latest videos, go to http://www.youtube.com/user/fliptopbattles?feature=g-logo-xit or go to their facebook page http://www.facebook.com/fliptop.battleleague?fref=ts

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Walking Dead

For all allied health professionals, physicians and all graveyard shift employees, we literally are "walking dead" after a grueling night shift, especially after a 12-hour, 16-hour or a 24-hour shift. I think most of us know this feeling. My former interns are the best examples! hahaha! The best phrase to describe it is it feels like you're floating into thin air. You feel so tired, so grumpy and you can't wait for the next Med Tek to replace your shift. I remember one colleague saying that she wants to take a bath because she feels so dirty and 'sticky' (whatever that means. Hahaha!). Just like zombies, we just want to go home, eat then sleep, wake up groggy like a zombie and eat again! 

Check out the latest season of The Walking Dead: The Complete Third Season   

Free mock exams online

Many Med Teks have been spending their money on review centers and online exams to get them prepared for the local board exam, ASCPi, AMT, HAAD, CSMLS and other international exams. I, for one, have also enrolled in a review center before I took on the board exams. Review centers and mock exams are always of great help when taking licensure exams regardless of any profession whether local or international.

It would also be better if you could test yourself more by taking more exams. But of course, these would cost you more money. I then remembered a former colleague and a good friend of mine who was bragging about a top score on a certain website. He was actually a board topnotcher. He took an exam online because he was preparing for his HAAD and ASCPi exams. Fortunately, he passed both exams. When I searched the internet, I found out that the online exam was free. I actually know this at least two to three years ago but I only had my blog a month ago so I'm sorry that I only shared this now. The website is LabCE.com. You may want to check the free online exam through the link below.

I was surprised to see that my friend MJ still has the all-time top score! (click this to see for yourself http://www.labce.com/highscores.aspx) This just proves that we Filipinos are the BEST MED TEKS in the WORLD. No one can argue with that. We got facts to prove it. hahaha! Enjoy the freebie Med teks!!!

click here for the free online exam ===> http://www.labce.com/start.aspx

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48th Annual PAMET Convention

For all Med Teks who wans to attend the 48th Annual PAMET convention, go to http://www.pametinc.org/ for more information. Or just simply view my blog! hehehe!

click this link to download the registration form: http://www.accls.net/dlfiles/14th%20ACCLS_48th%20PAMET_registration%20form_local.pdf


Get your bags ready for freebies!!! just kidding! The 14th ACCLS will be held together with the PAMET convention. As the PAMET President Mrs. Leila Lany Monserrat-Florento RMT-PHD have said, we should expect that this will bring together a collection of outstanding speakers, scientists, clinicians and researchers from all over the ASEAN nations that would share their expertise in their respective fields.


P.S. I just wished it was not the same date as the PSMID convention. (To see the schedule of PSMID convention, just go to http://medtek101.blogspot.com/p/seminars.html)

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Do you like your co-worker?

I hope you do! hahaha! You see your co-workers, your officemates or your lab mates at least five times a week. There are times that you even get tired just by looking at their faces. But, you don't have much choice don't you? It's either you quit your job or you get along. Honestly, every employee should be team-oriented. You have to trust each other to be able to reach your company's goals. Although in some offices or labs, there are some sorts of politics to be able to advance each other. Some play nice, some are a**-kissers and some are just there for the ride. Some will even use your weakness for their strength, but don't mind them, just pray for them and continue working. We can't deny that truth but we have to still try and work well with the others.

Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012

I have to share my opinion regarding this "controversial" law. This has been a very hot topic this past week. Internet hackers showed their protest by breaking in official websites of the government. I believe that in order to give your opinion or comment regarding the matter, a person should read the said law first before making any complaints.http://www.gov.ph/2012/09/12/republic-act-no-10175/ And of course, that's what I did. I read the Republic Act No. 10175 or better known as the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012. Here's what I personally think:

A writer... A doctor... A Med Tek...

Please support a fellow Med Tek, Dr. Lyka Medrano, and grab a copy of her book entitled "Ang Manunulat, ang Duktor at ang Little Miss Philippines".

Grab a copy next week at any Central Books Outlet!!! (Soon to be released at National bookstores)
http://central.com.ph/centralbooks/outlets/

Advantages of NOT passing the board exam

There is no typo at the title that you are reading. Many are depressed and discouraged when they found out that they failed the board exams. It is only natural to feel that way but I'm not just comforting people when I tell them that everything will turn out fine. Continue reading to find out why.

to leave or not to leave?

"To be, or not to be, that is the question" And yes, the title of the post was an idea taken from Hamlet.
No plagiarism intended, I'm not Sen. Tito Sotto. Hahaha! I'm just kidding, no bashing intended and I'm a big fan of Eat Bulaga. Wink!


I have worked long enough as a Med Tek here in the Phlippines to give an opinion on working abroad or not. Although I have not been away for so long, I believe that I could express my thoughts well enough regarding this matter.

Family. It is probably the biggest factor you have to consider before working abroad. Is it alright to leave your retired aging parents? Can you leave your children behind? Can you leave your spouse without having issues on trust? These are just a few of the many questions you have to answer before working

What do all Med Teks have in common?

Fun fact: The Love for Food and the Love for Freebies

I never met a Med Tek who doesn't like to it. I even believe that eating is our favorite past time. We just love food. If we're allowed to eat merienda, we probably would. At lunch breaks, even if we have to eat fast, we eat a lot. And if we receive our salaries, it's a sure eating frenzy! Whether with co-workers, family, relatives or friends, we sure love to use our money for food!

The best things in life are free. We Med Teks sure love the sound of that! This is actually very evident during PAMET conventions. We go to all the medical representatives' booths and ask for freebies. It doesn't matter if the lines are long, as long as we get something free! The more fun part is when a med rep gives free food! Wow! A combination of the things we loved! How many times have you experienced  a med rep gives a free pizza? or ice cream? or cake? Definitely a lot! So, thank you Med Reps! (hahaha).

We Med teks are not 'biologically related', but it's really true that we all love food and freebies. I never think about it as negative thing too. All I want to point out is that we Med Teks have some sort of connection. It's like a Med Tek gene of some sort. So, share your knowledge, be good to one another, treat each other as family because that's what we are. We are connected. We are Med Teks!

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Low income for MedTeks?

Ever wonder why some Med Teks settle for minimum wage? Honestly, I already worked for minimum wage as a Med Tek. I lived in Metro Manila and worked in two private hospitals already, both tertiary, but both offered a minimum salary wage. Unfair isn't it? Considering the number of laboratory exams per day, I think laboratory staffs deserve a bit higher amount of income. After all, the laboratory is arguably the biggest earner inside the hospital (maybe ahead or second to pharmacy). I have even heard that a gross income of a tertiary laboratory in Metro Manila ranges from 8 million pesos to 20 million pesos per month. And if all this information is true, then why do we get an unfair amount of salary?

Job Hunting

So you’re a newly registered Med Tek! You just had your oath at Manila hotel and maybe you just went on an out of town celebration with your family or friends. Now you’re back to reality and it’s time to find a job. Before you do, let me give you some helpful tips that will surely go a long way. Here they are:

Tip #1 Think outside the box

Most people who passed the board exams would probably apply as a medical technologist. I'm not saying its wrong but that is not the only job for us Med Teks. Let's face it, medical technologists does not get paid

Newly passed Medical Technologist

Congratulations to the new RMTs!!!   Welcome to the Med Tek World!!!

http://www.prc.gov.ph/uploaded/documents/MTECH0912ft.pdf

This blog is probably late already and you've already found a new job and all but I hope you can follow me because I have great tips on looking for your first job! So relax a bit... Be patient! Don't just get the first job you see! We Med Teks are in-demand!!! They need us!!!

So hang on for a minute and wait for my next blog!!!