Ayayay!

After I had passed my subspecialty diplomate exam, I was very eager to start my practice. I felt like I was ready to take on the world. I described the day after I learned I passed as the “first day of the rest of my life” (Aug. 17 post). After 13 years (that’s post-college) of non-stop study and training, it felt like I have finally reached the finish line.

Then reality set in.

First, hubby and I scouted for prospect clinics south of Manila. We then learned that one needs a considerable sum of money to be able to start holding clinic at most hospitals. If you think your credentials are enough… you’re mistaken. Show them the money! Borrow from your spouse or your folks! Only then can you start earning your own.

But that was reasonable. Natural lang that they ask money from me first. Parang negosyo, di ba? Kailangan mamuhunan. Labas ka muna ng pera para magkapwesto sa palengke, bago ka pa makapagsimulang bumenta, tapos saka kikita. Fine.

And then I got entangled in one big mess of requirements.

The most difficult part, at least for me, is the fulfillment of the different things required by the government. PTR. TIN card. Not just TIN, the number ha. TIN card. And to get this, one must go back to the branch where one first got the number. Only then can I get my recently renewed S2 license card (for prescribing regulated drugs). And only then can I start applying for Philhealth accreditation as a specialist. It also requires numerous certificates of good standing from different societies. Because I live in the metropolis and cannot, as of yet, drive our car (that’s an entirely different story), I would have to take the FX, MRT, LRT, Taxi to get all of these. Pera pa din. Not to mention, oras, effort, at pawis.

I am also quite overwhelmed by the sheer volume of numbers that I would have to store (memorize?!) and back-up. I am no longer defined by my name alone. Gone were the days when I could just present my complete name and occasionally, my mother’s maiden name. Let’s see… how many numbers do I have? There’s my PRC, S2 license, PMA, PTR (which, by the way, will have to change every year), Philhealth, NBI, GSIS, LTO, TIN, GSIS, Passport, Community Tax Certificate. Whew! Not to mention all the different usernames and passwords for my different internet accounts/social networks and gadgets. Tapos meron na tayong isang tambak na phone numbers. Dalawang mobile, 1 landline, at 1 prepaid wireless broadband. Grabe na ito.

There’s no use complaining. All my colleagues who have gone ahead and are doing their practice have gone through the same. I just have to laugh at myself when I go back to ages ago, when I was a young girl and began to dream of becoming a doctor. Those days, I thought it only entailed studying and then I would have my very own black medicine bag and start making home visits. Parang lumang sine. Simpleng simple.