Proud to be Phi

Written by Administrator

Sister Keeper of the Scrolls (SKOTS) Segment
Academic Year 2011-2012

Congratulations to the following alumnae:

Nelia Tan-Liu, Phi 1971, Class 1975
Awarded Most Outstanding Teacher in Oncology by the Philippine Oncology Society

Kathleen Makrina Fellizar-Lopez, Phi 2000B, Class 2005

Top 2 in the ORL Diplomate Exam

 

Karen Angela Tiuseco, Phi 2002B, Class 2007

Incoming Chief Resident of the PGH Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences (2011-2012)

 

Ira Dominique Alatraca, Phi 2004, Class 2009

2^nd Place in the Philippine Obstetrics and Gynecology Society Interesting Case

 

Maria Lora Garcia-Tansengco, Phi 1987, Class 1992

Completed the Berlin Marathon (2011)

Karel Ann Alipasa Espejo, Phi 2003B, Class 2008
Incoming Chief Resident of the Department of Anesthesiology (2011-2012)

Hanna Lucero, Phi 2003B, Class 2008
Incoming Chief Resident of the Department of Internal Medicine - Section of Dermatology (2011-2012)
1st Place, Philippine Dermatological Society Annual Residents Research Forum (Poster category)

Nicola Valbuena, Phi 2005, Class 2009
2nd Place, Philippine Dermatological Society Annual Residents Research Forum (Poster category)

 

Congratulations to the following resident sisses (LU III - LU VII):

Orlyn Lavilla, Phi 2007, Class 2012
Top 1 Pediatrics and Top 10 Internal Medicine Clerk

Regina Morabe, Phi 2007, Class 2012
Top 3 Family Medicine Clerk

Jo-Anne Lucero, Phi 2007, Class 2012
Top 10 Pediatrics Clerk

 

Everly Ramos, Phi 2010, Class 2014
College Scholar, 2nd Sem, AY 2010-2011 (LU IV)
3rd Place, Gawad Serbisyong Panrehiyon Student Award for Best Summer Immersion

Abigail Roxas, Phi 2009, Class 2013
1st and 2nd Place, Mukha ng Bakasyon Photo Contest (Places Category) by RSO

Top 20% of Class 2013 (LU III-V):

1. Sheryl Lopez, Phi 2008

Top 30% of Class 2013 (LU III-V):

1. Serines Decano, Phi 2008

2. Marisse Nepomuceno, Phi 2008

3. Tracy Paulino, Phi 2009

4. Abigail Roxas, Phi 2009

We are so proud of you!

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Cum laude and Class Valedictorian, UP College of Medicine Class 2005.

Top 2 in the Philippine Medical Licensure Examinations, August 2005.

President, UP MedRhythmics, (2003-2005).

Chief Resident, Department of Medicine, Philippine General Hospital, 2010.

PCP Exemplar Awardee in Training, Most Outstanding Resident in Internal Medicine (MORIM), 2010

1^st year Fellow, Section of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, Philippine General Hospital.

When you first meet Dr. Geraldine “Ging” Tong Zamora-Racaza, it’s hard not to be in awe of her. Often, she is preceded by her long list of credentials—class valedictorian, board topnotcher, IM chief resident, just to name a few. Not to mention that she’s tall and slim and looks like she could be a model, which in fact, she is. But this rheumatology fellow-in-training is not only an achiever academically, she also manages to be excellent in all the other aspects of her life.

Even before entering medical school, Ging has exhibited diligence in her studies. She graduated magna cum laude and class valedictorian from the University of Santo Tomas with a degree in BS Physical Therapy in 2000, and placed second in the Philippine PT Board Exams that year, while she was a first year medical student. She continued to shine throughout med school, bagging the Gregorio T. Alvior, Jr. Award for Class Topnotcher all five years. When she graduated cum laude from the UPCM in 2005, she sweeped the awards as class valedictorian, Most Outstanding Intern, and Most Outstanding Medical Graduate, receiving the Augusto Camara Award. Ging also placed second in the Philippine Medical Licensure Exam in August of 2005.

Ging went on to pursue residency at the Department of Medicine of the Philippine General Hospital where she was consistently the Most Outstanding Resident in her three years of training. She was eventually chosen to be the Chief Resident in 2010, the same year when she was awarded as the Most Outstanding Resident in Internal Medicine (MORIM) by the Philippine College of Physicians. She is currently in her first year of fellowship at the Section of Rheumatology in the PGH Department of Medicine.

With all her achievements, it’s hard to imagine that Ging has time to do anything else. Quite the contrary. She dabbled in ramp modelling during med school. She is passionate about dance and was instrumental in having the UP MedRhythmics recognized as the official UPCM dance troupe. She has a soft spot for struggling patients and helped organize a benefit concert with the UP MedChoir and UP MedSine for patients at the PGH Cancer Institute. As an IM resident she was involved in the Sagip Buhay Medical Foundation, a private organization with the medical patients of PGH as beneficiaries. She was invited to be a board member early this year.

Even the consultants of the Department of Medicine speak highly of Ging’s achievements and character. She is described as someone who “embodies intellectual competency and exhibits deep compassion for others”. Another consultant states, “Dr. Racaza has constantly shown that she can handle the demands of a rigorous training schedule, juggling not only patient care and student teaching rounds, but also administrative tasks, research, and family life. Dr. Racaza has the conscientiousness, humility, and charm that captivates her patients, colleagues and rest of the hospital staff.”

However, being a doctor is just her day job. Ging is, first and foremost, a wife and mother. She got married right after taking the medical board exams and took a year off to travel with her husband. She became pregnant in her second year of residency and now has a daughter, Nala Gabrielle. “Priorities in life change when you have a child,” says Ging. “My world now revolves around her.” Ging makes it a point to spend quality time with her family, despite her demanding schedule. In the mornings, she plays with Nala before leaving for work. She comes home at around 6:30 PM, has dinner with her family, gives Nala a bath and then plays with her before they go to sleep together. When she’s not on call, Ging usually keeps her weekends free to relax with her family.

Ging is so many things—a doctor, a dancer, a wife, and a mother. Apart from all of these, Ging is also a proud Phi. She joined the sorority in her first year, as part of batch 2000B, “SisBombs”, which she said was the best decision in her med life. “It gave me the opportunity to develop lasting friendship with many wonderful people, who I will not have much chance of interacting with in the first place if I weren’t Phi.” Ging recalls her most memorable experience in Phi to be the high that came after dancing with her sisses in the annual Tao Rin Pala variety show.

Ging is thankful to the many sisses who were always willing to lend a hand during tough med school days. She says that Phi allowed her to develop her multitasking and concentration skills. She says, “I think being in charge of the Phi TRP dance and working with around sixty ladies at any one time helped me become a better leader.” Indeed, Ging has shown her prowess in organizing events, especially those that benefit indigent patients. She was instrumental in organizing the tie-up between the Sagip Buhay Medical Foundation and the Phi Lambda Delta Sorority that produced the Rx: Work of Heart Fundraising Fashion Show in 2009 and 2010.

Ging is definitely a rising star in the medical field. She hopes to one day become a consultant and faculty member of the UPCM. Even though Ging has graduated from medical school, she still manages to be active in Phi events. She still incorporates the sorority’s core values of Excellence, Leadership, Service, and Sisterhood into her daily routine. She is very much proud to be Phi because of the sorority’s many compassionate and selfless projects that aim to benefit the UPCM student body and the society.