Doc Ahmad Hajiri

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...

It's Finally up Alhamdulillah! Here are the blessed souls who will now have the chance to get into the next batch of "Doktor para sa Bayan" (UPCM Class 2020 for AY 2015-16): FEMALE ACMA, KATHLEEN ANN LUENGAS ADOLFO, JOYCE ANN LLARINAS ALFABETO, MARY FRANCINE BAÑAS ALFONSO, PIA GABRIELLE ISIDRO ALGODON, SHELA MARIE LLENARESAS AMILHASAN, FATIMAH SADAIN ANGELES, GRACE ELYSSE DELOS REYES ARANCON, ANNE KAY COLLEEN VESTAL ARANDIA, LOUISE KAYE GACUTNO ARMADA, GLADYS LARISSA VENDICIO BABISTA, FRANCINE LOREEN A. B. MAGHUYOP BANAAG, DANAH ARANDA BASILIO, PATRICIA ANNE SAMSON BAUTISTA, HOPE LANIKA MANALO BENITEZ, DANA LEE MACASAET BERMUDEZ, REGINA MAREE JAPITANA BUNGA, ARIANNE MAE PALER BUNGABONG, SHARMAINE SOLIVIO CAISIDO, CHARMAINE RAY RAMOS CAMPOSANO, JESSA MAE TEJEDOR CARAMPEL, AJINA CABANGON CARGANDO, DEBEI CAPADA CHAMMAG, CLARISSE PIZARRO CHAVEZ, VERONICA PAGE DEL CASTILLO CHEONG, AMANDA MARIE ACUÑA CHITO, HANNAH TULIPAT CHUMACERA, KRISTINE BARIT CINCO, TANYA KATHERINE RA...

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...

THoughts of the Week (TOTW) # 11 What happened this week: Started with FCH250: Community Medicine in Urban Setting, Being an LO, 24th birthday and being sick, Herbal medicine.  In five hundred words, I would aim to share all the thoughts I had in this week. Be it in complete paragraphs or just mere thoughts that come into mind. Here are the things that wrapped up week #11 for 2015. The Essence of Community Medicine “Health is not just the mere absence of illness but a complete state of physical, emotional, mental and social well-being.” –Alma Ata declaration of Primary Health Care (1978) “Public health is everyone’s business”, “health is an inalienable human right”, “The ultimate goal of community medicine is to ensure equitable health for all” are just among the concepts being bombarded to us since our freshie days. And here we are again, refreshing those ideals, engraving them once again in our hearts. Community medicine has always been close to my heart....

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...