Interview with Dr. Vanda Charisse Dejolde AUP COM Graduate 6th Placer Physicians National Board Exams

Interview with Dr. Vanda Charisse Dejolde

AUP COM Graduate 6^th Placer Physicians National Board Exams

By: Laurence T. Gayao, MD, BS-Premed 1966 (AUP Alumnus)

We congratulate the Adventist University of the Philippines College of medicine’s first batch (Prima Lux) of graduates who took the Philippine licensure Examination. On March 19, 2021, fifteen out 16 candidates passed, and one member Vanda Charisse Costillas Dejolde, ranked 6th nationwide. We praise God and thank the Prima Lux class, the faculty, and staff of the AUP College of Medicine, led by Dean Dr. Doris A. Mendoza, for this excellent performance.

 

I had the privilege to virtually interview Dr. Vanda Dejolde by sending her questions on what contributed to her ability to perform so well in the examination. This performance resulted in the world at large noticing AUP College of Medicine’s excellent program.

Life Story and Experiences

 

1. What most motivates you to do what you do? What are you most excited or passionate about? What are the goals you most want to accomplish as a physician? Not so much the goals that are expected of you, but the goals you hold, personally.

• I felt God’s love for me. I want others as well to know that God loves them and that He cares for them. And I feel like if they know Jesus, I will not worry about a thing because they have “Someone” that they can run to in times of trouble. So, I think that would be my goal as a physician. To treat my patients and bring them to the feet of Jesus Christ, which I believe is the very definition of a Physician Missionary’s work.

2. I want to understand how and why you ended up placing 6th in the Philippine National Medical Board Exams. What led you to this achievement? Where did you go to school before you came to AUP COM? What attracted you to the AUP medical school?

• I think it was all because I prayed for it. But at first, I wasn’t aiming to top the exam because I know that I am not that capable, for so many reasons. I felt incapable of getting the top 10 spots because we did not get any luck during the regional medical quiz bee. Our scores were far off from most “big” schools. So, I thought that there are many smart students out there, and I would not stand a chance of topping the board exam. Passing the board exam was all I prayed for. What made me pray to top the board exam was that, like most families, we were affected by the sudden shutdowns because of the pandemic. We experience hardships during the height of the pandemic, and I sort of put the blame on myself because I decided to pursue my medical studies here at Adventist University of the Philippines- College of Medicine. (A little back story: We lived in Butuan City for almost 16 years, more or less. And my whole family migrated to Silang, Cavite, just so I can go to an Adventist medical school.) I said to God that I wanted to top the board for 3 main reasons: 1.) I wanted to glorify You, Lord 2.) For AUP-COM 3.) For my family as a gift from God. I prayed, and I prayed, and I kept this prayer in my heart. I did not tell anyone. Honestly, I did not know why God answered my prayer. Because I believe there are far more faithful people than me and more prayerful than me. But I guess I would never understand His plan and purpose. All I think of is to do His will and to do what AUP-COM taught us to do.
• I’ve been to a non-Adventist school most of my school life. The reason is, I just go to schools nearer to where I live because I get sick a lot. Most Adventist schools from where I live need a 2-hour drive to reach an Adventist High School and probably a 6 to 10-hour drive to reach an Adventist College.
• I was attracted to go to AUP-COM because:

1. No Saturday classes. From what I’ve heard, Most Non-Adventist Med Schools held classes and exams on Saturday.
2. If my primary reason to be a doctor is to minister, why not go to a school that prepares me to be one. 
3. Now, if we can, I’d like to go way back for a little while. Where did you grow up? What was it like to grow up in Butuan City? Where did you go to college, and what was that like?

• I grew up in Butuan City.
• If I describe what it was like growing up in Butuan, it would be like a provincial life. It was peaceful, quiet, and not that busy. I felt contented with whatever I had. It was simple and happy.

  

• I went to a non-Adventist school in my College Years. I was, for the first time, exposed to their practices. Not that I followed them. You just sometimes have to respect their traditions. Say for example, they have prayers at 3,6,12, when the bell sounded to signal the hourly prayer, you have to stop walking. I could not join the choir because they sang their traditional songs. I cannot freely discuss my beliefs. They respected my beliefs as I have respected theirs. If they have meetings or events on Saturday, they know that I couldn’t come. Still, I would consider it as an experience I might use in my future ministry. Because then, I would know how to handle those groups of people.

 

4. Did you have any key mentors or people who profoundly influenced who you are, what you believe in, and what you’re committed to in your work and life? Tell me about them.

   

• I’m a very “exclusive-type” of person. Very introvert. So, few people influenced me, and they are my family and church mates. But a big chunk of influence really came from my family.
• Both my parents are not born Adventist. They were converted to Adventism before we were born. My father, Demosthenes, is an OFW (Overseas Foreign Worker), and my mother, Emalinda, is a housewife. My mother was the One who taught us about Adventism since she’s always with us. At a very young age, we were introduced to have morning and evening worship…taught us to pray before meals…taught us to do tithing etc.

 

Reflections and Lessons:

1. What are the lessons you could give for someone who wants to study medicine or those in medical school?

• Medical School is tough. Your character will be tested time and again. You will meet different people and different challenges in medical school. I assume they already know what those challenges are because they might have asked someone about it or already experienced it. I just want them to know that if they really want this if they are passionate about being in this line of work, they should prepare themselves to overcome Medical School’s hurdles.
• That is if they have a goal. And when I say prepare, I mean, they have to intentionally prepare their mind and heart to study hard, their lessons. Prepare for people who will put them down. The goal you have in mind, the passion for this line of work, will be a light at the end of the tunnel. It gives you hope to walk through that dark tunnel. Last but definitely not least, pray. Pray so that God will walk with you through that dark tunnel.

2. If you could go to medical school over again, would you do anything differently? If so, why, and what would you do?

• I would have focused more on reading our major textbooks. Although, I really don’t have enough time to read them at all during med school. Furthermore, I’m not a fast reader. I’d like to do that because we will never know when that specific information will be helpful.

3. What did you learn from your fellow medical students?

• My classmates, specifically, also played a huge part in shaping my character. Basically, I tried to observe how they build rapport with other people, how they lead, and how they adapt to certain situations. In general, they are a good influence on me.

4. What do you think you taught them?

• I think it’s the way I study. How focused I am when I study. It’s not that I taught them this, but they say it’s more like they are influenced.

5. Do you view your contributions as successful? In what ways? What specifically was accomplished?

• Speaking of topping the board exam as my contribution to the school, I think it was a success because it serves as an “advertisement” of the school to bring in more enrollees.

6. Do any metaphors come to mind to describe the kind of work as a student? (If needed, give examples like “focused,” “dedicate,” etc.)

• I think a student should be flowing water. Like flowing water that cascades down from the mountain and nourishes every land it reaches, so do students. Students should not pass through this life without touching the lives of others they meet. Also, like flowing water, students should learn to adapt to the ever-changing landscape of education. Like flowing water, they should focus on what they want to achieve and not hinder them from achieving their goal. Flowing water is not bound by the obstacle that is ahead of them. I believe this is what a student should become.

7. What were the skills you had to possess to help you achieve what you did? Where and how did you learn those skills?

• To help me achieve my goal in academics in general are: 1.) I was able to prioritize my studies 2.) Allocate a specific amount of time for a subject 3.) Defining my goals for that day

8. What does your achievement tell us about AUP COM education? What exactly is AUP COM education to you? Who taught you what AUP COM education means and how to do it? What did you learn from them? How did they teach you?

• I think AUP-COM can produce doctors who cannot just diagnose and treat patients but doctors with faith in the One who truly heals the soul and body of a person.
• For me, AUP-COM education means reflecting the character of the One and only Master Physician.
• Our Dean, Doc Doris, taught us what AUP-COM education means. In a nutshell, she told us that every soul/heart is a mission field and that you need not go far-flung places to become a physician missionary. Well, I guess if you are called to that kind of field, why not. But I think what she meant is that there could be different mission fields. If your goal is to minister, no matter where you are or who you are treating, he or she could be your mission field.

9. When you think of the AUP COM’s future, what gives you a sense of hope? Is there anything that makes you concerned or worried? Anything that we could improve on.

• Since it is established by God, I know the future of AUP-COM is secured.

10. What’s next for you in your profession? What are you looking forward to? 

• I wanted to go into residency soon. But for now, I might go on moonlighting and help AUP-COM.

Thank you, Dr. Vanda Charisse Costillas Dejolde, for your candid and insightful answers. We wish you well as you progress in your career as a physician. We are also delighted to know that AUP College of Medicine is living up to its College Motto: “Through Christ, Healing, and Wholeness.” That encapsulates the school’s purpose: to produce 5-Star Plus physician- missionaries who adhere to God’s biblical principles of health and wellness.