Raymund Martin Sia Li said he had to practice self-discipline in studying for the physician licensure exam, which he ended up topping.
While he prayed that he and his classmates in the Cebu Institute of Medicine (CIM) would pass, there was no substitute for hard work and good study habits.
“On a daily basis, I would set a goal and try to stick to it so that as much as possible I would cover what I needed to finish in a day,”he told Cebu Daily News the day after the results were released Thursday night.
Li is the fourth of six children and the second doctor in their family. His elder brother was the first to take the physician’s oath.
Li said he prayed for his entire batch at the Cebu Institute of Medicine (CIM) to pass the grueling exam.
“My hope was for all of us in the batch to pass more than having me top the board,” he said.
He got his wish. All 103 graduates of CIM who took the board exam passed.
Li tied for the No. 1 rank with Eric Royd Fanco of the University of Sto. Tomas with a rating of 89.58 percent.
Debbie Rose Uy Tanengsy, the other CIM graduate who landed in the top 10, said she immediately went to The Monastery of the Holy Eucharist in barangay Simala in Sibonga town to give thanks to the Blessed Virgin for answering her prayers.
Uy, who got a rating of 89.17 percent, placed 5th overall.
“Having the brain is just 50 percent and the other 50 percent is from hardwork and diligence. Never give up and keep persevering,” Tanengsy said.
According to the Professional Regulation Commission, CIM topped the licensure exam with a 100 percent passing percentage.
UST followed at 2nd with a rating of 98.92 percent of which 460 out of 465 passed the exam.
University of the Philippines-Manila ranked third with a percentage of 98.69 percent of which 151 of 153 of its candidates making the cut.
Cebu Doctors University College of Medicine is the only other Cebu-based institution to make it in the top performing list.
It’s 93.55 percent rating of which 58 of 62 examinees passed pushed Cebu Doc to the 8th spot.
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