Cebuano topnotcher credits divine aid, parents for success

Andrew Chua Tiu said his faith in divine guidance helped him top this year’s Physician Licensure Examination.

The 27-year-old Cebuano topnotcher told reporters that he is a devotee of the Mother of Perpetual Help.

He said he visited churches in Cebu before taking the board exam and took “a big leap of faith.”

Tiu graduated magna cum laude at the Cebu Institute of Medicine (CIM) last year. He said he aimed to score a 95 percent general average in the exams.

Preparations

The exam results released by the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) showed that Tiu placed first with a 90.67 percent average.

One of  his professors called him about the results before he went on line to check the PRC website.

He said he did a  self-review as encouraged by his school’s problem-based learning (PBL) system.

READ: Cebu grad tops physicians exam

Tiu then relaxed by eating out, running, swimming and exercising.

“Everything will go back to basics,” he said when asked for advice for board exam takers.

Tiu ranked 8th during the Nursing Licensure Examination in 2009 with an 85 percent general average.

Inspiration

He graduated magna cum laude in nursing at Velez College.

He once considered studying music, since he plays the piano, but ended up following  the advice of his parents to take up nursing and then proceed to medicine.

Tiu said his late father was one of his inspirations to finish a degree in medicine.

Born and raised in Wireless, Mandaue City, Tiu is the youngest of three siblings.

Successful

He spent his elementary years at the former Sacred Heart School and graduated as the valedictorian.

Tiu also became the salutatorian during high school at the same institution.

Asked about his  plans after passing the board, he said he won’t go abroad  and prefers to stay and help Filipinos in his home country.

All 127 examinees of CIM passed the licensure examination.

CIM had been producing topnotchers and successful examinees for the past eight to nine years, CIM dean Dr. Thelma La Rosa-Fernandez said.

A Thanksgiving Mass was held at  CIM’s chapel yesterday morning attended by Tiu and other successful examinees.

Best faculty

“We  are highly selective and do choose students who can match  CIM’s culture,” she told reporters.

At least 500 applicants try to get slots every year at CIM and nearly 200 are accepted for enrollment.

“Part of the application  process is a  full interview. They are also encouraged to study by themselves as part of the PBL system,” Dr. Fernandez said.

Asked if the school would give Tiu a reward for placing first in the board examination, she answered, “We are not brought up to be materialistic. We produce physicians with heart.”

Dr. Fernandez said they are also open to have  Tiu and other passers join the  faculty of CIM.

“Our faculty members here are CIM graduates. They are young and dynamic. We have the best faculty here,” she said.