Pharmacology Starter Pack


This write-up is especially dedicated to all pharmacy students who have not yet taken and about to take the subject Pharmacology.

Even when I was just on my first year of BS Pharm, it was already a fact to me that this subject will play a large contribution to my knowledge about this profession. Pharmacology is the so-called Heart of Pharmacy, and along with that title, it is usually a big burden to the life of a pharmacy student. In our college, there are students who take this subject for the second, third or even fourth time. Hence, it is one of the reasons of the student’s delay in college. It brought me so much fear that if I’m not doing really well in the first few years, how will I manage to survive the junior and senior year? I also heard for the nth time that students with pre-med courses such as BS MedTech and BS Nursing have a lot of difficult time learning it and they were asking, ”How do you study that subject?”. We answer them by class and they are divided into 2 subjects: Pharmacology 1 covers the introduction, autonomics and CNS drugs while Pharmacology 2 is about Cardio drugs, Endocrine and drugs for Chemotherapy. However, the real question here is that, “Why the hell is this subject a pain in ones’ butt?”

Pharmacology is the study of drugs, their mechanism of action, classifications, side effects, and also the diseases that these drugs treat. How the body responds to the drug is already handled by its branch subject, Pharmacokinetics. Having said that, maybe some would think that the reason why it is hard is because it’s very bulky and the names are hard to memorize. But what if I tell you that it’s not the precise answer?

With respect to what I observed for the longest time, the answer is because most students are not ready. They may have passed all of its pre-requisite subjects but believe me, it is not enough, not even close to say that someone is really equipped to surpass Pharmacology that easy. Well then, what did I do to make it less difficult?

Let me tell you now my story. It was summer after second year when I had a vacation to our province. Having introduced to my parent’s friend, I was asked 3 drug questions: What is the treatment for diabetes? For asthma? For hangover? I can barely say a word. I had idea, but never conveyed it to him. That was then that I realized, knowledge is useless if it is not applied. The next morning, I started reading MIMS. Did I memorized it? No, of course not! That’s absurd. According to a 58-year old hospital pharmacist that I know, it is impossible to memorize all the drugs because they’re just too many. So what I did was I familiarized myself to the drug classes, wrote a list of them on a small paper especially the most important ones, paid attention to how they are presented, and remember the diseases they treat and are contraindicated to. Did it took me one whole day? NO! That’s why let me state in the level of St. Damian, learning Pharmacology does not happen in one sitting or two, it is a long process before you fully grasp it. Am I way smart now? Definitely not. That was just the start. I found an old The Merck Manual of Medical Information at our house and made it my best friend on free times of weekends. I owe around 25% of my medical knowledge to it.

Now, what good did it brought me when I actually started taking the subject? The moment a professor mentions a drug, a process, a drug interaction or distinctive side effect, it rings a bell to me. When she asks a question, I have an idea. When I have to absorb the bulky informations while the professor is teaching or simply when I study, my mind is like a stomach digesting a food normally. And for the best part, the moment I am remembering their names, be it while studying or taking the test, it’s like I’m recalling the lyrics to my all-time favorite song! I’m not kidding you guys. Drug names for me are like binary to an IT specialist. But it doesn’t usually work as easy as that. Most of the time, I read the lessons ahead of time. It usually takes me around 2-3 readings before I take a quiz or exam. It won’t only save you for a possible surprised oral recitation or pop-up quiz, but also, it will definitely lessen the burden if you already have other subjects to study and final exams are coming.

During our review for the board exams, it was understood that Pharmacology is not always the hardest and it is 15% (not having the highest percentage). I do not want to brag much for this subject but according to my friend, Pharmacology is everywhere, which is true and it always happens. Back on college, they said that in order to understand Pharmacology, you must understand Anatomy and Physiology. Now if you don’t understand Pharmacology, we have a real problem. It’s like a key or a backbone that if you don’t familiarize yourself with it, you might find yourself groping in the dark. It’s like a soldier with no gun for the war.

One day, you will look back to the late afternoons you spent in the school library to study real hard or the sleepless nights with your friends at the rooftop and chuckle, because, you may have stumbled but you have survived.

There are few pharmacy students who loves Pharmacology, will you be one of them? #

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Where Only Few Survive


First thought of being a pharmacy student: Do I have the sound reason to study all these drug-related matters? The next thing probably: Is it an enough reason to continue a life dealing with it?

These questions are basically the little unresolved problems that pave the wrong way to success when it comes to student’s college education. All these happen because of false principles that students put in their sleeves.

Different reasons why we prefer to go to pharmacy school arise from different types of people. The most common of them might say they’re here to finish their studies and eventually make a living. For dreamers, they want to be medical doctors for it runs in their family. Whereas for happy-go-lucky teens, this is a cool course. But for the upcoming college boys and girls whose minds are set into chaos, the most mentioned reason is that, it’s their parent’s choice, and not theirs.

It is somehow disgusting to assess the truth that a lot of students, whether forced or not, desire to become aspiring pharmacists because it is the profession their parents would like them to be. If it’s about obeying elders because they know more, it’s good. However, if this bunch of indecisive sons and daughters hate this course, love Mass Communication, and are not willing to change their minds and study a bulk of chemistry subjects, then something really needs to be figured out.

Choosing a college vocation is never easy. If you don’t know where to go, or even not standing for what you’re up to, it’s like taking all the sorts of exams: be it entrance, qualifying, comprehensive and licensure exams without any review. If you are not open-minded, ready and wise, you will fall for anything. One must keep in mind that once we make a decision, chances are, we might gain, risk and the sad part, loose something. Thus, taking a step towards college education is something that needs to be figured out, circumstances to be considered about, and people to ask about.

For instance, you are supposed to follow the footsteps of family members. Luckily, you are looking forward to be like them, doctors or drugstore owners. Economically saying, you have the abundant source and breed. Don’t waste that opportunity that not everyone has. Be productive, diligent, and learn to use your advantage unto you, not over others. Money and luck can guarantee you to be sent to school, but not into a beautiful future.

This is Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy, where only few survive. Right from the very start, we fight for the future of becoming professionals. One of the general principles in life is, work hard to achieve your end. Even if you take up other courses, it wouldn’t guarantee you of graduating and enjoying life without possessing hardship. It’s the other way around. There’s just one constant habit that fights the fear of failing and supplement us the courage for survival- STUDYING HARD.#

This was a column I submitted for publication.
 And hopefully I would see it in the next few months.

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Hugo (Movie)



           This movie is more favorable for kids they say. But upon watching, it gave me a somewhat different taste of movies that I've been seeing in my whole life. It kinda reminded me that kids are clever. And since we were ones kids, then we were ones clever. It taught me that the little things kids do are going to be more meaningful than adult's, in the end. And now, something on my sleeve says, Albert Einstein was right.. ''IMAGINATION IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN KNOWLEDGE.''

          To those who have seen this movie, I know it left them with something, and to those who haven't yet, you'll find something.

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Remember The Sentiment




                                                                                                                                        March 16, 2013
Dear Mrs. Wordsworth,    
        Reviewing my Organic Chemistry notes is the noblest thing I’m doing today as far as priority is concerned. ‘’Noblest’’ because I’m still trying to survive despite of hardship. And I used to describe that hardship as a term which can’t be found in anyone’s vocabulary. Well, if there is any term which describes a condition more than hell, then that’s the most suitable word for it.
            I know I have these lots of things to work on at the back of my mind, but I’m trying real hard to find a portion of my time to make them, including this actually. I stopped for a while and wrote this letter to you. My problems keep o hunting me and I really want to believe this could be my greatest salvation in escaping from the world I keep on trying to fit in, not just to be noticed and heard, but most importantly, to be understood. This is my way of saying thank you as well for agreeing to my message that said, "I guess you will never make others understand you completely unless you're wearing the same shoes." I wish I could tell you the whole thing so I could have somebody to talk with but.. You've got other little problems. I won't let you feel my chains, just as how you know me. I just miss your pieces of advise.
         I’m still breathing so life must go on. I want you to know that I’m glad about finding myself in the middle of my study. It’s sinking under my skin, day by day. Though my inner self is engaged with writing, I realized I should really give it a try, just as how my girlfriend does to me. After all, we must look up to fairness and equality. Who am I not to do the same?
           So here I am, brainstorming and feeding my innocent mind of all the reactions, its mechanisms and catalysts used. If I fail to have them all locked up in my brain, forgive me. I know that it won’t save me from failing the exam, but I’m bleeding for this because this is now my dream. And I have reasons to be happy with it.
           PS. Thank you for taking this picture. Thank you like a hundred times.

                                                                                                                                         Love always,
                                                                                                                                         Bum

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The Scars of Pain



Verse 1:

Enough with the brittle hearts
We’ve been broken long time ago
Change has finally found us
With a courage to show

Verse 2:

That it made no sense of living
The life we never wanted
So save what’s scattered and left
By the people who left us broken hearted

Refrain 1:

Even revenge’s here they can’t take it back
All the lost years that gave us the shot
We’ve died each time for all their blows
So we seek to ourselves the freedom to go

Chorus:

This time we’ll pull down those blindfolds
I promise we won’t be ignore, anymore
Stand up and dry these last tears
Right now, right here.

Throw away the miserable life of holding on
All the bruises, grudges and everything it brings on
We've had enough of pain, we'll be okay
but the scars won't fade away


Verse 3:

Now our souls are fire that burns
One day you’ll come and tell, I’m Sorry’’
We’re sorry but no “I Forgive You” in return
You’ve taught us to be strong and now we’ve learned


Refrain 2:

Even love’s still here they can’t take it back
All the wasted years that gave us the shot
We’ve fallen each time they gave us the blows
So we seek to ourselves the freedom to go

Repeat Chorus
Bridge:

No matter how we try, It wouldn’t be as easy
Time heal  wounds but won’t erase memories
But one thing we’re sure, we’re out of your hearts
We won’t forget you like a deep remarkable scar

Pre-Chorus:
So I we’ll just see you around day by day
Cause we’re moving on, not moving away
Take your heart whatever you do
We’re tired to death of loosing you

Outro:

Enough with the weakest hearts
We could’ve done this so long ago
The sun will shine, the rain will just stop
The dream will end, we will wake up.



This was the song I made a year ago based on the burning feeling that the three of us {friends} got all of the sudden. They just texted me and I was really surprised about them, being over to something they've been holding on for years. And it happened almost exactly the same way as I did. That is not a sort of a fluke, because maybe and just maybe, fate brought us together. We are destined to meet each other. 
And this, is the magic of our friendship.

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The Country's Biggest Change


               Tam is 3 years ahead of me. I knew him as a talented and smart kid before. He used to beat me up by assembling robots out of lego. His mom is my godmother while his dad is a stranger to us. We grew up separately but I hear stories about him. In order to send him to school continuously and provide him a wealthy life, his mother went to Saudi Arabia to work. During the times he felt unloved, Tam would escape from his grandmother’s guidance and befriends with all the sorts of peers all day and night. He had a myriad of problems that put him into trouble and in guidance office. Today, he is known as a big-trouble-maker of town.

               The article gave me a bothering impression of how the intangible yet very valuable thing about the Philippines looks now. It reminded me this concrete example I cited above, which I have witnessed for about one and a half decade. The point of story is classic to many Filipino families out there, whose parents are brave enough to let their children grow with their absence for many times in their lives, at their own risk.

               The biggest change in the country covers a wide variety of factors contributing in it. And now I know that the biggest change is not only the role of the women, dirty politics, bad models that kids do look up to, influence of media, complexity of technology, the growing number of Overseas Filipino Workers, but most significantly, the family, being the smallest unit and mirror of society, and the main victim of the detrimental effects brought about by these changes. Let’s break them one by one.

                The role of the women hasn’t drastically changed and I don’t see the bad side overtaking the good ones unpleasantly. So what if the family’s breadwinner is the wife? So what if the “househusband” stays at home taking care of the children and doesn’t act superior because he is not the one earning the money for living? It’s not crime or immoral, rather, informal and improper. The only discrepancy as far as I can see is that, a man’s pride is crushing down. Isn’t it? But if only we start an inquisition painstakingly, we could arrive at a point and say: Perhaps, it’s not wrong. If I disregard my master status and swallow down the pride, this could be fine. After all, we just want the betterment of everyone. What is important here is that somebody is taking good care of the family.
      
          Economically speaking, once fidelity is damaged, clients loose their trust and seek other company that suites their needs better. The same in politics, because we elect a politician and eventually fail to meet our expectation, they loose our support. We feel unhappy, uncontented, unsafe and anxious about the performance of the government. By that, we just focus our lives to family and God. In a country where the catalyst of progress and the steward of the constitution are unreliable, it is way too better to trust on the people you surely count on, or much better, oneself.
      
          Violence, absence of control in media, complexity of technology and even lying tackled in the article all direct to the consequential effects the young men and women might be suffering if they’re not brought up very well. If a child experienced abuse or all the other form of violence, he has the tendency to do the same when he grows up. If they’ve seen old people who lie and are not taught that such action is bad, they would adopt it. If they’re raised in a troublesome environment where people drink alcohol, smoke cigarettes, gamble all day and night, and utter bad words as their habit, there is a strong possibility that these kids will imitate them as if those are not malpractices. When it comes to media and technology, the mechanism flows still the same. Whatever they see, they think it is applicable in the real world. Truly, the influence is unstoppable without the presence of adults who must direct these innocent individuals in turning into responsible citizens.
     
           The writer pointed out that children become “seasonal orphans” each time their parents migrate. Generally, these parents work in foreign countries because opportunities in getting high-paying jobs there are more attainable. She pointed out more that the family being left is much weakened when the mother is away. This idea is undeniably true in many cases. The family’s situation is really at worse the fact that the main source of love they receive from mother’s cooked breakfast, ironed clothes and reminders to bring our sandwiches to school, is not present. It is easier for an eldest son to act as the father than for an eldest sister to act as the mother. The OFW Phenomenon is no longer new, but it get’s severe.
     
           Let’s face it. The OFW families change the structure of the ideal family consisting of father, mother and the children. Some children are more attached to their aunt, father, or even to their nannies. In spite of the alterations and all the other contributing factors, these workers outside the country are considered as heroes for upholding the economy by their remittances. How about the parent’s main responsibility to provide the family a good life? the values that will be lost? It takes a village to raise a child, they say. And as the line goes in the writer’s book, 
”Many Filipinos are faced with a cruel choice: Raise your kids in grinding poverty or offer them a bright future by leaving them for a job abroad.” 
 My question now is, is the wealth we provide for our own family worth the days we failed to spend time in raising them? Think of it!



This was a portion of the exam where we were asked to write our thoughts about the given article.
Click to read the article
 

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A Wave that Climbs and Creeps []Sequel[]


I am living a lonely life in a chaotic city called Manila. It's been half a year that I have been suffering from something I have failed to do, to fight for. I'm in my seventeenth year of exploring the ocean I consider life, big and wild. I'm in the mid part of something I just can't still figure out completely.

 

I used to modify myself as a wave that climbs up as if I will make it, and creeps down like I have nothing else to lose. This mask I personally made portrays how I judge my life. And I’m wearing this not to hide as how masks are really for, but to effortlessly introduce myself to the world. 

 

The liquefied prints right under my eyes show the tears I cried almost all alone. Wounded and bruised, I still keep a faith and go through the hardship so I could survive. I recycle these tears into bits of inspiration, instead of propagating the idea of turning into a harsh person. The black portions are the destructive perspectives on how I see life and the wrong things about it. Then the thick, reddish, and intense eyebrows signify things that I carry on my sleeve- my potentialities and all the other things I can do despite my downfalls. But amidst all these, the wave reigns into my entity. Like a wave that behaves the “hardcore“ way, I am an aspiring dreamer that continues to struggle, climbing up then creeping down in a deep wide ocean.

 

But I found something in the middle of the things I got and lost. It is losing the chance but not the lesson. I have learned that having no mistake will not make you try again. For failure doesn't mean you have to give up, it is made to make you stronger the next time you face life's uncertainties.

 

then the professor gave this an impression: "Very poetic."
And I was like: "(Thank you sir.)" 
#

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