Full circle moment: Bacolod student tops same med-tech exam that his father aced in 1985

From 4:30 a.m. until midnight, Ralph Jayson Tulmo had reviewed daily for the 2024 Medical Technologist Licensure (MTL) Examination where he eventually placed third.  

The feat is a full circle moment for Tulmo, whose father topped the same med-tech exam 39 years ago.

Tulmo, who graduated summa cum laude at Riverside College in Bacolod City, said his parents Wilson and Janet Lydia both have careers in the medical field and had advised him to choose medical technology as his pre-med course.  

“I asked my dad what he thinks the best pre-med course is, and of course, I mean, he may be biased but he did say medical technology. He gave his reasons for it, it seems to me at that time, those were very good reasons,” he said.

“It's a nice training if you want to become a medical doctor because you get to have an in-depth understanding of the different activities or processes that are being performed in the lab so that you are able to obtain accurate clinical evidence, lab results ng mga pasyente mo for you to make good diagnosis.”

Out of 9,068 takers of the MTL exam, Tulmo ranked third with a 92.7 percent average. 

PREPARATION & CHALLENGES

Tulmo said he spent 5 months reviewing for the exam – a period which also reignited his passion for medical technology after experiencing struggles during the pandemic.

“The training provided by these lectures, once again [made me] re-discover my passion for med-tech. Suddenly, the subject started to become more interesting. And in those concepts, those lessons, which I found very difficult to understand during the pandemic, became very clear to me,” he said.

But the 23-year-old Tulmo admitted that preparing for the rigorous exam took a toll on his mental health. 

“Sometimes, kasi feeling mo, pag nagpapahinga ka, feeling mo parang you're  not doing your best. Parang, you don't want to allow yourself to rest. Kahit, for example, i-try mo magpahinga, manood ng TV o matulog, palagay mo parang nawawalan ka ng oras,” he said.

“It's just a lot to read and memorize. Especially, of course, if you're aiming for the top or the highest spot or aiming to be a top notcher, it's inevitable that you're gonna be stressed, that you're gonna be anxious, worried at times. Not just at times, almost every day of your review, you will be worried talaga,” he said.

Tulmo said he later realized it was important to take breaks and have enough rest to better remember a huge volume of information.

“Kung pagod ka na, kahit ano pang basa mo ng mga materyales, hindi na yan papasok sa ulo mo. It is important to understand that rest is just as important as you’re studying. Your relaxation, your rest day, or rest hours, they will give you your fuel to study harder and study smarter and better, in general,” he said.

SUPPORT SYSTEM

Tulmo learned of the exam results after failing to answer a phone call and getting mentions on Facebook. He told his parents the news at 1:30 a.m.           

“The moment I received it, I first spoke to my father kasi he was just next to me. So I woke him up. Sinenyas ko sa kanya, sabi ko number 3. Then kasi pinatulog ko si mommy sa ibang kwarto para hindi siya ma-tense, pinuntahan namin si mommy, tapos ginising na namin to say the news to her,” he said.

Tulmo said earning one of the top spots in the MTL exam was never possible without the help and support of his parents. 

“It feels amazing. Siyempre yung goal ko talaga mag top 1 sana talaga. Pero it's okay. Top three is already very good. Kasi for me it wasn't really about the top spot. It was about sharing the same [path], the same seat in history as my dad,” he said. 

Tulmo said his career-driven parents gave him advice for his studies and provided him with the emotional support that he needed in his pre-med journey.

“Very big advantage for me and very helpful to me as well. Kasi, syempre normal talaga ng mga days leading to the board exam, ida-doubt mo yung sarili mo. Tatanungin mo kung kaya mo ba talaga. So may mga worries ka at may mga doubts ka na pwede mong i-express sa kanila. And of course, they will be there to guide you and to offer their own advice,” he said.

“Mga two days leading to the board exam, kinausap ko si daddy, sabi ko sa kanya kung kaya ko ba talaga ‘to? Parang na-mental block na kasi ako.  He told me to pray and help me understand, this is all part of the process. You just have to show up on the board exam day and give your best,” he added.

He also shared how other students should not let pressure hold them back from achieving their fullest potential and use it as a driving force to thrive in their chosen fields.

“You can allow pressure to come at you from the path, but you can’t allow pressure to push you down or you can take that pressure and put it behind you and use it as a fuel or a source of motivation,” he said.

After his exam feat, Tulmo said he plans to teach at the same review center where he studied and pursue medical school this year.