Pugad Agila helps med students take flight
Though the school is relatively new (the Ateneo School of Medicine and Public Health opened classes in 2007), a robust support system for med students of the ASMPH has made its way to the fore.
Still going strong until today, Pugad Agila is the ASMPH’s board operations, providing board-takers (or ‘eagles,’ as they are called) “academic support and personal assistance,” in preparation for the Physician Licensure Examinations in September.
Meet two Lawins who help their batchmates prepare for the take-off.
Nurturing nest amidst a chaotic environment
Daniel Labial (BS Health Sciences ’16, MD-MBA ’21) and Paula Pulido (MD-MBA ’21) were both members of the previous Pugad Agila core team—Dan a logistics head and Paula part of Blue Toast (“a celebratory event of our school for the board-takers,” she explains)—before becoming the heads of this year’s board ops. Both were struck by the magnanimity of this entire enterprise and thus decided to run for the position.
“Within that one year of Pugad experience, I realized that this school is indeed where our home is,” Dan shares. “Like what happens in an eagle’s nest, every student will be nurtured by this supportive community—all the way from the lowerclassmen, the admin, the manongs, your batchmate—and they will remain a significant part of your experience as you stay in this nest.”
“Once you are ready,” he continues, “they will celebrate with you as you take your mighty flight to that boards exam. Perhaps this supportive and kind environment in ASMPH inspired me to step up to become a Lawin, a role where one will have the opportunity to experience first-hand and take care this spirit of giving, which also entails you to look beyond that 100%.”
Paula’s motivation isn’t that different from Dan’s; hers is to give back to the community that showed her love and care and helped her get through her first two years in medical school.
Medical school is undoubtedly a high-pressure environment. When asked what keeps him going despite the rigors of school and the unending class requirements, Dan says it’s “the joy and inspiration I get from not only the board-takers, but from volunteers as well. I am always inspired by the eagles’ resilience and passion to the art and humanity of medicine, how they entered medical school, went through the rigorous process of medical education and now transformed to become full-fledged doctors.”
For Paula, it’s making the eagles happy. “Seeing them smile during our little lunch break programs or food rounds whenever they have their review is the most fulfilling thing for me. Reviewing for the boards is stressful and knowing that you can alleviate their stress even just a little to keep them going, sobrang nakakataba ng puso ‘yon.”
Small, unexpected acts of kindness
A quick gander at Pugad Agila’s Facebook page shows one all the fun gimmicks and events that a board-taker can indulge in amidst the stress of preparing for that fateful examination. While counting down to the big day, Pugad Agila also posts about healthy and not-so-healthy snacks, skincare products, and other freebies. At the beginning of review season, they provided coffee and other little surprises for the students.
More than the material things are little nuggets of positivity that accompany each post. “We will always be here,” the page reminds the board-takers. “This is our #18IGFIGHT.”
In keeping with the tradition of assigning hashtags to each batch (previous classes have been #16nite and #HEARTSTRO17G), the Class of 2018 proudly calls their board ops “#18IGFIGHT,” and, more recently, “#NO18EANLEFTBEHIND.”
“We decided to make a new one for them as the phrase ‘No Atenean Left Behind’ is more commonly used as the Pugad battlecry,” he says, “and we wanted to make something that will uniquely distinguish the Batch 2018 boards journey, and not just another annual Pugad board operations.”
The board ops have three main launches: Introduction to Pugad, Orientation to Services, and the Parent’s Orientation. The first launch, named Ohana (Hawaiian term for ‘family’) references the iconic line from the animated film Lilo and Stitch: “Ohana means family and family means nobody gets left behind or forgotten.”
“We chose Ohana as the theme of our first event to emphasize how this community is like a family,” Dan explains.
“Aside from this,” Dan continues, “Parts 2 and 3 of Launch, Send-off, and Blue Toast are also connected by a common theme.”
This year’s theme, #OURSTORY18OARD—a play on ‘our storyboard’—has to do with the process of filmmaking. Dan says that this particular batch is gifted with the talents of filmmaking, from short films to trailers and various other movie projects. “This theme [also says something about] how Pugad Agila, the parents, and the school, will be the eagles’ production team behind the scenes.”
The penultimate event and the last one right before the boards, “#18ACKSTORY,” is the eagles’ send-off, where the board-takers will gather to reminisce and look back at the past five years of medical school.
“The theme of our final event, Blue Toast, will be revealed after the board examinations,” Dan teases, “so stay tuned for that.”
The gift that keeps on giving
While it hasn’t all been smooth-sailing—Dan admits that one of the challenges he faced is getting to know a batch—at the end, everything becomes worth it.
“Personally,” Dan starts, “I am not comfortable to start conversations with strangers especially since these strangers are my seniors. Initially, I was shy talking to them, trying to meet and know them. Slowly, I meet and bond with these people who will take the board exams. Their unknown faces have now turned into familiar and friendly faces who I can greet and share a laugh with whenever I meet them in the school hallways, coffee shops and study areas.”
Dan talks about one of the most moving moments for him in the year, when classes got cancelled because of a storm and the scheduled food express was similarly postponed.
“The core team was hesitating that day if we could continue the food express knowing that there could be strong rains. And then some board takers sent messages of concern telling us that we should not continue and just stay at home. This messages from the board takers made me realize that they were also looking out for us, that they also care for us. These are the small achievements where we slowly get to know the batch that makes being in Pugad more fulfilling.”
“We decided to push through the operations and fortunately,” Dan continues, “rains stopped that day. I was amazed about this community, that they can really go the extra mile to support and care for each other. As we end the food operations that day, the board takers also surprised us with food expressing their gratitude for the volunteers. It is these moments of sweet exchanges of care that really inspired me. Pugad Agila is indeed the gift that keeps on giving.”
At the end of it all, this undertaking is an unequivocal display of the strong spirit of community that is cultivated and is continued to be cultivated in ASMPH. This same care and nurturing attitude prepare these future physician-leaders to provide care to their future patients.
