Nursing topnotcher not sure whether to pursue profession

CEBU, Philippines - Topping the Nursing Board exam was indeed a tough process, and for Clarie Morales Bontol of the Iligan Medical Center College, the greatest fulfillment is found in the happiness of the people who had helped her to get where she stands now.

Twenty-eight-year-old Bontol was number one among 37,527 other passers of the November 2009 licensure examination based on the results released by the Professional Regulation Commission late last Sunday.

She emerged with a 87.80 percentage, the highest scorer among total 94,462 nursing graduates who took the examinations.

An only child, Bontol was born and raised in Iligan by couple Delia Bontol, a practicing gynecologist and Jude Bontol, a retired employee of the Bureau of Customs in Cagayan de Oro. Jude hails from Cordova town, Cebu.

She graduated elementary and high school with honors at the St. Francis Learning Center and St. Mary’s School in Cagayan de Oro in 1993 and 1997, respectively.

When she entered college in 1998, she first took a Biology course at the University of the Philippines Diliman campus in Quezon City.

But she was not able to finish the course and stopped during last semester of her 4th year in 2001.

She then enrolled at the Philippine Institute of Japanese Language and Culture where she graduated valedictorian in 2005.

Right after graduation, Clarie worked at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport as a Japanese interpreter. However, she later realized she wanted to take up sciences so on the same year she signed up for Nursing at the Iligan Medical Center College in Iligan City. She was also inspired by her cousin, also a nurse working in Texas.

In an interview with The Freeman, Clarie said that she never thought of passing the exam because of the number of the examinees.

Nevertheless, she did her best and said that her previous experience partnered with her determination helped her a lot during the exam.

When asked about her preparations prior to the exam, Clarie said; “Nagtuon kog tarong. And my study habit includes answering review questions na NCLEX (National Council on Licensure Examinations)-type para maanad ko sa type of exam na mugawas.”

“Siguro nakatabang sad akong previous na course kay sayon ra para nako ang Anatomy, sayon ra mag-memorize og medical terms. Wala gyud ko nag-start from scratch but I did not let my guard down,” Clarie said adding that her mother and cousin also assisted her.

Although a topnotcher, Clarie admitted that she does not have any plan yet whether to proceed with being a Nurse.

“I’m still weighing my options,” she said.

She told The FREEMAN that she may pursue a Masteral course in Nursing to teach or may take “something else different” depending on the results of her discernment.

She also voiced out her doubt to be able to find a job related to her course basing on the current situation in the country where there are less jobs for Nursing graduates.

“Bisan topnotcher ko I’m not sure kung naa’y available job for me kay dili man ang score sa exam ilang basehan, it’s still experience,” Clarie said. — Jessica Ann R. Pareja/BRP   (FREEMAN NEWS)