What ails Pinoy doctors?

Did you know that the number of medical students in the Philippines is drastically decreasing by an average of 20 percent? At the De La Salle College of Medicine, for instance enrollees have decreased from 200 in recent years to about 90 this school year, says the school’s Dr. Charles Yu.

But enrollees in nursing schools are coming in "by the thousands."

In fact, Dr. Tony Leachon of the Philippine College of Physicians said at last Tuesday’s Bulong Pulungan forum at the Hotel Philippine Plaza that the passing rate in the medical boards has been lowered – from 70 to 80 percent in the ’80s, to 55.69 percent in August 2003; 51.40 percent in August 2004 and 55 percent in July 2006. Perhaps, because less and less are taking the boards and to keep the passing grade at a high of 70 to 80 percent would leave us with very few physicians, indeed.

So why are more and more Filipinos opting to be nurses instead of doctors? Where have all the doctors gone? According to Leachon, 90 percent of the graduates of the UP College of Medicine are abroad. Leachon also cited the case of Dr. Elmer Reyes Jacinto, who topped the board exams but opted to be a nurse in New York instead.

But money isn’t the number one reason cited by those who have joined the exodus – money is actually only the fourth reason. The primary reason, according to Leachon, is the "political instability in the Philippines," which is linked to the lack of opportunities for doctors and nurses here. Another reason, he adds, is the threat of the malpractice law.

Why are less and less Filipinos aspiring to be M.D.’s? Is it all about survival (which, as many have pointed out, is no cause for an apology)? Or are doctors nowadays suffering from image problems?

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< The Philippine College of Physicians is aiming to project the Filipino doctor as one who, "heals, teaches and leads." The PCP in fact holds up National Hero Dr. Jose Rizal as every Filipino doctor’s role model.

"He returned to the Philippines to restore his mother’s sight, and gave vision to a nation," says Leachon.

Of course, nowadays, doctors are better off becoming heroes by living for their country, instead of dying for it.

One of the PCP’s goals is to have the Senate endorse the creation of a committee to "revisit and revise the curriculum of health professionals (nursing, medicine and allied medical professions) to include more subjects relevant to the current Philippine healthcare system problems."

The group’s second recommendation is for the Senate to endorse the teaching in elementary and secondary schools of preventive health concepts for the top 10 causes of morbidity (sickness) and mortality (death).

Doctors say all these are preventable with education on disease causes and risk factors.

In fact, the number one cause of sickness – diarrhea – is easily preventable with good hygiene and the habit of washing one’s hands, especially after using the toilet.

(I remember my sister, a doctor, once took a board exam in the Philippines administered by Americans. Each time an examinee went to the toilet, they were accompanied by a proctor. After my sister used the toilet, she washed her hands, and the American proctor sighed, "Thank God! Do you know that you are the first examinee I accompanied who actually washed her hands after using the toilet?" Horrors! And these were doctors!)

I asked the doctors at the Bulong Pulungan panel if hand sanitizer could take the place of running water and soap. I know of some people who don’t want to wash their hands because they don’t want to touch the faucets in public toilets.

Dr. Yu says there is no contest – washing one’s hands far outweighs the risk of touching faucets.

Dr. Fernando Ayuyao, VP of the PCP, says hand sanitizers are good only, say, if you want to disinfect your hands after touching a doorknob. "But if your hands are really dirty, you really should wash them."

So here are the top causes of morbidity in the Philippines: 1. Diarrhea 2. Bronchitis 3. Pneumonia 4. Influenza 5. Hypertension 6. TB 7. Diseases of the heart 8. Malaria 9. Measles 10. Chickenpox.

Educating children on the dangers of smoking is also very important, as a lot of terminally-ill patients suffer from lung diseases.

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Okay, since we had four doctors on the panel, we asked a lot of health-related questions.

How good for the health is Virgin Coconut Oil?

Dr. Eugene Ramos, treasurer of the group, says the Philippine Lipid and Atherosclerosis Society is set to issue a "favorable" opinion on VCO. "Virgin coconut oil has lauric acid, which is anti-viral."

Gingko Biloba – which Kris Aquino reportedly takes to enhance her memory – has also been accepted as safe.

Dr. Ayuyao says that the public should be wary of medicines, whether herbal or synthetic, that tout themselves as "cure-alls."

All the doctors on the panel said they usually are believers in results that are evidence-based, or backed by years of evidence, rather than "anecdoctal" cases. In layman’s terms, I guess "anecdotal" means singular instances.

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Hopefully, more and more youths will be inspired to be doctors because of the nobility of the profession and the stature it will give them as healers and saviors. Life is precious – let’s entrust it only to those who believe that their work is sacred, and not just a means to a paycheck, even if that paycheck is nothing to be apologetic for.

(You may e-mail me at joanneraeramirez@yahoo.com)