Doc Ahmad Hajiri

Joining Muslim Doctors (MD) for a Tuli Mission Alhamdulillah, a few days ago, a good friend of mine told me that the young medical students from Ateneo de Zamboanga University School of Medicine (ADZU-SOM) were here in Manila for a surgical mission. Their group was known as the Muslim Doctors (or M.D.). I went to visit them that day and to my delight, they invited us to join their event last May 1, 2016 at Mahabba Islamic Center in San Andres Bukid, Malate, Manila. I immediately informed the members of UP-Association of Muslim Students (UP-AMS) and Alhamdulillah, 5 of them volunteered to join me. I learned later on that another friend and fellow medical student from another school will also join. First meeting with the MD team I was on ER Duty the night before, and honestly I did not get much sleep before the event. But Alhamdulillah, I was not feeling that sleepy maybe because of the excitement! I met with my members right after my duty and went to the venue where w...

Aspire Summit 2016 Clerkship Day 210 Out of Post Last April 9, 2016 I attended the ASPIRE SUMMIT 2016 held in GT Toyota at UP Diliman. It was the end of our rotation in Rehab Med and we actually have free weekends. It so happened that I was free that day so I signed up and registered myself online a few months ago. At first, I thought this was one of those conferences for young entrepreneurs and I don’t even remember why I signed up, haha! But with nothing much to lose, I went anyway. I might learn something for future projects I have in mind. I was wrong on one thing though: This was not for entrepreneurs but for “young leaders for change”. I am more than glad that I attended anyway. It was a summit showcasing different organizations (NGOs and private companies) all managed by young and inspiring leaders! I never even knew who the speakers were until I got the programme, and guess what, two of the speakers were among those that I really admire: Rep. Sitti Djalia Turab...

As everyone hurriedly took their orders and grab their lunches in that famous fast-food restaurant with an over-sized smiling honeybee as their logo, one man was oblivious and unnoticeable of them all. He sat there in a corner, singled-out from the rest of the dining tables, carrying the most precious things he had left: his fragile, ailing daughter wrapped in his caring arms and a bag that contained everything her daughter needed (or what he can afford of at least) for her first consultation in Philippine General Hospital. His daughter has been suffering from a rare disease he could not even pronounce. She was a lovely angel since she was born, bringing light to their otherwise gloomy life in the farmlands. She was their sunshine, their love, their princess. Until that fateful day when her symptoms started to appear. It started with a high fever, then she stopped eating and she became more and more weak each passing day. On her second year of life she was already bed-ri...

Assalamu Alaykum! (Peace be upon you all!) It's already the end of March. And I almost forgot that this month is among the most anticipated months in every year that comes: The month were we see hopeful faces go "marching" during graduations as they celebrate the end of their journey in that particular part of their lives. (I wonder if "March" got its name from that, and if it is, wonder how this particular month was called before that? haha). I was reminded by these thoughts when I went to attend a High school graduation in North Fairview. It was an unplanned activity, yet it was something worth reflecting about as it made  me remember things as well. Looking at the young hopeful graduates that day, it reminded me of myself and my fellow graduates years and years back. I could feel their excitement, hear their loud cheers, see that hopeful gaze upon the future, looking forward to a new chapter in their life that will unfold. An end, and a new beginning...

Assalamu Alaykum! For the 12th week of the year 2015, here are the things that happened: The Exam last Wednesday was O-kay, I think. Well it was not that easy, there were essay questions that requires some knowledge of the subject matter. We were provided with enough time for our reading materials anyway, so if we failed to learn those concepts, its on us. (Oh I miss answering essay questions after 3 years of multiple-choice scantron type exams haha). The recall-type MCQ ones are tricky as well. Huh, what's new with our exams anyway. Our Urban Community Medicine Rotation finally ended with our Final Reporting last Friday. It was not-the-usual all clinico-pathological presentation that we had in other rotations. Rather, it was more of a collation of 'creative' outputs from the four groups under ComMed for the last 2 weeks. Most of the group (actually all four of them) had video presentations (from laugh-your-ass-out funny videos to tear-jerking-MMK-style ones). O...

Sunday. Sunny with some streaks of clouds up high. I was on my way to attend a meeting. And I have with me the usual things I bring: my ever-so-compact backpack containing all my notebooks, books and my camera as well, my laptop on the other bag, and two big plastics of grilled chicken and chicken siopao which my colleagues asked me to buy. I was lucky enough to get the last seat on a public utility van then. And as I try to fit in all my stuffs in that small remaining space, while saying my apologies to the other commuters inside, I imagined how my image of being so untidy and unorganized came out into the open once again. Oh well, this is me and I am pretty good with it. ^_^ As the vehicle starting working its way to the next city where our meeting will be held, I looked out the window and--well, what else am I supposed to do but look out and observe everything that is to see until they disappear into thin dots of nothingness? Upon reaching the "Quezon City Welcome Rotund...

You walked in the busy streets of Manila and you saw a young child lying asleep on a dirty alley by the side of the road, with an empty plastic cup on his one hand and the other, empty-handed (dirty, rugged) begging for at least a coin from your purse. You never heard him ask for money, you did not have to look at his sleeping eyes, for at first glance you felt some pity on him. You stopped and checked your pocket or your purse full of extra coins. Maybe you can spare some money for him, so that he can buy some bread to get by. Maybe will give more than you thought you can. After all, you can easily find money from your salaries, or your personal businesses, or your monthly stipends. The next day on that same road, you saw him again, on that same location, wearing the same ragged, unkempt shirt. This time he had with him a younger child with him, crying. This time your heart was crushed two-fold. How could this happen? How could their parents leave them here? You cannot fathom...

Assalamu Alaykum! (Peace be upon you all!) Summer is really finally here!! We can all feel it yeah? right? How I wish that I could go to school wearing my shades. Then everyone would call me crazy, so I wont haha! And while most of the universities in the country are already preparing for their final exams and graduations, we on the other hand are still just past our mid-year classes. The undergraduate courses are now fighting for their lives while swimming in floods of midterm exams. Goodluck guys! Keep swimming! haha Life in Medschool: I am still alive! Now updates on my life as a medical student (assume I still have one, yes). We just started our first day in FCH250: Integrated Clinical Clerkship in Community Medicine I. And guess who is the unfortunate LO (Liaison Officer)? Yes, you are talking or rather reading to him right now haha. I love working in the community, although I concede, this will surely be a totally different experience for me. A different kind of commun...

Assalamu Alaykum! Last night was a night of color and diversity! A night of exciting cultures, wonderful melodious songs and breath-taking performances by--take this-- high school students from around the world! I still can't believe that is part of their "school project"! @_@ The International Festival of Language and Culture (IFLC) is an annual event sponsored by the Cultural Center of Turkey with the aim of promoting the unity in diversity among different languages and cultures around the world.  This year is the 13th IFLC and it was held in Resorts World Manila. And guess what? I was able to attend that event together with some brothers FOR FREE! Awesome! (Thank you Dr. Abdul Hamet for the tickets! ^_^) Among the countries that sent their representatives were: Kazakhstan, Romania, Georgia, Germany, Afghanistan, Albania, Madagascar. USA, Indonesia, Tanzania and Philippines. Now don't blame me for being too excited... this was the very first ti...