Tila tinalo pa ng Department of Science and Technology - Science Education Institute (DOST-SEI) scholar na si Queenie Roda Futalan ang genius na si Linda Walker mula sa viral Chinese micro-drama series na “The Heiress Who Won With With Brains” matapos siyang makakuha ng 800/800 na score sa kamakailang National Medical Admission Test (NMAT).
Batay sa pagbati ng kaniyang alma mater na Negros Oriental State University (NORSU), si Queenie ay nakapagtapos bilang magna cum laude sa kanilang batch, at bukod sa pagiging scholar, siya rin ay naging aktibo sa iba’t ibang academic at extracurricular activities.
Bagama’t first-time taker, perfect score ang nakuha ni Queenie sa NMAT, dahil dito, nakaranggo siya bilang 99th Percentile Rank sa iba pang kumuha ng exam.
MAKI-BALITA: DOST scholar, naka-score ng 800 over 800 sa NMAT!
Sa eksklusibong panayam ng Balita kay Queenie, ibinahagi niyang tatlong buwan niyang pinaghandaan ang NMAT, mula Pebrero hanggang Abril, habang kinokompleto niya ang kaniyang pharmacy internship.
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Dahil mayroon na raw siyang matibay na pundasyon sa mga paksang matematika at agham, itinuon niya raw ang kaniyang review sa subtests na hindi niya masyadong gamay.
“I started preparing for the NMAT three months before the exam (from February to April) while completing my pharmacy internship. Since I already had a strong foundation in mathematics and the sciences, I focused more on the subtests that were not my forte,” saad ni Queenie.
Aniya pa, dahil sa oras na kaniyang ginugol sa internship, hindi siya nagkaroon ng istriktong study schedule.
“I was unable to follow a strict study schedule because of the demands of my internship. From February to March, I completed my manufacturing pharmacy internship in Negros Occidental, working from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. each day. From March to April, I completed my hospital pharmacy internship, where we rotated through three different shifts every week: 7:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., 3:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m., and 11:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m,” kuwento ni Queenie.
Kaya nang tanungin hinggil sa pinakamahirap na parte ng kaniyang preparasyon sa NMAT, ikinuwento ni Queenie na ito ay ang paghahanap ng oras upang mag-aral kasabay ng kaniyang internships at pharmacy-related exams.
“The hardest part was finding time to study for the NMAT amidst internships and pharmacy-related exams. I tend to study most effectively during the daytime, but since that time was fully occupied by internships, I was left with limited hours in the evening to review. However, studying at night was not as efficient for me because I was already worn out after a full day of internship duties,” kuwento ni Queenie.
Dahil din dito, hindi palaging nasasagutan ni Queenie ang kaniyang practice tests, gayunman, naging prayoridad niya ang consistency kaysa pag-aaral sa mahahabang oras, upang matiyak na makakapag-review pa rin paunti-unti kada araw sa kabila ng mabigat niyang academic workload.
“I have always felt uneasy when I am not learning something new, as I believe that unearned rest equates to stagnation. To me, it feels like decay disguised as recovery. Because of my schedule, I was not able to answer practice tests regularly, which would have been ideal. However, I prioritized consistency over long study hours and made sure to review a little each day despite the demanding academic workload,” dagdag pa ni Queenie.
Sa kabila ng mga pagpapagal, ibinahagi ni Queenie na naging motibasyon niyang maging doktor nang hindi dumadagdag sa gastusin ng kaniyang mga magulang.
Aniya pa, ang NMAT hindi lamang admission requirement, ngunit isang oportunidad upang mapataas ang tiyansa ng pagkuha niya ng iba pang scholarship grants.
“My primary motivation for studying rigorously was my dream of becoming a doctor without placing additional financial burden on my parents. I saw the NMAT not just as an admission requirement, but as an opportunity to increase my chances of obtaining scholarship grants,” saad ni Queenie.
PAGKUHA NG NMAT RESULTS
Ikinuwento ni Queenie na sinilip niya ang Center for Educational Measurement, Inc. (CEM) portal bandang 8:00 ng umaga noong Miyerkules, Hunyo 10.
Katulad ng maraming examinees, kinakabahan daw si Queenie habang naghihintay sa resulta at patuloy na nire-refresh ang page.
Kaya nang lumabas na ang resulta, sinubukan aniyang pakalmahin ang sarili at paulit-ulit na binasa ang kaniyang score upang matiyak na nakikita niya ito nang tama.
Aniya pa, lubos ang kaniyang pagkabigla dahil hindi niya inaasahang makukuha niya ang pinakamataas na puntos at ranggo sa NMAT, lalo na bilang first-time taker.
“I was honestly shocked, as I did not expect to score that high. I had always thought that achieving a 99+ percentile rank on the first attempt was extremely rare and difficult, more so alongside an 800 general performance score, which I understood to represent the absolute pinnacle of test performance. Because of this, I did not allow myself to expect too much while waiting for the results,” hindi makapaniwalang saad ni Queenie.
Dahil na rin sa lubos niyang pasasalamat sa naging suporta at alalay ng kaniyang pamilya, sa kanila niya unang sinabi ang balita ng pagpasa.
Saad pa niya, ang naging resulta ng NMAT ay hindi lamang sa kaniyang sariling kakayahan, ngunit bunga na rin ng encouragement mula sa kaniyang pamilya, mga kaibigan, at sa Diyos, na ginabayan siya sa kasagsagan ng mga kinaharap na pagsubok.
“More than anything, I felt deeply thankful to everyone who supported me throughout the journey. This test result was not due to my effort alone, but also to the support and encouragement of my family, peers, and God, who guided me and kept me grounded through the challenges,” pasasalamat ni Queenie.
MGA PLANO SA HINAHARAP
Nang tanungin hinggil sa kaniyang future plans, pinaplano ni Queenie na mag-gap year at bumalik muna sa kaniyang service obligation sa ilalim ng DOST, at sa mga oras na ito, layon niyang paghandaan ang pagkuha ng Pharmacists Licensure Examination.
Saad pa ni Queenie, layon din niyang mag-specialize sa anesthesiology o surgery.
Sa nasabing return service sa DOST, nais din ni Queenie na manilbihan sa mga komunidad sa probinsya, kung saan, kadalasang limitado ang access sa healthcare.
MENSAHE PARA SA ASPIRING NMAT TAKERS, MGA MAG-AARAL, AT MGA MAGULANG O GUARDIANS
Para sa mga ninanais kumuha ng NMAT, ipinaalala ni Queenie na ang consistency ay susi sa tagumpay, at sa mga araw na mabagal ang progreso ng pagkatuto, mas mainam na maging matiyaga kaysa maghanap ng perpektong pagkakataon.
“To aspiring NMAT takers, remember that success is built through consistency. Strive not for perfection, but for persistence, especially on days when progress feels slow,” mensahe ni Queenie sa NMAT takers.
Sa mga mag-aaral, payo ni Queenie, maniwala sa kanilang mga kakayahang matuto at lumago at bawat pagsubok at setback ay parte ng paglalakbay sa pagkatuto.
“To students, believe in your ability to grow and learn. Challenges are part of the journey, and every setback can become an opportunity to improve,” mensahe ni Queenie sa mga mag-aaral.
Panghuli, para sa guardians at mga magulang, binanggit ni Queenie na malaking bagay ang kanilang encouragement upang mapanatiling motivated ang kanilang mga anak na tahakin at tuparin ang kanilang mga adhikain.
“To parents and guardians, thank you for the sacrifices and unconditional support you give to your children. Your encouragement is essential in helping them remain motivated and pursue their goals with confidence,” mensahe ni Queenie para naman sa guardians at mga magulang.
