Compassion 101: Chinese General Hospital Colleges med students learn Tzu Chi’s core values

Compassion 101: Chinese General Hospital Colleges med students learn Tzu Chi’s core values | Daily Tribune

The best way to learn compassion is to experience it and the right place to develop or enhance this attitude is at the Tzu Chi Eye Center, a hospital run by the Tzu Chi Medical Foundation Philippines.

For many years, the hospital in Sta. Mesa, Manila has been providing free consultation and surgery to mostly poor people with eye defects to restore or improve their vision. Doctors, inspired by the Tzu Chi founder Dharma Master Cheng Yen’s kindness, work at the hospital as volunteers, giving medical services to help instead of to earn.

Recently, 186 freshmen students from the Medical Technology, Radiologic Technology, Physical Therapy, and Psychology programs of the Chinese General Hospital Colleges (CGHC) underwent immersion at the TCEC. They assisted doctors in clinical chores and prepared food for patients from 25 May to 21 June.

James Chua, a Tzu Chi volunteer and the CGHC deputy executive director and dean of its College of Medical Technology, said the goal of the immersion is for the students to observe how patients are properly treated.

“We chose Tzu Chi because we know in healthcare it is important that a person develops compassion which is one of Tzu Chi Foundation’s main core values. So we want our students to be able to observe as early as their first year how to properly address of treat patients but to also develop compassion as one of their core values,” Chua said.

He told the students, “As future healthcare providers, it is important that you understand how it is to be a patient so that you will have compassion and treat every patient as if they are your own relatives.”

Inspired by doctors and patients

Sharing his experience, CGHC student Tristan Diaz said it was inspiring that Tzu Chi volunteers help others without getting anything in return.

“What you get back are the smiles of the patients that you helped and those are more than enough,” Diaz said.

Another student, Kyle Policarpio, said she also wants to be like the Tzu Chi ophthalmologists.

“By just seeing their patients heal, they feel happy,” she said.

The Tzu Chi immersion motivates Aika Nadine Balbona to finish her course, so that more patients who want to be treated would be assisted.

“I am glad to participate in a community like this. I want to create a community someday that will assist others as well because I’ve learned at Tzu Chi to help those in need,” Uriel Coloma said.

“I was happy for the patients since they will be treated properly and that the people, the staff and the health professionals that will be treating them really care and have the passion and dedication to help and treat people with their purest heart,” according to Francine Antonne Nocido.

Shaene Llyne Tolentino not only learned how to be compassionate but also appreciate her purpose in life.

She remembered one of the outpatients who thanked them before going home.

“She thanked us on assisting them during their clearance day. People remember us, that is what I learned in Tzu Chi. You made small things but you will be appreciated,” Tolentino said.