Navigating your chosen path

A daughter's journey as she follows in her mother's footsteps in medicine

- By AAQILAH MANGARUN, 21 Senior biology student Mindanao State University - Iligan Institute of Technology

Many of my earliest memories were spent in a hospital.

That would be the most terrifying thing to hear for most people. But see, my mother happened to be a doctor. For the first few years of my existence on this earth, I was the unfortunate victim of the “bring your kid to work” phenomenon. Since I only had school half the day and my father would still be at work by then, I had no one else to take care of me but my mother, who worked as a doctor. I don’t remember much, only that it must have been dull for a toddler.

Back when my mom had to take long shifts in the hospital, she would bring me with her after school hours. She’d have me stay in one of those on-call rooms where the doctors stayed during breaks. I remember it having a wooden bunk bed and a table and chair, while the living area outside had a larger table with a handful of chairs, a refrigerator, and a boxy TV from the early 2000s.

When she wasn’t around, I’d be passed around by doctors and nurses, my babysitters for the day. Perhaps they were bored themselves, and the odd child in their midst seemed like a good idea for entertainment while they waited for the next patient to come in. I was a joyful kid in a place that often brought no joy to people, enjoying the company and attention of hospital staff.