#DISENUEBE

As another school year begins, we welcome a new set of tributes to set forth the treacherous path of medicine. The first years, batch Disenuebe, hail themselves as “MedSwag” – medicine and mixed with an internet slang referring to being “cool”. But what makes the students of batch “MedSwag” really cool? See for yourselves how each one actually contributes to the batch’s uniqueness.

The batch could be regarded as a melting pot of culture; with Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao being well-represented.  To round-up this class’ diverse ethnicity, an international student, Folaremi Olagundoye from Nigeria is also part of the class. Carrying the national capital’s pride are; Tameera McQueen, from Palawan, and Ellisse Dolleton, the University of Santo Tomas Pharmacy graduate. Still, resident Sillimanians, leads the class with the most number of representatives which includes Rona Namocatcat, the former SUSG president.

Amusingly, aside from the usual nurses, medtechs, pharmacists, bio majors, and PTs, batch Disenuebe is also a hodgepodge of non-medical graduates. Among them are: Ray Ditona, the Chemical Engineer, the trio of Physicists, Aura Asdillo, Jesse Garillos and Hanna Russel and the class treasurer by unanimous decision, Management major Hannah Gorospe.

Proudly, this batch has six scholars of Negros Oriental Provincial Scholarship for Medicine.  They are Ercie Laguerder, Remil Patula, Donna Mae Catubig, Kenneth Saguban, Hanna Russel and Erlo John Asenista. It is interesting to note that most of the batch had worked in hospitals and laboratories before they entered med school. Actually, even two Clinical Instructors from Silliman University, John Uan Silot and Keith Pacarro, are among this batch.

Batch Disinuebe also showcase talented individuals not only in singing and dancing but also in film making headed by Stanley Alcala. Also adding to the uniqueness of this class is their version of B1 and B2 of bananas in pajamas; the bubbly and charming twins Charmaine and Charlaine Bautista who share the same passion in caring for life.

Though this Batch Disinuebe is fully aware that survival here in medicine is not about living day to day but about living for the next five minutes, it never stops them. They accepted the challenge because they believe in themselves, they entrust one another and above all they have faith in God. After all, it's the love for humanity, for life and for the art of medicine that keeps them motivated to pursue and to strive harder. #disinuebe

Dee Adao and Mithrica Fantone