Flonique Guimary

Rabiya Mateo begins medical school journey at UST at 29

Article (news)

E. Kristhoff Cagape

Push Team

<p>Rabiya Mateo reflected on what inspired her to return to school and pursue her dream of becoming a doctor at the University of Santo Tomas (UST).</p><p>In an interview with The Flame, the official student publication of the UST Faculty of Arts and Letters, the beauty queen and actress shared that she felt the time was finally right to focus on herself after fulfilling her responsibilities to her family.</p><p>&quot;I decided to go back to my studies simply because I think I&#x27;m done with my responsibility as the breadwinner of my family,&quot; she shared.</p><p>She went on: &quot;I sent my brother to school. He is already done. I already bought my mama a house so now I think I have all the time to focus on my goal and my dream of becoming a doctor.&quot;</p><div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=476&amp;href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Freel%2F1849036356470194%2F&amp;show_text=false&amp;width=267&amp;t=0" width="267" height="476" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div><p>The former Miss Universe Philippines was also asked what she hopes her fellow students would get to know about her beyond her image as a beauty queen.</p><p>&quot;I hope they don&#x27;t have much of expectations thinking that I&#x27;m all glam and all the glamor, but I wanted them to think I&#x27;m just like them, a dreamer,&quot; she said.</p><p>Rabiya added that she is also still adjusting to the demands of medical school and is looking forward to forming friendships with her classmates.</p><p>&quot;And just like them I&#x27;m still adjusting to the crazy life of being a medical student. And I&#x27;m looking forward to building connections and friendships because we are gonna be spending four years together and I&#x27;m so excited for that,&quot; she stated.</p><div><br/></div><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/showbiz/celebrities/2026/2/28/rabiya-mateo-reveals-she-is-enrolling-in-med-school-1705" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>READ: Rabiya Mateo reveals she is enrolling in med school</strong></a></div><div><br/></div><p>She also described going back to school at 29 as another chance to pursue her academic goals with renewed determination.</p><p>&quot;At 29, I feel like I&#x27;m a kid fulfilling her dreams and this is an opportunity for me to have a round two for my studies and this time just like in my pre-med taking up Physical Therapy, I&#x27;m really gonna give my best.&quot;</p><p>Rabiya graduated cum laude with a Bachelor of Science in Physical Therapy from Iloilo Doctors’ College in 2018.</p><p>In February, the former beauty queen announced that she would be returning to school to pursue her long-held dream of becoming a doctor.</p><p>&quot;It&#x27;s a calling and I&#x27;m so happy to share this to everybody that I&#x27;m gonna go back to med school. And I wanted to become a doctor ever since,&quot; she relayed in an interview with DJ Chacha in her YouTube vlog.</p>

<p>Rabiya Mateo shared what encouraged her to return to school and pursue her dream of becoming a doctor. </p>

Rabiya Mateo shared what encouraged her to return to school and pursue her dream of becoming a doctor.