Movie review

As I am watching the movie the scenes that struck my heart as a medical student is when Jaclyn the lead
actress is asking herself what is the reason why is she here and is becoming a doctor really meant for
her. In that moment I also asked myself could I really do it or is this meant for me. It has always been my
dream to be a medical doctor since I was a little kid. This dream to be a medical doctor did not arise out
of nowhere, but rather a situation in my life that inspires me to become one and that is when I am with
my grandmother lying next to her as she undergoes her dialysis in the hospital for twice a week. As a
medical student it demands a lot of effort and commitment in your studies. As you watch the movie you
will realize the problems of the rural community the lack of clean water, lack of job opportunities, no
sufficient electricity, and no roads that can help the people to sell their products to the town proper.
And the only one that can solve these problems is the local government unit. Health care facilities and
personnel, especially doctors, are usually urban based. They are not in rural areas. The devolution of the
health care responsibilities has also put a lot of the responsibilities in the hands of local government
units. For example, the reality on the ground validates the anticipated fears that when a mayor is
changed after the elections, there is no continuity of programs. A certain program is associated with the
previous mayor, the new mayor doesn’t want to support the old program. This happens even at the
barangay level. Health care is at the mercy of local politics. But why are filipino doctors leaving for
abroad maybe the problem is not the government, but the problem is the doctors is just too attracted to
serve in Metro Manila or abroad. PGH has batches of its former students living and serving in the United
States already. Maybe the problem is the aspirations of the doctors, not the government. After watching
the movie I realized that frankly most doctors want to leave because of inadequate compensation, long
working hours, poor working conditions, and the lure of a luxurious lifestyle abroad. The government
should provide security in conflict areas where barrio doctors are assigned and allot a budget for
medical facilities and supplies.

I don’t see anything wrong with Filipino doctors seeking greener pastures abroad due to lack of
opportunities in their own land. It’s because they want to alleviate their poor situation and the country
as a whole. For me as a medical biology student doctors will stay if their salaries and benefits are
increased. And hopefully, arrange an exchange program for exposure to the international medical
communities or government grants abroad. When I become a doctor I will persuade other doctors to
help our people who are in need and to stay here in the Philippines in the spirit of patriotism. Greater
public awareness and appreciation for doctors to the barrios and more scholarships should be granted
so we can have more doctors to help those persons that need free medical attention. Still, millions of
Filipinos who are burdened by the high cost of health care and who wait for hours for medical
consultations tend to believe there is a shortage of doctors. The country may be pouring out graduates
in medicine, but the number is not enough to meet the demands of a booming population in the
Philippines. There is also a limited number of medical specialists, making complicated treatments a
luxury for millions of Filipinos because they can’t afford these treatments.
Our government should take actions to help our future Filipino doctors here in the Philippines. Health
and education authorities can work out ways of enticing more students to pursue a career in medicine.
Incentives can be designed to reduce the financial burden of obtaining a medical degree. Labor officials
can work with the private sector to prepare employment packages for deserving graduates and even
undergraduates. As the movie ends I realized there are other doctors that really have a passion in
serving the rural community I know one and he is Dr. Jaime Galvez Tan recently he had a seminar in
DLSU-D regarding Philippine herbal plants and the important uses of it. He also mentioned that his heart
belongs to the poor his passion in serving the rural community the barrios in the Philippines those
indigenous people that need free medical attention. I realized that the thing that keeps those doctor’s in
the barrios to keep them going and serving the indigenous people is how the people in the barrio
appreciate the effort of the doctor. As a future doctor, appreciation from another human being gives
one a big sense of fulfillment. In community work, in the poorest areas of the Philippines, even if you
were there only for a short time, when you go back 10 years later, they remember you. They even have
stories about you. It is a very fulfilling experience for a doctor. As a future doctor we need to opened up
our minds and have an advocacy. Advocacy is important. We need people to have choices. We need new
ways of seeing the world.